the gramophone, used with the spoke of a bicycle wheel filed to fit into the hole that houses the gramophone's needle, could pick up the vibrations of the guitar strings. I mounted the spoke under the six strings at the bridge of the guitar, attached the gramophone head, and plugged the RCA jacks at the other end of the gramophone head into the input of my father's radio. This was my first electric guitar. I played it in churches around Georgetown, Guyana. This guitar served me very well until I was able to use a real electric guitar in the band "The Intruders" which I joined as a lead guitarist.

     This instrument, although a blessing, soon proved to be the reason for a split between my family and myself. I had to leave home in my early teen-age years because my father, a devout Christian, refused to allow me to play any other type of music but gospel. Gospel did not appeal to me beyond what it had to offer. I soon sought after secular songs because there was more to learn from them. My father would take the guitar away from me anytime he caught me playing secular songs, including sometimes stripping the guitar of its strings.

       During the day after school, I learned to play the piano by spelling out the chords on the guitar, and then picking the chord out on the piano. I again learned gospel songs, which made my mom, a loving and devoted mother and homemaker, happy. She was very proud of me and even sang along with my instrumentals. She often times would get me to play for her guests, proudly asking me to play her favorites. Surprisingly, my father was also encouraged and offered to send me to learn classical music. I again turned down his offer.

Continued

Art Work:            Jake Commander

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