Our  Lewis Family............carrying on the Music Tradition

written by Barbara Gillon Lewis (2016)

When Bob and I started our family back in 1962, we thought that someday, down the road, we might have a child that would study music and carry on the Gillon tradition.  Bob learned as a youngster how to play the piano and to this day enjoys sitting down everyday to play for his enjoyment.  Having a degree in music and spending many years studying the violin,  I have enjoyed playing and teaching the violin . However,  I have just decided , at the age of 78, to put the violin away. Arthristis problems have taken its toll and I'm grateful for the  many years that I have enjoyed playing.  None of our children took up the violin, but as you will read below, they kept up the music legacy that our Grandpa Gillon started.

When Jeff and Rob were in their teens, they formed a band, playing guitar, drums, and keyboard.  They have taught themselves, and we have been very proud of their accomplishments, as  we wanted them to pursue the music of their choice.   Most kids eventually give up their interest in playing in a band, but not our boys. Through the years they have continue to play in bands, sometimes together and sometimes with others.  Currently (2016) Jeff plays with a group "Rail Town."  Rob is concentrating on his young family and his position with Boeing.  He has recently completed work on a lovely recording studio in his home and we're sure he will someday again join up with a band.  He plays keyboard and drums and really know how to work with sound systems.

Randy, the middle son, studied piano for a while,  and through the years, like his brothers,  has taught himself how to improvise . He has especially taken to jazz.  As a child and young man, he had a lovely voice and performed in musical theater and choirs. In 2012 he formed a group as lead singer and performs for local events.  Nancy, our youngest, has always enjoyed singing and has been a big fan of her brothers who have done the  performing.

I thought at the time, how proud Grandpa Gillon would be to see his grandchildren enjoying their music, as he had done in Scotland, teaching his own children and others  in the neighborhood how to play the piano and other instruments. And as shown on another page in this site, he conducted a little orchestra with these children. Before coming to America, he and his sons performed with his orchestra on the holiday boats that went up and down the Clyde River.