Born and raised in Mississippi and graduated high school in 1967 ~ yes, I'm old.  Better old than dead. 

After four years of college (and no degree) in Nashville, Tennessee, I enlisted in the USAF Active Duty.  Trained as a radio intercept I worked with American Forces Radio and Television while overseas in the Philippines and Thailand,  '71 till Dec '75 at the end of the Vietnam War.  While I am not a combat Veteran, the USAF was one of the very best things I've done for myself and my family.  I am proud to have served my country as did my father, my son and one daughter.  I returned to college after service and was on the Dean's List every quarter.  I graduated in May 1982 with a BS in Music Education and minor in Philosophy and started a family.

I began a career in sales, insurance ~ life and health products ~ and eventually returned to school to do a Masters in Vocal Performance.  With a gap of two hours in the middle of my class schedule, I signed up for a class in European Military History, that was a turning point for me.  The class was all consuming for me.  I absolutely loved it so much so I dropped my Masters and finished a Certification in World/US History.  My History Professor moved on and is teaching at the Naval Academy today.  He was wonderful.

I have four children:  Heather, 43 and married, living in Florida near her mother; Ross, 35 married with a young son, in Iowa; Sarah, 33, married with two young sons and Jolene, 31, married and two daughters, one born the last day of July this year!   

I taught Vocal Music in Tennessee for 17 years, taking my choirs to New York City, Los Angeles, New Orleans, St. Louis, Orlando, Rome and Paris and also Hawaii.  In fact, my choirs have sung in the Vatican and on the Surrender Deck of the USS Missouri at Pearl Harbor.  In 2009 I had the very best Women's Choir in Tennessee and the 2nd Best Men's Choir (missing 1st Place by .03 percent!  I loved teaching Vocal Music.   In 2015 I took a "Teaching Guitar in the Classroom" workshop in Pocatello, Idaho and have been teaching Classical Guitar ever since.  Last year I took a small ensemble from Kotzebue to the State Solo and Ensemble Festival/Competition AND WON!  The first time ANYONE had ever been to the State Solo and Ensemble Contest in Kotzebue!

Deering was not where I expected to be this year ~ but then I did not know how beautiful it was here.  I look forward to the snow and ice this winter because I bought myself a SNOWGO last year...Expedition Sport 600 ACE and drove as far as Noatak last year.  IT IS FUN!

I have enjoyed the few days I've been in Deering and am looking forward to the year.

Dec 2022 Update:  Since I wrote my initial remarks in 2019 - 2 Deering Guitar Ensembles have auditioned for and WON Superior Awards at Alaska's Solo and Ensemble Music Festival in Anchorage and one of them was a Command Performance Award!   The First, 2020 with Robert Cleveland, Kylie Cleveland, Hailie Moto and Joleen Carter; the second was Robert Cleveland and Kylie Cleveland -- Robert was awarded Superior for Ensemble and Solo while Kylie was awarded a Superior Award for Ensemble!

This year, 2022-23, Deering's Guitar Ensemble will consist of 6 Guitarists comprising one large ensemble; two duets and two solos.   Deering is MUSICALLY --- ON THE MAP!