Paul Sidoti

Paul Sidoti Instagram – Flashback Friday.. I just completed my freshman year of college and unknowingly auditioned for a summer variety show at a resort in Northern Michigan called Schuss Mountain.. I just turned 19 and was about to get a taste of what I truly wanted to do for the rest of my life.. The summer of 1990 was one of the most magical times of my life.. There were 8 of us guys living in a three story condo.. The stories from that summer could fill a book.. The show was written by the spectacularly talented @suedrausmd .. She was a kindred spirit to me.. Maybe it’s because three days into a 2 week rehearsal schedule, when the original bass player quit, she said “do you know anyone who can do this?” Mind you, we had these thick binders of scores of music in medley form.. Fully notated of a Broadway, Motown, and 60’s party set.. I called my pal from high school who I played with in my rock bands.. Fantastic natural talent but didn’t read the notation in the score.. So in addition to learning my guitar and keyboard parts, I assisted the other two keys players with learning the synthesizers I brought up.. I would stay up all night with the amazing Brian Crossley and play the bass parts on guitar back to him and he’d repeat them to the point of memorizing them.. So gifted.. Then we had to put all this together as a band which consisted of very intense long rehearsals.. We’d break long enough for me and @chrisgravesmusic to eat cheeseburgers on a daily basis! The show came together beautifully.. The chemistry in that group of people was so special.. We hung out all the time.. Waterskiing, tubing, Torch Lake.. We played 6 shows a week from 9 pm- 1 am to thousands of fans of the Schussycats, as we were known.. We always felt like we were The Beatles there because it was the event that everyone looked forward to all year.. The show ran from June through August and forever shaped me as a musician and as a person.. I’m so grateful to Sue Draus for her mentorship and my wonderful cast mates some of who have remained dear friends to this day.. Thank you @meredithfridline (who saw me play there as a 6 and 8 year old!) for this walk down memory lane 34 years later.. ❤️ | Posted on 12/Jul/2024 19:32:08