When I graduated high school in 1966 I bought myself a Fender Precision as a graduation present. I played that P Bass with a band called Sixpenny Opera. The members of the first Six Penny Opera formed after blending with The Slippery Rock String Band. Sixpenny was the first band I went on the road with, and we were one the first rock bands to go into the Vietnam war zone on USO tours. My Fender Precision went with me to Okinawa, Japan, Guam, Hawaii, and the Philippines. We played on Army and Marine bases, and Navy hospitals. It was very intense and heart wrenching performing for the men in the hospitals. I saw a side of the Vietnam conflict that others didn’t. But I smiled and played music for the soldiers. I turned 18 in Vietnam.

I played that fender with six bands before I made it to the Doobies. When I officially joined The Doobie Brothers I traded the Precision in for a Gibson. I was young and stupid. When I realized my mistake, it was already sold. If I had kept that bass it would be worth a lot of money today!