WORLD MUSIC LLM PROPOSAL

LEN BRIGGS

10.15.12

My choice for my Living Local Musician is Leonard “Dee” Lusk.  Dee is a longtime friend I first met in 2002, when we were colleagues at Southwest ISD.  I was the choir director and Dee was the drama instructor for Scobee Junior High.  He has a music education degree from Texas Tech as well as a teaching certificate in English to go along with his many years of experience in drama.  He is multi-talented and I respect his skills immensely.  Though we no longer share a working relationship, we maintain our social ties with a weekly “happy hour” congregation at the local watering hole.  When I say that my selection of Dee was influenced by “ease of access”, that goes without saying.  Nevertheless, my decision to write about Dee was motivated equally as much by a desire to tell the story of an “Everyman”.  Actually, were I totally honest with myself, I would admit that Dee’s odyssey describes the tale of someone I secretly envy, for the simple reason that I never took advantage of the opportunity I had to play music professionally.  I want to paint a portrait of Dee Lusk more than anything because he has successfully achieved “fame” by pursuing his heart’s desire “on the side”.