Happy Birthday Ken

Ellen and Ken Bloom @ his Bar Mitzvah Party

Sportsman's Lodge, Sherman Oaks

Many, Many Years Ago

Yesterday was my brother's birthday. He is seven years older than me, which makes him OLD. I've written about Ken in previous posts. He's a musician and instrument builder. Ken and his wife, Ginny live in North Carolina, in a small town. For years they lived in big cities, L.A., San Francisco, Chicago and New York. Those were the best places for Ken to make a living as a musician. Since he's been concentrating on his intrument building business, it really doesn't matter where he lives, as long as he has a wood shop and his tools are handy. They seem to like North Carolina just fine, although I wished they lived in California. I miss them both.

Ken has been very actively constructing dulcimers, guitars, banduras, banjos, etc. for many years. In fact, I'm waiting for my custom-made ukelele....hopefully, it will arrive before my birthday in July. I've enrolled in ukulele classes at McCabe's Guitar Shop in Santa Monica and they start on July 17th. Ken taught me how to play guitar and banjo when I was just a little girl. I still play occasionally and I think it would be fun to play the ukulele. I need more hobbies!

Ken has recorded many albums and CDs over the years, mostly old-timey, American folk music. When he still lived in L.A. during the late 60's and early 70's, Ken performed with Linda Ronstadt's band, The Stone Poneys, and was a member of one of Michael Martin Murphey's first bands, The Lewis and Clarke Expedition, a rockin'-country band during those Byrds and Flying Burrito Bros. years. The L&C E was on the same label as the Monkees. Ken used to come home with all kinds of clothes and other gifts that girls across the country were sending to Colgems Records for the Monkees.

Ken has played so many types of music over the years: Rock 'n Roll, Country, Blues, Folk, Dixie-land, orchestral, marching band, Russian, Ukranian, Hungarian, Polish, Irish, Scottish, etc. He has quite a career playing music for historical military re-enactment camps too. He's still a kid at heart and loves to dress up in his Revolutionary War uniform, sit by the campfire and play and sing the old tunes.

Kenny, my dear brother....have a wonderful birthday celebration. I'll be thinking about you!

Love,

Your little Sis