About Me

First Name	Mike
Nickname	Mike Board
Why I'm Here	Born and raised in Louisville, KY. Started playing guitar at age 12. A kid in my 7th grade junior high music class brought his electric guitar to school and played Pipeline for everyone. I was hooked. My teacher started me out on an old Stella hole guitar. Seemed like the strings stood a quarter of an inch off the fretboard. My my fingers bled when I practiced. No kiddin’. Graduated to a Gibson Melody Maker and soon to the Gibson ES 335 I still have. Started a rock band at age 13 in 1964 with some elementary school classmates. Played with them until I was 19. A great way to spend high school and early college years. Busy every weekend playing in the Kentuckiana area–my dad driving the band’s old Ford Econoline van. $25.00 was a good nights take home back then. I actually saved it for school. All in all an amazing and pretty successful experience. We were fortunate to open for “national” acts when they came for concerts–the Beach Boys, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Classics Four, BJ Thomas. Even made it onto the Paul Revere and the Raiders’ Saturday morning TV show Happenings ’68 (band battle). The best however, was opening a three-stage Christmas concert in 1969 for the Marine Corp’s Toys for Tots. Freedom Hall was packed with 20,00 screaming teenagers. But all good things come to an end. I left the band in 1970 after disputes and thinking the future in music for me was a day job and club nights like so many of the older musicians I knew growing up. College was a better alternative. Never played with anyone again. Over the years my guitar playing has ranged from periods of intense interest to no interest with my 335 resting under the bed with missing strings. My son started playing classical guitar while in college a few years ago and that has resurrected my interest, ultimately leading me to TAC. Hopefully I can be more constant with my new acoustic. Miscellaneous–moved to Wyoming in 1974. Started teaching elementary PE and coaching track in 1979. Married in 1985. Three children. They all live in Bozeman, MT. Great town!!! Maybe we will move there someday. We’re only four hours away. Ha!! Retired this last school year after 38 years in education. Looking forward to more guitar time and setting some goals to get better. Excited to be a part of this guitar community. Life is definitely good!!!!
City	I just want to gain more self confidence playing with and enjoying other people's abilities and passion for music. This has been lacking over the years in most of my personal guitar experience. I think TAC is a excellent place to start. Most of my experience has been on the electric guitar and switching to acoustic has been a very new and so far, rewarding experience. Even after all this years, I feel like I am on a new music journey.

Mike