Yikes this is where I put all the self indulgent experiences that convince you that I'm real and know what I'm talking about. Ha, none of us are experts but here we go.
I grew up in a small town, Manitowoc WI along Lake Michigan. Sixth child of 7 (four boys and three girls) to a family that really just made do from paycheck to paycheck but we never thought we were poor, and all of us grew up with pretty good self esteem. Music was always a part of my life, mostly top 40 stuff, and my first vinyl that was a present was the Beatles "Revolver" record. The family loved to watch Johnny Cash and Hee Haw. I was known to swing in the backyard listening to Casey Kasem's count down.
Formative music years they say happen in your late teens, at that point I was learning guitar and had a friend Kent Aubry teach me Michael Murphy's "Wildfire" and I absorbed tab books on the Eagles, Jimmy Buffett and Harry Chapin. Folky yes but pop music was great back then and I still loved a little ELO, Allman Bothers, Edgar Winter White Trash and Mott the Hoople.
Next in my development was meeting Lori who would become my life partners the next 40+ years, and we merged on tastes in music and we adventured out to live music and folk festivals. Our honeymoon was even at the Winnipeg Folk Fest where we saw many acts, but the only time we ever saw Stan Rogers.
Work life started for me back at Kentucky Fried Chicken while I was in high school. I have photo evidence that as a Junior in high school; I could actually close the place down and be responsible.
It provided me wonderful money to spend on music! After high school I had a summer stint at Manitowoc's Park & Rec cleaning pens at the local zoo. Then I got a second shift job at LapCor plastics factory while I went to Lakeshore Tech for Accounting. Yes I was living at home where mom would cook me meals, do all my laundry, and it was free room and board. Of course, I bought even more music. Also at LapCor, I met my bride to be Lori who I married in 1983. After I graduated I took an Accounting job at Mirro Corp which was a good 25% cut in pay from my factory job. It helped me get in the trade that ultimately moved me to the other side of the state for a job WinCraft in Winona MN from 1985 until my retirement in May of 2022. If you want to see me age over the years, just watch a few of the videos in this playlist
Here was my last one before retirement, John Killen thought it was my best.
As a buyer of music over 1600 vinyls, 1,000 Cds, and 74 days of music in my Apple music library, one might understand that I'm serious. Of course, the blog will use my recent love of Bandcamp as a first source for streamed music. Follow me there too. A recent addition is now my vinyl & CD library is in Discogs and has hit 2,628 pieces; if you are a member look me up LuckyDogDave. I've made a few sales on there and have made many purchases.
Musically I started to play in front of people when Tim Kolek and I were original members of ACTS (Accentuating Christ Thru Song) praise band at Holmen Lutheran Church. Yes I was born & raised Roman Catholic and converted to Lutheran as we got our son Dustin baptized. Critically I love Martin Lutheran's work and now I know I'm a Saint and a Sinner. Plus there is a great Johnny Winter record in my collection called that. We started the church band when I was a little over 40, and at 66 I'm still playing there once a month; bass or guitar. You guessed it, while I could play music since about 17 this was the first time I played in front of people.
Tim had experience in cover bands, so ACTS kind of spun of to become Rose River with Shelly and Paula and we had a great 10 year run of playing the bar circuit. Boy those three could sing harmony.
I also restarted writing music, and three of our originals did make it into an album I released homemade and digitally. Check it out on Bandcamp here: Gypsy Soul by Dave Zeman (Schipper). Yes I was using my Grandma's maiden name as a pen name back then.
As Rose River disbanded but I already had a couple other bands I was doing with friends. The infamous "Holy Crap" band ultimately evolved into Lucky Dog.
Let's see I was also Fest Chair with the Great River Folk Fest for over 5 years, here I am with an uber talented local musician Jessie McDonald.
I curated and DJ'd two internet radio shows on Ocooch Mountain Radio.
I have been blogging on and off during my years. I'm amazed this Songwriter Blog is still up there from 2008-2010 with it's 34 posts, so I added a post to refer back to this blog.
Plus I had fun posting to a fictitious variety show called "The Zemmy Show" that had over 800 posts and now over 101K views. Again I posted a couple posts to push those readers to the Dave's Basement Tracks.
And finally run a house concert series of 4 a year since 2008. Click here to see the list of everyone who has played the series.
You could always decide to feed my music addiction and donate to the cause. Feel free to contact me at dave@luckydog.band
If you did, I will spend it only on music and even will buy the music you recommend if you tell me to. Here's a Paypal donate button
