(20 January 2011) - Hello from Lynn Rae! I live in Michigan, USA. Our state is shaped like a mitten and I live in the northern part of the thumb, so now, I guess, I'm "thumbody." Ha! I live here with my two Shih Tzu's, Bailey and Wicket. The core of our family is my husband Chris. He plays a little rhythm guitar and often joins in my fun. Between us, we have five children. Sort of a deal like the Brady Bunch although ours are all married and have flown from the nest. We also have 10 grandchildren.

I've been obsessed, you might say, with music since I was a toddler. My mother always told her friends, "Give her a piece of paper and a comb and she'll play you a song." As I grew, I learned to play a clarinet in my school's band, which helped me with learning to read music. When I was 11 years old, my parents bought me a very old used accordion. After acquiring that, it didn't take me long to set aside the clarinet. I thought that being able to get that much sound from one instrument was just amazing! (I didn't realize, at that time, that one day I'd be playing a digital instrument capable of so much more!)

When I reached the age of 21, I purchased a Cordovox and started my own band. Sadly, those haven't been manufactured for quite a few years now. They are very heavy, and being no spring chicken anymore, I don't play it too often. I've belonged to several different country bands in the past and participated in those bands with my 5-string Schecter bass. I also play a alto saxophone, bass guitar, and I know one whole song on my lap steel.

My main instrument lately is the Yamaha's PSR-S900 keyboard that I purchased one year ago. It took number one position to my other three Yamaha keyboards. (Why does one woman need four keyboards???) The dining room of our house has slowly turned into a music studio. I have lots of equipment and often friends drop by to jam along with me. What do I do in my spare time? Well, if it's warm outside, I cruise around on my 1981 Goldwing! Hurry up summer!!!!

Well, like I always say, "You can take me out of the country, but you'll never take the country out of me!"

Catch ya at the forum,
Lynn Rae