|
|
|
|
Featured SlideMeister Members - August 2014 SlideMeister Members, P.M. aj fedor to submit your choice for featured member George & Janalyn Miklas
We'll talk about Janalyn first because I think she's a lot better looking than her dad. Janalyn is a girl my wife and I actually got to watch grow up each time attended another harmonica event. She looks like her mom and is already beginning to play like her dad. A.J.Fedor A Family Tradition--Three Generations The late Stephen Miklas played the harmonica for U.S. Army Generals George S. Patton and Dwight D. Eisenhower during WWII, and then began teaching his 4 year old son, George, to play. At 19 years old and a Freshman at the Dana School of Music, George Miklas joined Jerry Murad's Harmonicats to play the 48 Chord when Al Fiore retired in 1984. In 1985 George's dad passed, and he was advised to go back to college and finish his music degree. George had an opportunity to re-join Murad in 1993, but this time he would play the Bass harmonica after Dick Gardner retired. George would remain with The Harmonicats until Murad's death in May, 1996. 
George loves the harmonica so much, that he has taught his wife, Jodi, and two children, Janalyn and Caleb. Janalyn began performing on the chromatic harmonica at 10 years old and by 12, she had the opportunity to perform Murad's recorded hit "Peg O My Heart" at the SPAH Convention in Minneapolis MN with Dick Gardner on Bass, her father on the 48 Chord, and assisted by Chris Bauer on Chromatic. She has steadily been building her repertoire of songs of increasing difficulty. In 2012, Janalyn won the SPAH / William Rosebush Youth Grant to attend the SPAH Convention in Dallas, Texas where she performed John Philip Sousa's "Harmonica Wizard March." In 2013, Janalyn attended the 50th SPAH Convention in St. Louis MO where she performed Tommy Reilly's "Valsentino." Later in 2013, she received the SPAH / HOHNER Youth Performance Scholarship to attend the World Harmonica Festival in Trossingen, Germany where she also performed "Valsentino".
For 2014, 15-year old Janalyn is preparing Augustin Lara's "GRANADA." She performed at the 51st SPAH Convention in St. Louis, MO, and plans to travel to the National Traditional Country Music Association's National Oldtime Music Festival in LeMars, IA. There the Miklas Family Harmonica Band will perform on the same stage as John Carter Cash, Bill Anderson, Charlie McCoy, Patti Page, Mickey Gilley, and many more. Janalyn will be named 2014 Rising Legend as she is inducted into the NTCMA Hall of Fame. George will be inducted into the NTCMA Pioneer Music Museum representing the former members of Jerry Murad's HARMONICATS. In addition to performing and endorsing HOHNER Harmonicas, George is an authorized HOHNER dealer selling new Hohner harmonicas on his website, Harmonica Gallery http://HarmonicaGallery.com/hohner He is a respected, independent harmonica repair technician, servicing all brands of harmonicas and has an inventory of refurbished chromatic harmonicas for sale as well. Janalyn is George's apprentice and works along side her dad in the repair shop, and staffing the sales booth at the SPAH Convention and Virginia Harmonica Festival. ”Congratulations, Janalyn, on your first recording project. My brother, Dom, and I remember when you first began to play the harmonica. We were happy to perform with you in Dallas, Texas, and are thrilled that you have taken up the harmonica after your father. We are very proud of your accomplishments and know that they will take you far in life.” Antonio (Tony) Sgro The Sgro Brothers |
|
|
|
|