Ode to Denny; Or, Ag Science and Rock and Roll, a nice mix

Each November, after Thanksgiving, I return to the frozen tundra of Minnesota one last time before the temps plunge, to gather with high school alums for some loud rock and roll and to reminisce. One of my chums, Denny, was the son of a well known life insurance agent in Edina. His father had the dream that all his sons, and yes even all of his son's friends would be life insurance agents. And, if they were not able to make a career of it, well----- they could at least buy some whole life insurance instead.

Anyway, just as his father was reaching the pinnacle of his business success and the family moving from St. Paul to fashionable Edina, Denny dropped the bomb----he wanted to go into Ag science. What an atomic bomb that was! His friends, me included, were not too understanding. We still kid him about his Phd. thesis which was on the uses of sheep manure......

Anyway, in 1968, while we were in college, I had the pleasure of living with Denny. He was a roofers helper and each day after work, I would use gasoline to get the tar off him. It was just a brief summer job. Thank goodness. After cleaning him up, Den would get his guitar out and play a tune----just one of the 5 he knew. My favorite was was #3, "Johnny Be Good," which he played to perfection at my wedding 26 years ago at the Summit House in St. Paul. Anyway....

Last Saturday, Den, now a professor at UW River Falls, stood in the lights of the main ballroom of the St. Paul Hotel, and as lead singer for his blues and rock band belted out three glorious sets of music. It was a packed house. The fans were there from as far away as California. Since Den lives in River Falls, it was really a triumphal case of "Cheesehead makes good and comes home." I reveled in the moment.

For the record, his brother, Mike, was on lead guitar. Mike had been stuck in Elvis at the age of 14 but after decades of dressing and looking like Elvis, with receeding hair, has moved to straight rock.

Anyway, make a note of it. You can be a scholar and a rock star if you just put your mind to it.