1. He is the subject of your critical thinking exercises…. MEET MR. KENNEDY!

2.  His affair with music began when Merv’s parents were able to give him marimba that he desperately wanted  He taught himself guitar and piano after that  He studied music at USC  When he was drafted during World War II, he was assigned to a special military music corps  When he returned, he played jazz with several big bands  He has taught music since then MUSIC HAS BEEN A PART OF HIS LIFE…FOREVER!

3.  He was married  He divorced his wife due to her alcoholism  He has a daughter, Laura, and a son, Nick, both adults  Laura is single, lives in Portland, and is a paralegal  Nick is also single, lives locally  Nick does odd jobs, and is sometimes unemployed PERSONAL LIFE…

4.  Merv loves his 3 motorcycles  He prefers driving one of his motorcycles to driving his 1990 Mercedes sedan  But, he can hear music in his car better than on a motorcycle! HOBBIES

5.  He likes off-road excursions, usually solitary  He has toy-hauler and likes to find remote areas to ride GET-AWAYS

6.  Merv lives alone in the house he grew up in  He likes to wake early and enjoy sunrise  He makes coffee, usually has toast or cereal  By 10 am, he is on the road to begin piano lessons  He has a large clientele  He usually sees 5 to 6 students per day  His students range from children to adult studio musicians USUAL DAILY ACTIVITIES

7.  I only do what I want to do; that’s why I don’t remarry  My kids are my life  Music is my life…don’t tell my kids  Motorcycles are the perfect means of transportation…never ride anything that can think  If you don’t have your health and you don’t enjoy life, you’ve got nothin’  I don’t want to die…in fact, I don’t intend to FAMOUS MERV QUOTES