A Formative Experience

​Fred: One of my earliest experiences playing drums was when I was a senior in high school. A guy in my class wanted to put a band together with some other seniors. A teacher named Mike Berricosse had to watch us during his lunch period so we could have access to the school auditorium. We did one rehearsal and it was just terrible. I got so frustrated that I started banging on the drums, just really going at it. I got so much satisfaction out of it. 

Mr. Berricosse walked up to the stage and said, "LeBlanc! See me after school!" 

I spent the whole day dreading it. I sat down in his office and kind of slumped my shoulders. He said, "LeBlanc, whatever you do in your life, do NOT EVER stop playing the drums. Because you're too good at it." 

I thought, "Oh wow. That's not what I expected."

It was a little formative experience, just the world's way of just saying "Keep going." 

We played in Memphis, about a year or two ago and he and his wife came to the show. I said, "You know, that really helped me out. And I really do appreciate it." Later I called him out from the stage. I think he really enjoyed it.