July 29, 2005
God given talent...
The fact that my sister, Dorothy Lee, was from our father's first marriage and I from his second, made no difference to our relationship. Even though we grew up over 100 miles apart and only saw each other about once a year, we had always felt close as a family. So it was that in 1979 when I completed 8 years in the U.S. Navy and moved my own family just around the corner from her family's driveway, it felt to me like it was "planned that way", especially when you consider our musical interests.
Dorothy Lee married David Kleindienst when I was only 10 years old. (You guessed it, she is way older than me!) They had both been singing and playing good old time country music from when they were kids. It seemed only natural for them and likewise for their three sons, Daniel, Randy and Eric to do so also. Frankly, it is hard for me to even think of them without thinking of music. God literally poured His blessing on their musical abilities.
Somehow Randy fell into the role of being lead singer (in addition to his Mom and Dad of course). I remember very well when Randy stood in front of me and sang "Boy Named Sue" all the way through...he was 4 years old! The amazing thing is (and don't tell him or he'll get a big head) that he tends to NEVER forget ANY song he has ever learned and sang! And I mean NEVER!
And while Daniel, the oldest, is perfectly comfortable singing lead, he also learned from his mother how to sing harmony so very well.
I guarantee when they all get together to play, whether on stage, in the studio or just jamming, it is something special. And God must be very pleased to see that they have all used the talents that He so graciously gave them. How I came to move to where they lived to eventually play and record with them is enough for a separate entry. But afterall, it was obviously what God had intended. More to come...
Posted by banjonut at 1:52 PM | Comments (1)