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Biography Al Westcott was born in a log cabin, whoops, wrong biography. Al Westcott was born on an Indian reservation in Taos, New Mexico, darn it wrong again. Actually, I was born in Baltimore, Maryland, hon. My father, Nat Westcott, was a bass player and my oldest brother, Bruce, is a piano player. Nat took the stage name of "Johnny Westcott" and was a respected musician on the east coast during the post WWII era. Back in those days the big time performers did not travel with a full band. It was usually the singer and his - or her - piano player/arranger. When singers like Sinatra, Billy Holiday or Etta James played Baltimore it was more likely than not that if they needed a bass player, Johnny Westcott was the one they chose. He was that good. Back in the 30's the old man played with some of the biggest in the business. For the past 30 years my brother, Bruce Westcott, has been playing the big rooms in Las Vegas Caesars and two years at Steve Wynn's joint, the Bellagio. The reason that my brother played the piano is because there was a drummer in my father's band that owed him $50. The drummer gave him a stand-up piano as payment. The piano just sat in the living room and one day Bruce just started tinkering with it. He started taking piano lessons - Rock 'n Roll happened and Bruce has been playing ever since he heard about them Blue Suede Shoes. There was always music in my house and at the tender age of 10, I started playing the clarinet. Why the clarinet? I don't remember. I was only 10! Any way, the clarinet was my introduction to the language and structure of music. I took lessons on how to play the instrument as well as, why to play the instrument. I stayed with the clarinet for several years and became proficient enough to receive a couple of citywide school band awards. I was 13 when the 60's happened! Like every other kid in the neighborhood I wanted to play the guitar. Also like every other kid in the neighborhood there was no money in our house for a guitar so, I made one. Actually I made the very first 'air guitar'. I cut the shape of a guitar out of a piece of plywood, put on six strings made of sewing thread and proceeded to play along with the rock n' roll music coming from the television, radio, and anywhere else I could find it. Somewhere along the line I got a real guitar and taught myself to play the music of Bob Dylan………..It was fortunate that I liked Dylan because his music at that time was pretty much three chords. Once I accomplished the 'C', 'D' and 'G' chords, I was all set. After high school and five years in the Navy, in 1972 I set out on the road to a musical journey that has eventually brought me to writing this biography today. In the 70's I played with two great musicians, Tim James on guitar and Michael O'Hara on bass. Tim, Michael and I were joined by a seemingly endless string of drummers to form the band "Broken Arrow". We toured colleges and played 'sawdust' bars all along the east coast and throughout the south. We worked with some of the top folk and country performers of the day including shows with Roy Rogers. During the 90's I took a hiatus from music to become one of those 9 to 5 people. Today, I still play in bars but now it's a love more than a career objective. Music has always been in my home, my life, my heart and it has been a passion that has carried me from the worst of times to the best of times. The guitar and the songs that it plays are my oldest friends. The songs that I sing today tell the story of my life and of those singers and songwriters that I love. |