Michael Mercer playing lead, Mike Moody singing, Al Simpson on drums

After seeing some classmates senior to me at a concert at Central Junior High I decided that playing music was what I wanted to do.  My mother bought me a guitar from Tom Picket and I started lessons. This was a turning point in my life. Tom was kind, patient, helpful and a great teacher.

After awhile the bands started.  I was asked by Garry Hamilton of Edinburg to join his new band the Teen Beats.  It featured, Garry on Lead guitar, me on rhythm, Johnny Wheeler on piano and lead vocals, Jim Darnell on Sax, and Don Jessee on drums.  Later we added Gregg Galbraith, Ray Hankins, the late Bill Taylor on bass and it just keeps going as times changed.

I graduated Columbus High School in 1965.  I went on to College after Vietnam and graduated from Shoreline College in Seattle Washington.  I have since become a photographer, a writer, and still a musician.  I am a father, a grandfather, a veteran, and a dreamer.  My photo showing is now hanging at the Indigo Hotel in Columbus.