"The brothers Potter start with
nothing but innocence to
overcome barriers to creating
magic with their music.
Beautifully written with
countless inspired moments,
East Bench is sure to become
a classic for young adults
and Baby Boomers alike."
Codge and I knew all the vocal harmonies from each song the Fab Four performed. We both sort of fancied ourselves as singers since we could mimic two of the three-part harmonies. Codge was fascinated by George’s and John’s guitar work. I was glued to Ringo’s performance. I sat there envying his playing ability on [...]
The first time I heard the new genre of pop music it staggered my reality. Do you remember that old television commercial about the guy standing listlessly in front of his bathroom mirror in the early morning hours as a hand reaches out and slaps him with a fistful of after shave? “Thanks, I needed [...]
I met Nic Baker in the Fall of 1962. We both rode the same city buses (either 17 East or 15 East) that transported us across the Salt Lake valley from the North to the East Bench. At that time, Codge, Nic, and I attended Cathedral, a parochial elementary school that was a stone’s throw [...]
On the same side of our street at the other corner of Laird Avenue lived Mrs. Barrows. She was an older woman with a cantankerous reputation. However, what we regarded as peevishness was actually more like a military decorum. About one year after we moved into our home, Codge earned her trust [...]
Before I get too ahead of myself, let me back up a bit and tell you the story behind the book East Bench. By the time my family moved to Salt lake City in May 1962, I was about to finish up 4th grade in my third school during the same academic calendar year! My [...]
1964 started with a bang! The Jack Paar Show aired Friday nights at 8 pm and one of his January shows featured a film clip of The Beatles performing in their home country, England. Crowds reacted hysterically at a Beatles concert and Jack Paar wanted to showcase the silliness behind this growing mania to the [...]
I think my life began a few weeks before my 12th birthday. It was late October 1963, after school when my older brother Don (nicknamed Codge) and I were casually listening to our favorite Salt Lake City station KMUR on the kitchen radio while doing our homework when a song grabbed our attention. For the [...]
Once upon a time there was a place nestled at the foot of the Wasatch Mountains of Utah that was more than magical. It was a sanctuary that sheltered three parochial school boys from the harsh influences of a turbulent outside world. This was a place where friends became brothers, creativity sparked the latest rage, [...]
