My musical beginnings go way back to my childhood in Prince George's County, Md.  A love for music was instilled by my mom and dad.  My dad sang, played guitar and harmonica with his Navy brothers (a bunch of fellow fun loving Filipinos).  One of my earliest memories (I must've been 4 y/o) are of them playing and singing at my mom's birthday party.  What fun they were having!!
  My mom is a beautiful songstress of Italian born heritage.  She once sang for an amateur hour contest back in the 40s.  She sang in church choirs in her youth, as well.  She loves 40's music!!  With that kind of musical influence, I was off to a great start!
  I took lessons on a couple of different instruments, one of which was the accordion (age 8).  I remember my Aunt Julie listening to one of my practice sessions and stating, "Just think Richard, one day you'll play for Lawrence Welk"!  That was the end of my love for the accordion.......Eventually, I learned the trumpet. 
  One time (in band camp...just kidding) in 7th grade junior band, my director told me that he had too many trumpet players (and I wasn't one of the better ones).  He asked me if I would try the French Horn.  You guessed it.  Actually, I was a very good French horn player, competing in many adjudication festivals (okay, so I was a band nerd!!).
  I started playing guitar with my best friend, Darrell Brown.  I was 12 y/o when I started that lifelong adventure.  I think that was when I realized how to play by ear, instead of reading notes.  Darrell and I cut our musical teeth on America, Simon and Garfunkel, Jim Croce, the Doobie Brothers and Santana, to name a few.  During this time, I started singing in school chorus and school musicals.  Singing was always easy for me, since my family always sang around the house.
  Eventually, I was privileged to receive formal voice training from a man named David Taylor.  He was my choir director all through high school. He was a great musical influence on me and my abilities.  He took my vocal range from a 9 note scale to a 3 1/2 octave range!  And that was just my full voice.  My falsetto was up into the mezzo soprano range.  I must thank him for developing my natural talent and his ability to encourage me to try harder.
  As I went on through my teens and twenties, I taught myself to play drums, electric bass, keyboards and synthesizers. I started playing in rock bands when I was 15.  Since then, I have done some really cool stuff.  I had a band in high school called, Steed. We played talent shows, met girls, played pool parties, met girls, gigged on back porches and at bonfires, met girls....you get the idea...
  I have played in an Elvis Tribute band, toured the Chittlin' Circuit with a Baltimore rock act, played in St. Thomas and St. Croix, USVI with another rock band, and I played with one of brother's group, here in town (The Mystery Band).  We did the local club scene, private corporate affairs, and played on the high seas on a cruise ship (this was in the 90s).
  Eventually, I settled down and got a real job as a paid professional firefighter in 1994 with the Jacksonville Beach Fire Department in Jacksonville Beach, FL.
  Currently, I am with Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department in Jacksonville, FL.  I am an engineer/ paramedic on Engine 13 at Fire Station 13 (Special Operations Team / USAR FLTF5).
  I have been blessed with the opportunity to serve my community as a public safety employee and as an entertainer.  You know what they say....ALL WORK AND NO PLAY....makes life just a bunch of bill paying blues!!