The Sound of Gold with guest Chuck Fiore Jr

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0:51 Hi, welcome to the Sound of Gold. I am Lisa Eva Gold and this is our Monday show. And if you've been here before, you know, and if you're new, just to let you know that my focus is on music, musicians, music venues, music teachers, and music schools, and I'm all about keeping original music alive. We have instruments that we play and you can't reproduce the beauty of what an instrument sounds like. And a lot of us that are in the world of music and play music, we know that it's a passion and we get to do it for others, and more so than playing for other people, we get to do it for ourselves. It's a gift that keeps on giving to ourselves and to our listeners around us. So music is very important. It's important to me, and it's important for me to have this show to help keep music alive and to bring more attention to the talent that is out in our communities for our local residents here in South Florida. Those of who have less to my show before, know that I've mentioned there is a lot of connections in our community to reach out to listen to live music. And if you're a musician that's just starting out, I promise you if you look into it, or google it or ask some friends, there are venues in your areas that have restaurants or

2:21 get togethers with other musicians that like to play. With that being said, I'm going to deter off a little bit and share with you I've made. I've made a life here in South Florida. I'm a music teacher. I teach piano, but I'm also a piano player. I love to play, and I've surrounded myself with some wonderful people who I call my extended family, and we all have music in common. And even for those friends of mine that are not focused on music, you're still my extended family. But I'm focusing on music today and my extended music family that's out there that I've made some beautiful connections with and anytime we get together, we have a good time, whether we're playing music, talking music, or sharing music at venues.

3:11 It's just a beautiful gift we get to give our community and more so give ourselves. What's that being said, those of you out there that are musically inclined or I don't even know if that's the right way to say it, but if you've grown up with music, if you've had family members or have family members that are in music, you are privileged. I think I grew up in a family that nobody was musically interested in playing an instrument other than me, and so for me a little it was a little bit of a challenge because I had to look like elsewhere outside of my box of home to find my inspirations. And honestly, I hated it practicing when I was a kid. I started playing when I was five. I played for years, and my parents always said practice, practice, and really I didn't have somebody to look up to to follow in their footsteps, and I just kind of had to create my own and I complained along the way, but it brought me to where I am today. So no complaints there with that being said, some of the connections I've made over the years, some of my music family out there does have family members that have inspired them throughout their years and they've got the privilege to follow in their footsteps, and it's so admirable. With that being said, you know,

4:44 I want to I want you to help me welcome a very special guest today. My friend Chuck Fiori Junior is with us backstage. Hi everybody, Hey Lisa. Hi Chuck. How are you. I'm doing well. Thank you, and thank you for the opportunity to, you know, to share whatever I can share for you, guys. I appreciate that. Thank you, Thank you. Yes, there we have. We're across the nation, maybe across the globe, and so I don't know who's listening in, but for our listeners, some are musicians, some are thinking about playing a music instrument. Some have not joined in a community of UH open mics or or venues, and some have. And so I want this too.

5:31 I know it reaches wherever it reaches. And I just always think that when I have a show, I just want to be able to touch someone out there that maybe they learned something from our conversation that they didn't know before. And you know you you played drums. You you grew up also in a household where your dad was pretty much a celebrity. And you grew up in that household and your dad was a dear friend of mine, such a such a good man, and such a great influence and inspiration. You're you know, I don't know how far you want to go back, but I know he's been your inspiration your whole life. And you know, how did that, How did that transpire into what you've done with your music world here and now and where you see yourself going with it? Maybe I'm asking too much at once.

6:25 No, that's great, and I'm willing to share the story from start to finish if you like. Yes, how much time we have, But yeah, I have awesome stories to tell. It started, I guess, you know, since I was a kid. My father, even when I was born. I guess before I was born, he was a bass player out of Harrison, New York. And him growing up in his neighborhood, he had a bunch of musician friends that that are all either superstar celebrities or close to it. He just grew up that were his buddies. And you know in the neighborhood, which is incredible. Ron Viola is one of them. He's a saxophone player. Rick Murata. If anybody knows about drumming and they don't know Rick Marada's name, they should. Rick Murata is a drummer that played with Steely Dan. He's on the song peg. He played with Linda Ronstad, James Taylor, and it just goes on. I mean superstars, you know status he had. And then his brother who was ten years younger, who was good friends with our uncle. My uncle Santy was the drummer for Peter Gabriel and that song Shocked the Monkey and he was the original drummer for Orleans and just a slew of like superstar players.

7:42 And if you're not familiar with my dad, he played bass guitar for the Four Tops when he was eighteen years old. I think he was only the only white guy in the whole Motown review tour that they went on. Then he was drafted. I was about to get drafted for Vietnam, and he enlisted and stayed out of Vietnam, so thankfully he was able to stay in the state side during that and after that he he started his career playing music with Phoebe Snow, I mean, just a ton a ton of artists as well, and ultimately John Denver, Billy Vera and the Beaters. That's that song at this moment. If anybody's familiar with that, they could look it up.

8:24 But he has gold records, you know. So I grew up witnessing that from you know, as long as I can remember being around music, and so it was I was very lucky and very fortunate in a very surreal way too. My life has been very surreal that I was amongst these superstar people that were just like you know, everyday people. So it was very influential in my life. So it was really cool. Anything you want to know you just asked me. Now, did you. It's kind of I'm not sure how to ask it. Like I've done, I've done different things with my life, and I have my daughter that I raised and who's now twenty eight. So I've worked with some different celebrities. But her is like, no big like she's like, mom, I really don't care kind of thing, like she doesn't really She's a lovely lady, young lady.

9:18 She cares, of course, but meaning like she just it wasn't a big deal to her. It wasn't like anything outside of normal. So with you growing up was did you find it different? Did you feel like just a home was home and dad's friends were Dad's friends. Did it seem like that or was it like, oh, the stage and the lights and the travel did that happen. I'm kind of asking a couple of quess. No, they're all really good questions, actually, and. That had a big impact on you. Yeah, it's very surreal looking back, but it was normal growing up. I mean, I didn't know any difference. So when you're a youngster and you're in this you know environment, it's just this is just how it is. You just don't know different until you get older, and then you look back and you go, wow, what a life. I mean, just just being on the sidelines of my dad's career was enough living that one person can do in a lifestyle lifetime. To see what I've seen and what I've been around, you know, and it's been a very influential part of my life. Naturally, the genetics of music just passed through me. And you know, I didn't even have to learn how to play drums. I just had it in me, it was crazy. But but to answer that question, like I remember stories, just to give you an idea, put in perspective, my dad played for a band that opened for Linda Lnstadt and I was eight years old, and I remember being backstage, you know, the lights, all

10:51 of that scene going on the stage, looking at you know, ten thousand people clapping, and that energy was always so exciting to see. It was just like, Wow, my dad's out there with the lights and people are clapping. It was like, this is really cool, you know. And I remember being backstage and because I was alone because my dad was on stage, they put me in the room with Linda Ronstadt, whom my dad's band opened for. And so Linda back then was just, you know, so beautiful in the seventies. You know, I'm fifty five years old, just to put things in perspective. Fifty five, we're talking about the seventies here, and Linda was still young and vibrant and beautiful and I and she always was. But you know, I was backstage and I just saw her and just had a crush on her into eight years old, and I sat on her lap and she kissed me on the cheek and it was just normal, like, I mean, that was just my life and that played its part into so many different other bands and situations and just real cool stuff. I mean, I'd be happy to go on and on. How long do you.

11:52 Have we have a little bit of time. Well, I do you have any other questions there? I mean, I could just start going and telling you stories. I'm pretty pretty much an open book when it comes to that. But well, what was the time or do you recall the time when you kind of found your instrument to play or did you have the opportunity where you got to try all different instruments? And yeah, well my dad when I was young, when he wasn't playing on off, he was a he worked at a sam Ash, one of the original sam Ash music stores in New York. And so I was growing up and you know, learning little instruments I could do in school, like the recorder, like tapping drums. You know, they had the violins and all that. But when it came to trumpet, I really picked up the trumpet. And so my dad, I remember him buying me one from the Samash store and you know, get me all set up and I started playing at school and I just naturally had musical talent, like I could hear music and understand it. It's genetics or whatever. Some people have it, some people don't. It's just strange. But it was very natural to me. And whenever I had teachers teaching, I picked it up very quickly and I excelled. At one point, I was like the number one chair player for trumpet in my in my middle school band and jazz band and all that. And when my teacher got wind of who my dad was because he asked me, are you chuck for your I know, I chucked you a baseball player that's playing with all these ops on yep, that's my dad. So that gave me a little bit extra boost I guess, you know, a little favoritism too, so

13:25 that helped. But you know, I had to walk the walk and play, play the play, play the notes, you know, and make sure I did my job right. But it was it was always nice to be a little bit in the shadow of my dad, you know, when it came to that stuff. So did you get a chance to ever tour with him kind of backstage or yeah? Yeah, I could remember. I'll tell you a very interesting story I have. I think it was kind of like in those seventies, like the late seventies, maybe early eighties. I was maybe nine, ten eleven somewhere around there, and my dad had moved to Los Angeles and I was living in New York at the time, and so he would pick me up, you know, during the holidays or whatever.

14:10 And this one year he was on tour in New York City and so he picked me up and he was playing with I think it was Nicolett Larson at the time, and they had a tour bus, a really cool tour bus, you know, with the decker bunks and all of that stuff in it. And I remember him telling me, you know, I'm going to take you on tour with us from New York to Washington, d C. And when we're done in Washington, d C. I'll bring you back. So you're going to be on the bus with us. And I was excited, like this is the ever, you know, to be on a tour bus that's at like eight, nine years old, whatever it was, and to go out and be backstage at all these concerts. I just can't express how cool it was. And you know, I saw a few things, you know, rock star lifestyle that a little kid probably shouldn't see. But I don't know if it's appropriate to talk about, but it was.

15:01 But you know, you grew up a little bit quicker when you see those things. But it was interesting either way you look at it. And I was able to be on a bus and with a band and see that lifestyle, you know, like what you see in the in the movies or on TV. Sure it was pretty accurate, and it's pretty cool to be an eight year old witnessing that and going for a ride on a bus rock band. And it was just very like I said, it's very surreal when you when you think about, you know, how I how I was raised, and how I grew up around that, you know. Sure, yeah, I'm sorry. Were you going to say something? No? No, I mean I could keep going. I could tell you interesting stories about really cool stuff too. I would be I would go out to Los Angeles from New York. My dad lived in LA at the time, and he would send me on a plane to LA every summer to see him, and that I would be around the you know, whatever he was doing. He was doing studio work. I was in the studio with him and Billion Beaters recorded their album. I was in the studio, watching twenty takes of one song over and over and over again, getting kind of bored as a kid, as you you could imagine. And then I've also seen Slay, you know, Kim Carnes, I don't know, probably familiar with Kim Carnes's Betty Davis Eye that song he was playing with her. I was in a big, huge, you know, sound studio when they were rehearsing that band Seanna Na.

16:24 I was rehearsing next door back in the seventies. They were a big, you know, cool TV show band. I mean, it was just crazy. And then then he started playing with John Denver and Billy Vera and the Beaters and kind of simultaneously and I got to meet John Denver and what a sweet man he was, and I got Billy Vera and the Beaters. Billy Vera is still a very good friend of ours, and he may be watching Billy if you're out there. He probably saw this on my on my page. But you know, these are people that have written songs for Dolly Parton, I mean numerous kinds of stuff, and they had their own gold records as well, you know, so growing up around that was again, I can't reiterate enough. How surreal it was looking back and thinking about that now in my normal, everyday life here in South Florida, that I was a kid amongst all of that. Yeah, I remember one thing in particular that was the coolest thing as a kid that I just want to share that I used to watch a show on TV called The Dukes of Hazzard. It was like, you know, we were kids. We used to pretend we were the Dukes of Hazard. So one summer I was flown out to LA and this guy, Hert Peterson, who was in John Denver's band, was a you look up Herb.

17:42 He's been on pretty much every album as well. He played banjo and singing for John. And we went to his house to play with his kids in the pool and I'm looking and Tom Wopat, who was one of the characters on The Dukes of Hazzard, was right there at the pool side just having a casual conversation with my dad and Herb. I guess they were working on his country album because he was a country singer. Okay, And I nearly had a conniption fit in the pool because I saw this guy was my hero right there in front of it. I've never been so starstruck in my life, and that one moment I remember being really started. But all of this was just you know, normal life for me, you know, and very interesting stuff, so very cool.

18:26 Well, I do want to hear more stories, but I also want to I also want to mention because this is something that I think you and I, I mean, we have different different stories, but okay, I'll focus on myself. Kind of the idea that when you grow up and you the lifestyle, the fame, the fortune, you know, that looks great. But what what I grew up not knowing was the human part of it. Like there's a given the take, Like you can have as much as you want, but there's oh ways a give and a take, and there's always you know, almost like a balance or a juggle. I mean, for all of us, it's a juggle, right, and so some things in that juggle you have to put down, and some things you juggle, but not as much as more or less you can. Only you only have so much attention for so many things at one time.

19:24 So my big question is and you, like I said earlier, your dad was a dear friend of mine. And I got to hear some great stories and we've become friends. And I don't know if you want to share, like you're a phenomenal dad, what you've and I only know you so much, but what you've, what you put into your family, I wish I wish you were like this poster billboard, because you know, I raise my daughter. It takes a lot, and I know what goes into being know what you have to put aside, and I know what goes into being that parent. So I admire you for who you are. And I know your dad did too, because your dad just praised you. Because your dad would say to me, I don't know how he I don't know how he does it, but he's such a great dad.

20:17 He goes because he didn't get that from me. Well that's emotionally touching to me. So to bring the human aspect in and how that all affected me as a child, like being a part of all of that. I mean, it wasn't always happy times. You know, my dad was away most of the time. I was on tour. He was going around the world flying, and I wasn't always there. So a lot of the years of my life he wasn't around. When I was young, I didn't understand that as much as I do. As I'm older, I've had to learn how to reevaluate my childhood, you know, if that makes any sense and makes sense of it. But I realized, you know, obviously he was given a very amazing opportunity his life because of his talent to play music and playing music if you take it to that level, and I don't know any way to sugarcoat it, but it just is a selfish act because you have to sacrifice so much to do something, and when you have a lot of talent like that, it's like, how do you hold it against somebody to not live their dream or to let it affect how you perceive your life?

21:29 And I've had to learn that balance over a lot of years, you know, that dynamic. And he was always a good dad. I mean, he loved me. He did whatever he could bring me to his life and be part of it. But at the same time, he loved being the person that he was as a musician. And you know, think about it, how many people out there that play music would die for the opportunity for one minute to be on a stage for sixty thousand people with John Denver, you know, backing him up in Tokyo, Japan, you know, with private jets picking you up and stuff. So I can't really hold it against him. He lived his dream and for that, For that, I always looked at him as though he was my hero, and he was always on a pedestal as far as I'm concerned.

22:16 I always remember seeing him with that little stage light on his head, you know, yes, and yeah, I missed that. I miss him on that. So I looked at my life when I was young, you know, with that lack of a father figure in my life growing up, and so being that I had my foot in the door to be a professional musician if I wanted at any time. I had the musical talent as well. I just chose a different path for myself. I chose to be present and a part of my family and sacrifice the talent somewhat. I do different things talent wise. I've always been in the arts, so I designed and build swimming and I've had my own development construction company in the past, and I've always been creative and building or doing something related to the arts. So I chose a different path when it came to that. And I, you know, my daughter is just you know I had my daughter late in life, but man, be a father is just the greatest gift ever.

23:21 And I've sacrificed playing music to be a good father. I don't hold that against my father in any way. I just chose a different path for me. And and ironically, my daughter is a singer and she's singing solos in the upcoming Christmas concerts. And I don't even push that on her. She just is naturally, you know, endowed with musical talent. I guess. So it's a very very cool thing. I love that. A couple of questions detouring I'm zigzagging, and she'd say your pool company. But if our listeners are out there and be like, oh I need my glory done. What what is the name of my company?

24:04 Where are you located? I am a sales manager and partial I look at, you know, being one of the core people here at the company. But it's pool Prosbuilder and you can go to poolprosbuilder dot com. We build luxury pools, design and build pools is what I do. So I you know, we're in the South Florida area or we're out of out of Coconut Creek, Florida, and we do everything from Coconut Creek to Naples to the Keys to you know, Orlando. We'll take you know, if it's a good enough job, we'll take it and we'll build it. But we're growing constantly and it's one of the best pool companies. I've worked for a few already, and this is one of the best by far in the business. So I'm proud to be here.

24:50 Yeah, going back to your drumming, are you still just for the fun of it, drumming on the side. Are you still playing out locally? Are you just well, yeah, that's a good question. I mean, I didn't even really get to that part. But I went from playing trumpet when I was young and having to be in a marching band. They asked me to be in a marching band and wear tights and be a patriot, and I just wasn't my thing because I learned how to My father taught me about how to listen to music and read music and stuff like that. So I dropped. I put the trumpet down and never picked it up again. And I went from a first chair to a note chair, and then I just decided to play drums. And drums came from me sitting behind the drummer beyond instead of being backstage. Sometimes I'd have to be behind the drummer and I would watch them all four arms and legs moving, and I just found that the coolest thing. And I was athletic, so the ambidextrous part kicked in and it was just a natural transition for me to play drums. And so I played on and off in LA when I moved to Florida.

25:55 I ended up playing more later in life than I did when I was younger, and I played with with some blues bands, some decent players down here, Mark Telesca, I did this small stuff with JP Sores and a lot of some of the big names I've been sharing the stage with, and it's very awesome. And until I had my daughter, I was playing three to four nights a week, and once my daughter was born and I wanted to be present, I had to tell everybody I had to scale that back, and it went from three four nights a week to maybe two nights a week, and then one night a week, and now I'm currently at zero nights a week, which I'm okay with. It's a great sacrifice because I'm able to focus my attention now my daughter and what she's doing. I mean, I'm fifty five, so I've lived that part of my life already.

26:41 You know, it's been fun. But to answer your question, I have a project coming up with a guy named Jack Schulman, possibly for Beatles on the Beach. Are you familiar with Beatle Yes? In fact, I got the email from Darryl. Heartwell Daniel Hartwell, yeah. Daniel Hart, it's over in Boca. Yes. They have the Beatles on the Beach is typically in Delray Beach, and they have the Old School Square and they have a big stage there and they bring in some big acts. Mickey Dolan's I believe, was there last year, and a whole bunch of other artists Beaten the Blues Beatles I think, or there are a bunch of different bands that have played there. So Jack is putting together something which I actually have to go to tonight to rehearse with and start my first night. So I'm pretty excited about that. To me, music is therapy.

27:33 Is this the one that Morgan Friedman is gonna host, because there's one coming up that he's gonna host. Really, I didn't know who was going to host this one yet to be honest with you, I don't know all the details yet, so it's all new to me, so it's quite possible. I mean, Daniel is able. You know, he's written a book about John Lennon, you know, and all different kinds of stuff, so he's been just pictures of him and meetings that he's had with Ringo Star and my dad. Actually, uh, ironically speaking of that, his buddy who played with Nicolette that I know, Bryan Brian ray r a y not Brian May. He is the guitarist for Paul McCartney currently and has been playing with Paul for for years. And I guess you know, we've we've got ties to the Beatles in some ways. So it's it's going to be an interesting function and I'm looking forward to playing something at this event, so pretty excited.

28:33 Well, can you share with our listeners because I don't. I kind of forgot when it's happening, Like when the when the show is happening, do you remember? I didn't expect to promote it, but it is usually I think in March or somewhere around then. Yeah, I guess listeners just type in. Beatlemania, Beatles on the Beach, Beatles on the beach in Delray Beach, Florida, and you should be able to, you know, find that real quickly and looking forward to that. I'm not sure what our act is. I'm not sure what our band's going to be that I'm in, but it's it's a new one and I'm showing up there tonight to find out. So yeah, so it's going to be exciting.

29:16 So I'm really looking forward to that. So I don't know if you know. And this is not this show is not about me. It's about you and your dad, and but I'm wanting to share with you. I've played piano since I was five, right, so I've been playing my whole life. It wasn't until your dad and I, uh, we're talking about music and and and just you know, we we had gone out a few times for lunch and it was just so nice to hear so many of his stories. But it wasn't until your dad introduced me to the Nashville Number System. M He's like, you have to have this. He goes, I'm going to order this book for you. It's okay, I'm like, I can, I can order it. He's like, but you have to get this book. So I ordered the book and I like, all right, I got and he goes, okay, well that's how it goes, Nashville number system. You have to go buy that. So you know it was he he knows it well to break down of it. It's still a little bit Greek to me because I think differently, right, But but I really appreciated that.

30:29 That's cool. Yeah, that national numbers I have. You know, my dad passed away last October for those that don't know of Alzheimer's, and so I went through all of his stuff and you know, I'm finding his charts all over the place with these numbers like five, five four four four three treats. And I had no idea what that was. I mean, I knew it was the number system that he used, right, I never learned it. And as a drummer, you know, well, going back to as a trumpet player, I learned how to read music. And as a when I saw music on a sheet, I was just too overwhelmed with how many notes and beats there were that it just blew my mind. I didn't think I could keep up with it. So playing by ears the way, I kind of learned it, and he taught me how to listen beat, the soul in the back end of the beat, and where it should be in relative to his playing as a bass player. I never learned to play bass. It wasn't an interest that I had for whatever reason. But I'm really glad that I didn't because I was a drummer. If I was a bass player, we wouldn't be able to share the stage together.

31:35 You know. And so for many years I got to be in a band with my dad locally here with Jerry Lehman and a few other players and stuff. So we've gotten to share the stage at the Funky Biscuit and some really big, you know, really nice venues to be. I mean, we made the wall together at the Funky Biscuit, which is something near and dear to my heart that we have a photo of us playing together and it's mounted on the wall at the Funky Disk. So being able to go back to the number system, it is he's learned a lot of ways to make charts and I still have copies of those charts that I keep near and dear to me. And yeah, he I mean, he taught me everything I know about how to listen to music, and that's one of the biggest things you need to acquire as a musician is to be able to listen first and hear the soul here the back ends of notes, and to not be too busy, and to stay in the pocket and to know you're to stay in your lane when you have to, and to keep it simple and structural. And I've learned everything through that, through that mentality, I'll.

32:46 Never forget again. It's a different story because he's not my dad. With a friend, I'll never forget. I played piano one time for him and he just stood there and he listened, and I go, what do you think, Chuck, And he goes in needs some resolution, right, And I thought that was great. I never forgot that. And to our listeners out there, I'm gonna zig zag again. I was classically trained, so I learned like how to read from the book, how to read the notes. And I remember being really young, and I had a total of five music teachers over the years, over like ten years, fifteen years, and a lot of them quit on me because I'm like, I just want to do my own thing, like and if you've heard me play now, you know I just kind of do my own thing. So but they would get upset with me. They like, no, this is their structure. You have to you know, you have to play it this way. Now, as a teacher, I know they're you know, you have to teach foundation before you can kind of let loose. So I get that.

33:47 But what I would love for you to share with our audience, and I'm gonna go, I'm just gonna like tap on the iceberg, the tip of the iceberg on this because there's it can go so deep. You can and you've read music too, you can read music, but to listen to music and play, it's a totally different part of the brain, and it's a totally different way of playing because it's not I'm going to let you finish. No, I understand exactly where you're going with that. And you know the best way to explain that is for anybody if you're out there, if you've played in jam bands or if you've gone to jams or anything like that, you can hear the difference between a player that just plays technical meaning they play the notes where the notes are supposed to go, and the structure of the sound and all of that. But when you hold a note a certain way or bend a note a certain way, or put a note in a place that makes sense, but it's not busy. You're not playing too many notes, but you're playing the right notes the right place in the song, just a comfortable place. It smooths the sound out and it actually refines the sound and creates You could definitely hear the more professionalism in that sound versus just tapping notes and playing them where they're supposed to go.

35:11 There's a big difference when you listen to a guitarist that is, you know, a virtuoso versus somebody who's just who may even be a professional, who may be a professional, but is not at that level. And you could hear the difference of how people hold a note in the right place. And that's one thing my dad stressed, as you said, he wanted things to resonate. He wanted to place notes and hold them the right length so that they made sense and they filled in that space. As a bass player, and he said that even with drums, you know to watch your fills, make sure if your fills make sense, make sure they're on time, and that you hold your even your symbols. You hit your symbols where they belong so they resonate to fill in that space.

35:57 It was very similar and bass and rhythm guitar or the rhythm section of a band, and so they all are very important to each other and play off of each other. So it was nice to have that knowledge bestowed upon me as a drummer coming from a bass player. And I actually know some great drummers that are good bass players too, which is really interesting because it's a very rhythmic instrument. Yeah, that is that is interesting, and it was what's crazy is that all musicians out there we play because we have a passion for it, right, because we've learned what we've learned, or we can just play by ear for some of us. The crazy thing that I just like, I'm in awe of is that if you tear it all down and I've played guitar and I played other violin, but piano is my instrument. And if you break all the patterns down and just look for like the one main there's twelve keys, right, so there are thousands and hundreds and I don't want to say millions as well, there might be of songs out there all created out of twelve.

37:07 Keys, right, Yeah. And it's just so amazing like in this lifetime, how privileged we are to be exposed to so much different sound that's made with twelve notes exactly. And not only that, every human being is different, and every human being feels and responds to anything in life a certain a different way. And you may hear a note different than somebody else. Here's a note. And so that's why we have such diversity in music and so many different kinds of you know, options with music to play or to listen to. And it's always good to cultivate your mind with as many different types of music so that you can pick and choose in there to create your And sometimes creativity really comes from all those bits and pieces that you pick from from everywhere. And if you're writing music or writing lyrics, your stories. Everybody's stories are somewhat different, so many cases, and some songs about things, you know, I think sings stings song every breath you take. People. I remember an interview that he had where he said that people play that at their wedding and say, that's one of our favorite songs. And the funny thing he says about it is that it's a song about stalking.

38:32 And so. You know, some people hear the melodies or hear music a different way and it resonates a certain way to them. But the true meaning behind that song is stalking somebody. Every breath you take, every movie you make, I'm watching you. You know, it's not like not a love song, but it sounds like one if you listen to the melodies and the way he played it. And that's the genius between between him and others that he found a way to maybe mock music in a sense and make it different for the ear. But everybody receives music and plays music like it's their own language, you know, be very different. Right, And there there is the foundation as I mean, i'm talking, I'm teacher talking now, there is the foundation of it. But then like take like another good friend of mine is Victor Wooten. He's like, forget about the theory, just toss it out the window. He's like, just play right, and and it's so true. And you know too, if when you're just when you're creating, when you're composing, when you're playing, like your mind does not attached. Your mind kind of like went backstage and there's just this different flow that comes out and it's just so beautiful.

39:50 It's called the zone, right the zone, the zone, and it is an interesting thing when it happens. I mean, I always feel that music when you even if it doesn't come across. If you're just starting. Let's put it this way. If you're starting and you put three people in a room and they start playing music and they finally come together and it makes somewhat sense, that little bit of sense fills you with like this, I gotta move forward, I got to make this better. I got this is just awesome. You get a natural high from knowing that you created something with other people, just with an instrument, and that is pleasing and resonates to other people, and it's just an incredible feeling. And if you're just starting, it's great to just keep starting, keep practicing, put yourself in that position to grow and to listen. And it's never it takes some time. It's never just instant with everybody, because you know, you play music with other people to make a full sound. And you know, some bands stay together for eighty years. Some people last not even six months together. You know, it's it's a personality, it's a collaboration.

41:03 It's a relationship with music, you know, and it's really a cool thing. So for those people that are learning music right now and want to get together a dance, don't be afraid to get in a room with other people in play. It's the greatest, greatest thing you can do. It's the greatest yes, and it's it's the group of people that you'll be surrounded by are so supportive because none of us got to where we are without having to start from the beginning. Right. So whatever your or whatever, whoever your inspirations have been, whether you're just beginning now or you begin as a child, you know we're we're always learning from each other. We're always growing. It's never like bake a cake and okay, the cake's ready to eat. That's it. Okay, now it's time to clean up. It's never that with music. It's always you're always creating a new recipe.

41:55 More or less, I agree. What I find most interesting about miss and music is I think most there's going to be catty people and anything that you do, but generally speaking, musicians create that. They just know they have this art inside of them that they share with others, and there's this camaraderie and family vibe and togetherness and support that musicians give each other. It's really an amazing community to be a part of. I have some of the best I'm going to say mostly all of my friends are musicians, true true friends, And I can walk into an event that I haven't seen people for two three years and we just instantly embrace and hug and talk about life. We don't even talk about music sometimes, we just talk about our lives. You know. It's just such a nice bond that that music brought together in people, and it's something that it's a common thread that I mean, I think everybody likes to listen to music, at least I don't know anybody that doesn't like to listen to music, whatever it may be, you know, So if you have that in you, you could kind of relate to, you know, if you created that same music and had that commonality with other people. So it really is quite a gift that I've been given by my dad and that I've cultured over the time, because it does take time to culture that gift and learn it and make it work in a sense that creates, you know, these bands and

43:29 music and songs. It's just it's just an awesome, awesome gift that I was given, so yes. So there's a couple of things we're gonna get ready to close off the show. But I just wanted to bring up quickly you mentioned like you kind of said like it's never too late to get involved in music, and I said on other shows, my oldest student is ninety five. Oh that's awesome and she still plays. Yeah. But what I wanted to just finish off with again in admiration for you as a dad and for our listeners out there, you know, and going by from raising my daughter and I went through some kind of time and I don't want to talk too much about this, but because we don't have much time left, family comes first, right the music, Because I went through something in my past where my dad had passed away and I had to reevaluate my life, my priorities, and I had to put some stuff down and say, you know what, this will I will come back to you because I can.

44:37 But my daughter's only going to be this age for this, you know, for this long, Like when today is over, there's tomorrow, and so you can't relive today thinking you'll make it up tomorrow. So for our listeners out there that have been where I've been, maybe we're been where you've been, where it's like go go go, you know, got to like focus on me and my passion and keep it going. Like you can't replace family time. You can't replace raising your kids. And so again I just you know, I'm gonna say, I love you for what you chose to focus on, and I think that's beautiful. You can't replace that and your gift you will always have and to share.

45:21 Well, I appreciate that. That's very kind and sweet. And you've always been very kind and sweet. We know each other for a long time now, and so thank you for that. I will say though that you know, although I made a different choice when it comes to music as far as being a professional musician or playing more often than I would, you know that I would like to do. I focus now on my daughter, and like I said, the genetics of her now singing. I go to her, her choir shows, I go to you know, she's just cheerleaded in the Delray Beach Christmas Parade. I mean, she's you know, the pleasure I'm getting out of seeing her following our footsteps just naturally. I can take her to the guitar Center and she won't. I can't get her out of there. She loves her. It's like a toy store for her. It's amazing. I don't even I don't even push it on her. So, like I said, it's just a different way. Like the music is still in our family. We talk about music all the time.

46:16 We talk about my dad all the time. You know, she understands, you know, who he was and his mark on the world, and she's just going to carry that and and that's going to be a choice that she's going to make for herself. But I have a pretty good intuition that she's going to be very involved in music as she gets old her I'm. Sure that's wonderful. No, now, che thank you so much for being a part of the show today. There's probably hundreds of other stories that you would I would love to hear, and I'm sure our listeners would to maybe sometimes like to come back on the show. Sure, yeah, we can talk more about that, no problem.

47:00 I'd love to share it. I'm an open book. I have nothing, you know. I'm a very transparent person. Sometimes that's good and sometimes it's not so good. But I appreciate the opportunity to share with everybody. And I hope that people are not afraid to or have a fear of getting out there and playing music. Yeah, you know, at whatever level you're at, it doesn't matter. Just get out there, express it. Playing music takes you to a different place. It takes you away from the problems of the world and you get that time in your own head to focus on music. It just gives you a nice vacation from the reality of the world sometimes. Yes, yes, well on that note, thank you, Chuck. We will continue to keep in touch and for everybody out there, Happy holidays, Marry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, happy Kwanza, and I might be forgetting some other stuff out there, but God bless and may everyone have a safe holiday. And tune in next week to see who my guests will be.

48:01 Then, likewise, happy holidays everybody, and thank you again. Thanks Lisia, you have a great Christmas in New York. Okay, thank you too. Okay, Hi, thank you so much for joining us today. That was Chuck Fiori Junior, and we got to hear about some of his dad's stories and some of his stories growing up. Tune in next week to find out who our musical guest will be. Help me keep music alive,