I come from a family of musicians.  Both of my grandmothers were talented pianists.  My maternal grandmother played piano and sang in lounges and big bands for years.  My paternal grandmother played the piano and sang in the church where her father was the preacher, a completely different end of the spectrum.  She was the choir director as well.  Her husband, my grandfather, was also an accomplished, professional pianist back in the early1900s.  He traveled with several big bands and was a very talented player.
  My dad started playing saxophone when he was about 16 years old.  My aunt tells me that he was so gifted at everything he ever did, that after only his second saxophone lesson the instructor told my Grandpa, "You don't have to bring him anymore, he’s already learned everything I can teach him!"  Two weeks later, my dad was playing in a dance band, which is how he earned his way through college.
  When I was in 4th grade I followed after my dad's footsteps and started playing the saxophone.  I was tiny and the saxophone seemed to swallow me up, but I was always first seat, first chair.  I played saxophone until the 5th grade when we moved.   When I was 11 years old, I had six months of piano lessons, and loved every second of it.  I went through six levels in those six months, but we moved again, this time to another state, and I never obtained another teacher.  I really loved the piano and was disappointed that I was never able to continue learning.    
  Although I never had any drum lessons, I played the snare drum in my high school marching band.   
  Back when R.A.B. first started, I was only the manager of the group.  I told Rick that I always wanted to play piano.  The next thing I know, he went out and bought me a brand new stage piano, sat it front of me, and told me to play.  After I told him hundreds of reasons why I couldn't, he gave me two reasons why I could.  He said that he couldn't believe that I could still play songs that I learned as an 11 year old, as well as I did, and he was going to discover my "untapped natural talents and abilities."
 So I went to the music store to search for the music for some songs the band did. Rick told me throw them away. The sheet music has the melody line; a keyboard player doesn't usually play the melody. I had to listen to the recordings and figure out the keyboard part. I've never even attempted to play "by ear," and had no idea how to do it. Rick taught me how. It took me three hours of listening and rewinding to learn my first keyboard part, a simple string line, without any help from my talented instructor, but I got it. Now Rick is working on part two, unleashing my vocal abilities. Oh, and guess what? Part three coming up. Now Rick has recently bought me a saxophone, too! 
  Now, just a little over a year later, here I am playing keyboards, percussion and singing vocals, (and soon the saxophone) in a rock band with my hubby and our close friends. It's a labor of love and a constant challenge for each of us to make the best music we can and bring joy to others through song. It's an honor to be associated with such an extremely talented group of people.
  In addition to playing keyboards/singing and managing the band, Vanya works as a paralegal for Dale G. Westling, Sr., Esquire. Vanya is also a mother of 4 to Robby Gwaltney, Kristin Gwaltney and step-daughters- Ericka Arcusa and Kara Mia Arcusa. Vanya recently became a grandmother for the first time.  Seth Jackson Pollard was born May 12, 2008.  There ain't nuthin like havin grand kids!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Life is Good...Very Good