I came to L.A. in 1970, and my desire and my training was to be a studio musician, which I had read about in my senior year in high school.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I moved out to L.A. when I was 17, dropped out of high school, and pursued a career in music.
I attended a post-college program in L.A. for Music Business and Production. Took several courses involving Music Production, Arrangement, and Songwriting.
I had sort of exhausted all the avenues playing in Detroit. So again, through the stewardship of my brother, I ended up in California and went to the Musicians Institute in L.A. I wanted to get better as a player.
Growing up in Seattle, I had the opportunity to take classes since I was 7 years old. I did theatre. I auditioned for film, television, commercials, and built up not just a resume but also some confidence. I learned how to master my craft before arriving in Los Angeles.
My musical education started in the limelight, because I found myself surrounded by real musicians, but after my career had taken off.
I came out to L.A. in '78 to be a musician. I didn't get into comedy until the mid-Eighties.
I started off as a studio pianist in Hollywood.
Actually, I wanted to be a musician, either a guitarist or a drummer. I guess my dreams were in the entertainment industry, and I landed somewhere along there.
I wanted to be a musician, either a guitarist or a drummer. I guess my dreams were in the entertainment industry, and I landed somewhere along there.
I didn't have any knowledge of the music industry when I first got to L.A., and I really didn't know on a creative level what I wanted to sound like, so I had to do a lot of experimenting. It led to a spiral of depression and being broke.