SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KTIV) -
The Conservatory of Music sees a lot of children come through it's doors. But, it's the parents and grandparents taking lessons, that prove music is fun at any age. The oldest student is 74 year old Uuno Kanto.
"He says, 'you know Ron, I just want to learn a couple Johnny Cash songs before I die, and I'd be the happiest man in Heaven if I could do that,'"recalled the Conservatory's owner Ron Emory.
"I love Johnny Cash because when he sang a song he was telling what life was really like," explained Kanto.
Kanto, who works as a part-time meter reader, picked up the guitar nine months ago.
"And I started coming here on Thursday nights for open mic," said Kanto.
On Thursday nights each week, you can find dozens of people lining up to the mic. Open mic night caters to a creative crowd of musical prodigies and adults who just want to live out their dreams.
When I first came there were maybe eight, ten, fifteen people. I came last week and you were lucky if you could get up to sing," recounted Kanto.
"I've always enjoyed singing, so I thought I'd give it a try," said Jason Jackson, a regular at open mic nights.
Jackson signed up his kids for lessons, then he signed up himself. He's not only learning to sing, but to write.
"It relieves a lot of stress. It's a great tool to make me feel better about myself and to be able share things with other people," explained Kanto.
Don Hughes has done a lot in his life. Now in retirement, he is finally fulfilling a childhood dream he let go long ago.
"It's just something that I've always been interested in," said Hughes.
After retiring from Malloy Electric, the 69-year old realized he finally had the time to try.
"It dates back to when I was a teenager," Hughes pointed out.
Music played on the radio may have changed, but Hughes hasn't.
"Dwayne Eddy, Ricky Nelson, Elvis Presley," listed off Hughes.
So, he starts chord by chord learning just that.
"We're learning Duane Eddy, Rebel Rouser. He's like, 'Really, I'm gonna learn that song?' Ya, that's what we're gonna start on You're gonna build your dexterity. Learn your strings, learn your notes on a song that you love," said Emory. "It thrills him, so like that's a big reward," he added.
"He came to us without having a guitar, without having anything but a curiosity," recalled Ron's wife Gia, who runs the Conservatory.
For Hughes, whose wife passed away in 2008, its more than just music.
"It's a place to go, a chance to get out of the house and do something different," said Hughes.
Hughes and Kanto both say they wish they'd started sooner, but they're proving it's never too late to live out those teen idol dreams.
"If I was 80 years old, I'd still try it. I'm gonna do this until I drop to be honest with you," said Kanto.
The Conservatory is a non-profit that gives scholarships out to students who can't afford lessons. This year, it provided two students who couldn't afford lessons the opportunity.
Their annual fundraiser, a show at the Orpheum Theater that will feature their own students plus regional artists and the Ooks of Hazard, is set for Saturday, November 10th and 7 p.m.
Tickets are on sale now at the Tyson Events Center Box Office.
