Jerry48

My interest in trumpet playing began in the Sixth grade (1961 or so). My parents signed me up with the school band and provided me with my first trumpet (a $99 special), which I used for only about a year. I then became the proud owner of a brand new King Silvertone, and played it in the school band until the summer just before my junior year in high school.
\Gotta go/will post more later.
It's now the next day --- didn't know I would be able to come back here and finish this. It was a long time ago, but as memory serves me, it was August of 1965 when becasue of a gum disease, all of my upper teeth were pulled, just two weeks before school was to start. I had practiced long and hard all summer. At the end of the previous school year, I had acheived Second chair (there were ten trumpet players) in our school band, and strived to beat out the first chair occupant by challenging him to a play off. That's what I was preparing for. As it turned out I put my horn away the day my teeth were pulled. I didn't realize that it was possible to play the trumpet with no upper teeth for support. I regret that move now. Really missed performing in the band.
In 1994, between jobs, I had my King Silvertone refurbished and joined a local community band. I practiced with them and we preformed for local retirement and nursing homes for awhile. Then got a job and no longer had the time. I was just beginning to get the hang of playing by then, even triple tounging which I don't remember getting into in high school.
Our oldest son took up the trumpet too, in the Sixth grade and went all the way. He really made me proud by his performance at his Senior year final concert. He performed a special number with the Jazz Ensemble from the band. I don't remember what brand of trumpet he has, but will find out. He still has it, and has mentioned recently that he has been thinking about resuming playing. He's 30 years old, with two young kids and going through a divorce right now. We have often talked about putting together a family band, to include one sister on the clarinet, anothe sister on the violin, and a brother on the guitar. Think that would be pretty cool.