You won’t find any video games in my house, and you won’t find any in my parents’ home either. I bought an Atari when I was a kid with my paper route money, but we didn’t play it very much. We were never big fans of sitting around and playing video games. When we were growing up you could find us outside playing for hours on end. At home you could find a piano, a couple of guitars, and several violins in the Salyers’ household. When I just under a year old, my Mom ordered a sunburst Silvertone acoustic guitar from Sears for my Dad for his birthday. This was the first musical instrument that my parents purchased. I can still remember my Dad playing when we were little. Although my Dad set aside his guitar playing pursuits when I was very young, he was a catalyst for me to learn how to play. His guitar is the same guitar that I took my first lessons with. It’s also the same guitar that I used to learn to play “Country Roads”. And it’s the same guitar that many have jammed on at the Salyers’ home including my newphew when he was really young playing along during a family Christmas Carol sing along. We were no Von Trap family, but the simple purchase of the guitar by my Mom for my Dad gave me an opportunity to learn something that I really enjoy now. I’m grateful for the gift of music that my parents gave me and my sisters by investing in instruments and lessons. I never became a virtuoso on the violin, and I abandoned the piano. But I have enjoyed countless hours playing the guitar, providing entertainment, and enjoying fun times with family and friends.
–Mark Salyers