The Power of One
To the world you may be one person
But to one person, you may be the world
One fall day in 1969, during my senior year of high school, I was called into the guidance counselor’s office to go over my SAT scores and discuss my plans for college. Going to college had never been on my radar. No one in my family had achieved more than a high school education. My father was a barber, and my mother was a waitress. Reading a book, discussing news and world affairs or engaging in conversation about controversial issues was not part of my home life. The possibility of me going to college after high school was never mentioned as an option. I remember friends talking about going to Florida State University or the University of Florida, with plans to major in business, education or engineering. Sadly, I could not relate. I had no concept of college applications, majors or admissions criteria. While I admired my classmate’s goals and aspirations, I did not think this was a path available to me.
By the grace of God, and the insight of one high school counselor, my destiny took a turn.
The Back Story
I am told I started singing along to the radio from the time I was a toddler. Music was always playing in our home. I sang in children’s choir, school plays and community events. At the age of fourteen, I won a talent contest at Joyland Country Music in Pinellas Park, FL. Soon thereafter, I became the female vocalist for the band, Bill Floyd and the Countrymen. Joyland was the hot spot in the Tampa Bay area for live music and dancing, with a vibrant concert hall, restaurant and bar. I performed on the weekends and attended junior high school during the week.
By the time I was sixteen, I was singing with the band at the Imperial Room in Tampa five nights a week while attending St. Petersburg High School during the day. This venue featured Nashville headliners like George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Merle Haggard and Dottie West. Our band served as the opening act to the stars. It never occurred to me to be awestruck, ask for an autograph, or have a picture taken with the constant flow of artists and musicians that I shared the stage with. Whether I was singing at the Florida State Fair or at the Imperial Room, backstage we gathered like family, sharing sandwiches, stories and songs. However, beneath the glitz and glamour, there was a dark side.
As a teenager, I witnessed the spoils of living life on the road in a bus, going from town to town and state to state to sell your records and remain at the top of the charts. The music industry was hard and took its toll on the artists and band members I encountered. Alcoholism, drug abuse and rampant sexual promiscuity was very much a part of the culture. It was not a life I wanted for myself, but it seemed the road I was destined to follow.
My father acted as my stage manager and was determined that upon graduation I was going to Nashville and have a career in music. He was living vicariously through me, as he had once aspired to be on stage. When my parents divorced in 1969, my two sisters went to live with my mother, and I stayed with my father, because he wanted to ensure I remained focused on singing and setting my sights on becoming a country music star. This was a tough time for me. I missed my Mom and my sisters and resented being separated from them. I was angry that while my high school friends were going on dates and attending football games, I was singing in smoke-filled bars, being hit on by dirty old men. One afternoon, my rage hit a boiling point and I had a huge fight with my Dad. I told him I was done! At sixteen years old, I packed my bags, loaded up my Ford Mustang, and left home, never to return.
Living on My Own
As I look back, I am amazed I had the courage to do this! What sixteen-year-old girl in her right mind moves away from the shelter and safety of her home? The answer is this. The fear of the known was greater than the fear of the unknown. I could stay in this toxic environment where I was being manipulated and controlled by my father, or I could leave and dare to create a life that I wanted for myself. I thank the teachers, girl scout leaders, dance instructors and choir directors that believed in me and helped me have confidence in myself. They paved the way and planted the seeds that enabled me to have the strength to break away.
The places I lived were slum lord type residences. My roommates were waitresses, bar tenders and dancers. We piled in three or four to an apartment. Dinners consisted of Campbell’s tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches cooked on a hot plate. Singing with the band allowed me to keep a roof over my head and gas in the car. It was a grueling schedule of performing from 9:00pm -2:00am, sleeping a few hours, then arriving for classes at St. Pete High at 8:00am
The Power of One that Changed My Life
That fateful fall morning in 1969, the guidance counselor greeted me at his office door and invited me to take a seat. He explained that we would be going over my SAT scores and spend some time talking about my plans for the future. He asked me where I planned to go to college? I told him I was a singer and would be going to Nashville, TN after graduation to pursue a career in country music. The counselor smiled and indicated that this was quite an ambitious goal, and perhaps I should consider a back up plan. He mentioned the fact that I had a 3.5 GPA and had done quite well on the SAT. He told me I was college material. Wow! Really??
Those words were music to my ears! I didn’t know what to say. Could it be that I was being offered an option and could take an alternate route in my life? I told the counselor how unprepared I was to think about going to college. He listened to my story and provided guidance.
The counselor encouraged me to check out St. Petersburg Junior College (SPJC), just a few miles away on 5th Avenue North. Soon thereafter, I drove into the parking lot, walked into the Administration Building and signed in to see a counselor. I met with Dr. Roy Oldham, and he took me under his wing, explaining the process, and promising he would be with me every step of the way. Upon graduation in 1970, I enrolled in SPJC and became a college student!
A Happy Ending
Performing with various bands and exploring different genres of music, I worked my way through college. I am grateful to God for protecting me during turbulent times when I was so vulnerable. I am also thankful for the gift of singing that enabled me to rise above my humble beginnings.
I graduated from SPJC with an Associate in Art degree. My bachelor’s degree in Psychology is from the University of South Florida. By the time I was in graduate school at Georgia State University, I was married with two small children. The most touching moment of my life was when I heard them shout “Yay Mom” as I walked across the stage to receive my diploma!
My story illustrates the enormous impact one person can make on someone’s life. My guidance counselor not only changed my life, but the lives of generations to follow.
Paying It Forward
After graduate school, I returned to St. Petersburg and went to work for SPJC as a counselor and academic advisor. I was blessed to have a twenty-five-year career at the college, encouraging and supporting students who wanted to better their lives through higher education.
The Power of One has a profound rippling effect!
I am proud to say that going to college was a given for my children, and for my grandchildren.
The Power of One not only changes and empowers you, but those who follow in your footsteps.
Let’s continue to celebrate the individuals that have touched our lives and strive to be the Power of One for others who come our way.
I look forward to hearing your stories.
Who was the one person in your life that made a difference?
How did it impact others in your family?
Have you had an opportunity to pay it forward?