Rick and I looked at each other. He knew what I was thinking. Would this be possible? Is this affordable? If we did buy it, could I ever learn to play it? This amazing combination of wood, plastic, steel, wiring and ivory resembled the instrument panel of a Boeing 747! We were told that the music portion of the unit was manufactured and assembled in Japan and that the wood cabinet work was accomplished right here in the United States...in Georgia, where the final assembly was completed.

We both went home and discussed it. Several days passed by. I found myself tossing and turning at night. Would the purchase end up being a horrible mistake?

In time Rick and I returned to the music store and summoned the saleswoman who had shown us the instrument. Rick was much better at haggling the sales price than I was. With the piano which I had bought in the early 1950's included in the negotiations, plus Rick’s talking the sales person into nibbling at her commission, we finally signed on the dotted line. Within less than a week, the Yamaha was setting in the living room of our home.

The book of instructions that accompanied the instrument could just as well have been written in Greek! As the days, weeks and months passed by, I gradually became familiar with the organ, bit by bit. First the upper level. Press the right buttons and dials to get the desired solo instrument (choice of 137 different instruments). Choose the appropriate rhythm section (infinite number of choices). Memorize a host of chords which must be played to the immediate touch on the lower level. Select the right tempo. Learn how to use the floppy disc and record what was played. Get the feel of the instrument!

In time, I began to play my own compositions...the way I would hear them in my own mind. What a tremendous satisfaction! I became more and more familiar with what this thing could do and it was not only fun after a while, but a wonderful challenge! I learned how to sight-read popular music after purchasing a host of familiar tunes. That way I was able to learn even more chords and develop new techniques as presented by professionals in the business.

Not only was Rick enthralled with the progress and accomplishments, but our little pet schnauzer, JR, would lie there on the sofa or on the floor, paws out-stretched in front him in a “Sphinx” pose, ears straight up....listening...calm, cool and collected....with what looked like a satisfied smile on his cute little face!

There is still much to learn about the Yamaha electronic dual-keyboard and that is what makes it even more interesting and challenging in the days ahead!

That said, I hope you, the listener, will get a kick out of listening to 60 (many more to go) of my own compositions dating back to the 1940's, as well as your being able to just lie back and enjoy my interpretations of 150 well-known oldies from the forties, fifties and sixties.

Voila!