Mike Penland and Dan Cory
Early Eighties
Copyright 2021 by Choice All rights reserved3
Late Seventies
Mike Penland
Keyboards, Guitar, Vocals
As with most students of music, and before I was a teenager, I started out taking a few piano and guitar lessons. Not with much success.
One Sunday, during those early years, riding in the back of the family stationwagon on the way to my grandparents home, I was pickin’ on a $15 guitar my parents had given me, trying to figure out this song I heard called ‘YOUR CHEATIN’ HEART’ by Hank Sr. Suddenly I got it! I had found rhythm.
Through my teenage years, I did almost nothing with my music except listen to what is now referred to as classic rock music. Never learning to sight read, my musical ‘ear’ began to take over.
Late in my teens or early twenties I tagged along with a friend, who was forming a band, to a rehearsal. To get through the song, one of them stuck a microphone in my face and told me to sing. I discovered that my singing voice was far stronger than my guitar or keyboard playing was, and soon was in my first band ‘ADDISON BURKE’. Soon after, ‘CHOICE’ was formed and for over 30 years it has taught me a great deal. It also allowed me to venture into other artistic endeavors such as pageants, being a DJ, a short stint with a band in Ft. Wayne ‘SOULS ON FIRE’, and I am still involved with a contemporary Christian group and have been for the past 10 years.
As I think about my wife Sabine and my son Spencer, reflecting on the past, I realize my music really never has been about me. It’s been about us. If the songs and performances have entertained or have stirred an emotion in you, then we have accomplished something together.
But we haven’t closed the book on this yet. I hope there are a few more chapters to be written. It’s been an exciting and thoroughly enjoyable experience. To this I say, thank you.
MIKE PENLAND
