It's not all about me but......
I was born in the small town of Endicott, N.Y.,"The Home of the Square Deal" and "Carousel Capital of the World". The greater Endicott area has been the home of E.J. shoes, Kilmer's Swamp Root Cure, the unlikely Kentucky Derby winner Exterminator, "THINK", famous psychics, a young Rod Serling, and speidies. Nestled in rolling foothills and fertile valleys on the banks of the very ancient and lovely Susquehanna River, Endicott is just close enough to the Pennsylvania border to give underage drinkers a second chance at self destruction. Binghamton, our largest city, is not very big. This is Upstate, not "THE CITY", and we can be just as backward, or forward, as we choose. The weather in the area can best be described as trying. It's not unusual to endure 8-11 "twilight zone" months of overcast skies, 5-6 months of snowplows, 3-7 months of mud, flood, and destruction, and, thankfully, 3-5 months of manic blissful spring, summer storms, and sunny days before the crisp fall foliage makes the locals talk fast, move fast, and start to remember winter's coming.* * (The # of months don't add up because they may overlap.)
MY PEOPLE
And My Musical Roots.
I made good use of my time dabbling in the fine arts while waiting patiently for my first piano lessons. Then I found out you had to practice.
My Mother, Betty , (Elizabeth), Jane Fish (Errigo)
I've recently learned that she entertained during the war years with her singing, piano playing, and dancing. She's the person who explained to me, as a toddler, that songs do not just exist, that PEOPLE write them. I didn't believe her.
My Daddy, Mario Errigo and me. He loved to sing with my Mother in the car and listen to Ray Charles on the stereo. Many of my relatives on my Father's side are musicians and or music teachers. In Sicily my grandfather Errigo's family sang as they worked in their olive groves.
My Grandmother, Tillie Williams, (Fish) , (Noxon). She sang and played piano. I recently found out she was part of a band, The Mathewson family band. I have no further details other than a comment from an older relative. "Tillie led an interesting life". I just remember her singing in church.
I'd like to think this is the Mathewson Family band, but I doubt it. They are relatives, however, and I just like the photo.
Daddy at our second house after an average snowfall. Pretty dressy for shoveling.
Mom and me at Grandma Tillie's piano getting ready for my first Christmas. Lots of good sheet music in that bench!
