December 2020
Here's what's inside this newsletter...
- How I Got My Name
- Testimonials
- Howard Recommends
Hi Everyone,
I'm sorry that I haven't been sending out monthly newsletters since February because I've been staying safe at home since the coronavirus pandemic began. I hope you've all been safe and in good health during this past year. It looks like there's a light at the end of the tunnel with the vaccines coming out soon.
Once it's safe for all of us, I will resume having classes and teaching once again.
So, since I don't have any new trip reports this month I'd like to tell a story about how I got my name... Howard Rock n roller.
Well, I was named Howard “Rock n roller” back around 2001 with Jerry Patterson, Sharpshooter at the PARR School of Dice Control. Jerry Patterson loved studying history of the old West, and would often name his Instructors, (Coaches) by famous Wild West Characters, for example, "Billy the Kid", "Wild Bill Hickock", "Sharpshooter", "The Sage", "Buffalo Bill", and "Bucko Bob" Fuller.
Jerry Blavat "The Geator with the Heater"
Famed Philadelphia Disc Jockey
Other Instructors were named after their personalities.. Dom became "Dominator". John became "Bagger Vance". Bob Convertito became "Mr Finesse", from his shooting style. My wife Ivy likes to be called "Annie Oakley."
Frank Scoblete and Bill Burton were published authors so they liked to be called by their real names.
Well, now we get to my name, Howard... hmm... It’s not really a cool name like Jim, Johnny, Bobby, or Billy, and there are no famous Western legends with my name. So, I’m thinking what’s a good name for me?
Being born in the 50’s I’ve always been a fan of Rock ‘n Roll. I was around as it was first being created. Even as a child, I was very aware of the new music. It wasn’t like the music my parents listened to like Doris Day, Frank Sinatra, Patty Page, or Perry Como. Even at 5-6 years old I remember hearing all of these songs.. But, I was more interested by music of Elvis Presley, Little Richard, and Chuck Berry. I began collecting records when I was 10 years old and my older sister gave me her collection to add to mine.
During the mid 1960s, after the Beatles came to America in 1964, I got a guitar and thought one day that I would be a rock n roll star... I bought an acoustic, right handed guitar.. and being left handed, reversed all of the strings. I taught myself to play by using chord charts, which I turned upside down, so it would match my now left-handed guitar. I never became a great lead guitarist, but being self taught, I learned all of the chords that I needed to play the songs that I liked.
My major in high school and college was art, not music. So, during the 1970’s, after graduating from college, I worked in NYC as a Commercial Artist. After a few years, I got restless and didn’t like the rat race, and went back to college to become an art teacher. At this time, I was offered a great job as graphic artist at the WABC network in NY.
I didn’t take the job, because I had my sights set on living a carefree relaxed life in tropical South Florida, near the beach, not the fast paced life of Manhattan. I taught art in the Miami-Dade County Public School System for 6 years. I was teaching at a school in north Miami Beach, so I always packed a beach blanket and bathing suit in my car. School would end at 3 pm and I’d go to the beach every afternoon.. I was living the good life. I also met Ivy during this time, fell in love and got married.
Once again, I got restless and finally put a rock n roll band together to live my dream. Ivy plays piano and is a trained vocalist. I bought and electric guitar...a Fender Stratocaster... and put together a band of great players.
I was so knowledgeable about the history of rock n roll that I became the "Oldies Expert" on WFTL AM Radio in Miami. It was really cool being in the radio studio with my DJ friend Doug Hearth, doing the show.
Well, finally back to how I got the nickname Rock n Roller... so, since I didn’t have a cowboy name, Ivy suggested "how about Rock n roller? You rock, and roll the dice.. plus your lifelong interest in Rock n Roll Music." So, I became Howard "Rock n roller." I got really good as a dice controller.. One of the top shooters in PARR and also Golden Touch. Frank Scoblete wrote about me in his books, and I appeared in magazine articles, radio interviews, a couple of TV shows..and things were going great.
Then, I began getting heat in the casinos..even banned from one... so I shortened my name to Howard Rock n roller... and dropped my last name thinking that it would make me a little more inconspicuous.
And that's my story of how I got the name Howard Rock n roller!
I'm looking forward to seeing everyone in the year 2021!
Stay safe.
Thanks,
Howard
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