I can't imagine that *anyone* would be interested in information about me, but I suppose my vanity compels me to write something about myself:

I was born in Ft. Meade, Maryland in 1961 - my family lived in Laurel, Maryland, a small town halfway between Baltimore, MD and Washington, DC. My father was a member of the US Army Field Band. I began collecting records when I was about 10 years old - I didn't know what was rare, but I did know what I liked! I came across a red label Columbia reissue of Bix's "At The Jazz Band Ball" and I was hooked. By the time I was in my early 20's, I had fallen in with several members of the Baltimore Vintage Record Society who remain close friends to this day. I managed to amass a small collection (roughly 2000 disks), mostly neat (but not especially valuable) hot-dance sides.

I began playing music professionally when I was 14. I started with clarinet, and rapidly added bass clarinet and all the saxes. I played *lots* of pit orchestras and stage bands, played several dates with jazz bassist Ron Carter (I was 20, and in my be-bop phase!), and at age 17 toured with a symphony orchestra (on bass clarinet) in the UK and Europe. I *intended* to major in Music Ed. at the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts, but I soon discovered I really didn't want to do that. I did a short stint as a band instrument repairman in Boone, North Carloina, and then I got a *real* job, working at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
(Above) The Boone Community Big Band - May 1981. Bill Hubbard director and vibes. Bill was one of the finest musicians I've ever known - there's a building named in his memory at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. That's me playing baritone sax - no, I don't remember *why* we had two drummers!
I didn't give up music though - with my good friend and exceptional sousaphonist John Floyd Jr. I put together a vintage dance band we named the "Royal Blue Orchestra" - named for the famous train that ran on the B&O line. Like many bands across the country, we played stock arrangements from the late 20's and early 30's, with varying success! Depending on who didn't make it to the gig or the rehearsal, I played alto, tenor and baritone saxes, clarinet, drums and I sang a bit.
(Above) Left to right: Kathy Swingle, baritone horn; John Floyd, sousaphone; Dick Parks, trumpet; Dave Robinson, trumpet; Glen Richards, drums. Not shown: Frank Weidefeldt, banjo; Mark Kotishion, piano; Bob Thulman, Sam Jenkins, alto sax; Max Geller, tenor sax.
We disbanded the RBO in late 1985, but I continued to play and direct in numerous bands and orchestras, as well as being the music director for several Baptist churches in the area. My "day job" was with the Arbitron Company (a radio and TV ratings service) as a tech support guru - we used to joke that my name and phone number were in every radio station in the country! I opened my own carpet business in 1991, and moved to Houston, Texas in late 1995.

Well, there's lots of stuff I've left out, but how interested can you possibly be?? Nowadays I live in Allen, Texas with my wife Selah, our cockatiels Lotz and Mucho, our Pacific parrotlet Shamrock and our cat Arizona. I'm currently on disability and haven't the money to collect records anymore, which is just as well! As always, please feel free to contact me if you have *any* questions or comments...