Jerry Gontang shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Jerry, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What is a normal day like for you right now?
Thank you very much for bringing me onboard. I wake up around sunrise and ease into the morning with a cup of coffee, check my eMails, glance at Facebook, then prioritize the chores that need to be done. I know, how exciting! Being semi retired allows for this kind of behavior. We own three acres of forest land so there’s never a lack of things to do. Right now we’re working on establishing as defensible space around the house to prevent any fire dangers. The days have been getting hot by noon so we knock off and work on inside projects. I’m currently working on a few songs and learning how to maneuver around a recording program called Logic Pro. At my age, that’s s very slow go but I always manage to find a rabbit hole to dive into.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Three years ago my Shannon and I moved to Northern California from San Diego to be with our daughter and her new family where we quickly found out that grand parenting is not for sissies. But it is definitely worth the effort. I’ve been a musician most of my life and now as a septuagenarian I’m cruising on the slower side of making a living. My work schedule went from five to six days a week playing music, solo and with a band, to now performing four or five times a month. I’ve learned and enjoy using backing tracks, playing along with my guitar and calling it Jerry-Okie.
Prior to our move I had been in a music group called Stars On The Water, a Jimmy Buffett cover band, touring the US playing for private and corporate events. These were mostly fund raisers for local and national charities. Before that I was in a music and comedy group called Oh! Ridge playing for fun and profit, garnering large amounts of both. I studied music therapy and theory but put that aside to make a living, hoping to return someday. I’m currently working on several song ideas and cowriting a few others to broaden the conceptual range of developing them. Stay tuned!
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
Spring of 1960 I was in the sixth grade attending parochial school. Sister John Thomas decided we needed to have a talent show so my friend and I signed up to play guitars and sing Sentimental Journey and Ghost Riders In The Sky. We called ourselves The Marscenes and to this day I still don’t know how that came about. I remember making eye contact with everyone in the room, twenty nine students and Sister John Thomas, thinking I totally have their attention and not feeling the least bit nervous. I had command of thirty people and I was going to give them something to talk about. Four minutes later they were all clapping and cheering as we launched into our next tune. Right then I knew I had the power to entertain. The seed had been planted.
What’s something you changed your mind about after failing hard?
Being an entertainer and performing music and comedy in clubs and lounges six nights a week can be hazardous to your health. My job was to bring people in and sell them alcohol, which was easy to do. The drinks flowed freely and we were given our fair share in appreciation of a job well done. I became a functional alcoholic, a drunkard, and liquid courage was my super power. I never caused an accident or hurt anyone physically but the potential was there and I was blind to it.
Decades of this abuse put me in a bad place. The good time drunk had become a clown but I wasn’t funny anymore. A four day trip to Cabo San Lucas was a black out. If it hadn’t been for the pictures I would not have believed I was there. I became a liability. The stories of my behavior put a scar on my soul. That was November 1997. I haven’t had a drink since then.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Whose ideas do you rely on most that aren’t your own?
My Shannon is the idea maker of the family and I’ll be the first to admit that her notions are far superior to the mundane ones I come up with. She’s the thinker and I’m the doer.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. If you laid down your name, role, and possessions—what would remain?
Memories. Through the decades I have been a piece of thousands of people’s good times. Folks still tell me how wonderful they felt or how much fun they had because of my music and the ability to entertain them. This isn’t something I walk around looking for, it comes to me. Their takeaways are precious times to them and I’m grateful to have been a part of their past.
Contact Info:
- Website: [email protected]
- Facebook: Jerry Gontang
Image Credits
Jodi Foster
Jeff Schmitz
Mark Lukovic
Steve Cantwell
Victor Avila
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