A peppery musical honor

Along with my not so standard breakfast of a banana, blueberries, bran and orange juice, not milk, I listen to Rocky Chirchiglia’s Band CDs. They are my pepper uppers. Rocky has just dedicated to me his last CD, recorded “Live” in Wheeling, West Virginia. It was a totally unexpected honor, and it includes photos of me with four of my six-foot-plus Canfield Fair award-winning plants on the CD case.

There are 16 selections on it and every one a long-time favorite of mine and some dating back to the great depression. “Tick Tock Polka,” “Just Because,” “La Paloma” and “In The Mood,” to name a few of these morning energizers.

The band consists of Rocky on the guitar, Ed Vallus on accordion, John Creatura drums, Bob Rapone the bass guitar and Dr. R. Marcial on bongos and congas. I have many of Rocky’s CDs and along with the Italian favorites another CD stands out. It is called “Rocky Sings Country.” Rocky is holding a mandolin and is the cover photo of the CD case as well as on the CD itself. I also had the honor of taking that photo. This CD has 10 great country songs, starting with “Your Cheating Heart” and winding up with “Please Release Me.” He is a master of fretted instruments.

Rocky once said “Mike as an author your book, ‘Rag Man, Rag Man,’ and as a musician my musical CDs will live on forever, long after we are gone.” Maybe they will show up on March 31, 2011. Rocky will become an octogenarian. He strums his guitar and sings like someone half his age. Yes, a musical life can begin at 80.

Michael J. Lacivita is a Youngstown retiree and an inductee in the Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame and Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame.