Meet “Guy with a Guitar” Rod Sanders

…in his own words!

“Having been asked to relate how I originally became interested in music and later, learned to play the guitar, forced me to dig very far back in my fading memory. Back during the Second World War, around 1944, when I was around seven years old there was a song that was quite popular at that time called “Paper Doll.” It had been recorded by the Mills Brothers. I really liked that song. I believe it was the very first “Pop type” song I ever learned to sing. A family friend stopped by one day to visit my mother. I was fooling around in another room, and at the time was singing “Paper Doll”. My mother’s friend came into the room and asked if that was me singing? I said yes, and she said I had a “very nice” voice for my age. She suggested I study music when I got older. I’m afraid I never studied music, but I always enjoyed listening to the latest hits.

“When I was about eleven or twelve years old, my parents gave me a guitar for Christmas. I was thrilled to say the least. I then set about learning to play some chords and sang with the guitar cover. (Undoubtedly Paper Doll) Later, in high school, I became good friends with a fellow about my age and his family. They were all musicians. At some point I was allowed to join the “band”. We played places like the V.F.W., Elks Lodge, Moose Lodge, ect. Certainly, a long, long way from Carnegie Hall, but I was having a whole lot of fun.

“Later, as an adult, I was asked to play and sing for a few weddings, celebrations of life, and perhaps hundreds of parties. I also played and sang at our church for several years. It was always so easy to throw the guitar in the trunk and go. Much more difficult with a piano. I always had more fun than anyone else.

“I still enjoy playing and singing but, unfortunately age and Arthritis takes its toll. About five or six years ago I had to have surgery on my left thumb to relieve the pain. As many know, I recently had to have a very similar procedure done on my right thumb, which at this point I’m still recovering from.

“I hope to continue playing and singing in the future as long as I can. I’ve always done it for the pure enjoyment of it. I don’t feel that I am gifted in any manner. I normally don’t even refer to myself as a musician. I’m just a guy with a guitar!”

Rod Sanders