Gene Leis
Gene Leis (April 19, 1920 – March 15, 1993) was an American jazz guitarist, teacher, bandleader, composer, producer and entrepreneur. Known primarily for his influential publications and recorded guitar courses in the 1960s, Gene was also a popular performer and a mentor to a large number of musicians through his teaching studios in Manhattan Beach, California.
Early life
Gene was born into a musical family in Sedgwick, Kansas, just outside Witchita. His parents had a family band and played at local dances, weddings and other events. At 9, Gene joined the family group on mandolin, an instrument whose neck was small enough for him to play comfortably. In his early teens he took up tenor guitar and began playing with other small groups. His father wanted him to play cello, and Gene negotiated a series of banjo lessons in exchange.
During the late 1930s Gene listened to the swing bands of Goodman and others and to guitarists Charlie Christian and Django Reinhardt. The introduction of the electric guitar changed the nature of the guitar player in dance bands, who could now play loud enough to be heard over the other instruments. Gene decided to focus on guitar.
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You Are What You Love
by: Jenny LewisThis is no great illusion
When I'm with you I'm looking for a ghost
Or invisible reasons
To fall out of love and run screaming from our home
Because we live in a house of mirrors
We see our fears and everything
Our songs, faces, and second hand clothes
But more and more we're suffering
Not nobody, not a thousand beers
Will keep us from feeling so all alone
But you are what you love
And not what loves you back
That's why I'm here on your doorstep
Pleading for you to take me back
The phone is a fine invention
It allows me to talk endlessly to you
About nothing disguising my intentions
Which I'm afraid, my friend, are wildly untrue
It's a sleight of hand, a white soul band
The heart attacks I'm convinced I have
Every morning upon waking
To you I'm a symbol or a monument
Your rite of passage to fufillment
But I'm not yours for the taking
But you are what you love
And not what loves you back
So I guess that's why you keep calling me back
I'm fraudulent, a thief at best
A coward who paints a bullshit canvas
Things that will never happen to me
But at arms length, it's Tim who said
I'm good at it, I've mastered it
Avoiding, avoiding everything
But you are what you love, Tim
And not what loves you back
And I'm in love with illusions
So saw me in half
I'm in love with tricks
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