Tommy started his quest at age 2 doing the twist
to his half sister Linda's Beatles and Chubby Checker records. At 5 he began singing along with his parents'
Johnny Mathis, Frank Sinatra, and Nat King Cole records. Encouraged by his Mother, he accurately mimicked the popular
songs of the era, and began playing guitar at age 8. Tutored by his older half
brother Bobby, he learned very quickly, and began rivaling his mentor's skills
within a few years. With his Sears cassette recorder and his Silver tone guitar
and amp in case always in hand he would practice singing and playing for endless
hours, until his parents made him go to bed. While in grammar school, he
excelled in the arts. Drawing, painting, creative writing, singing in choir,
playing clarinet and saxophone at school functions, he won many awards. At age
15 he began pursuing the guitar with a mad passion. He was influenced at first
by John Denver, Jim Croce, and Elton John and then later by bands like Aerosmith,
The Who, Led Zeppelin, Rush, and The Stones. With the warm tube tones, and
screaming vocals of the 70's at hand, he was star stricken and vowed that music
would be his life. His younger brother David was also a gifted student, and made
good grades, especially in metal shop and auto-mechanics.
In 1978 His Father Robert Roeck, a
Veteran of WW2, hailing from Chicago, and a
Journeyman Maintenance Machinist of 30 years, with Bethlehem Steel Corporation,
retired and moved his family to the resort community of Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Because he loved lake living and his wife Mildred's family the
Hunter's and the Hamilton's were from nearby Sheridan. Robert worked hard and
gave his family everything, while they were living in Buena Park, California. He
got a long thirteen week vacation every 5 years as one of his regular perks
along with incredible bonus packages. This is when he took his family all over
these United States. Exploring, seeing, and doing. Growing up only minutes from
Disneyland, the boys had a season pass, and Dad loved to go as much as they did.
Roller coasters were their thing, Robert made it a point to take them to
everything within driving distance, and then some.
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He would rent large RV's for the summer and the family would
go to parts unknown and stay gone for months. They saw
Yellowstone, and all the great national parks in the USA:
Florida Everglades, Disney World, Sea World, all the worlds;
Busch Gardens, all the shows, Knott's Berry Farm, Universal
Studios, Six Flags, Magic Mountain, The California Redwoods
(Drove through a tree), Carlsbad Caverns, Dog Patch USA and
Silver Dollar City. Anything there was to do they went there,
and did that.
He outfitted the family with nice clothes, shoes, and the
boys always had great birthdays and Christmas's He made a great
living which would be comparable to nearly $2000 per week today.
He brought home the bacon and Mildred fried it up in the pan.
She was a stay at home Mom and took great care of her children,
husband, and was a cooking machine. She kept her house spotless,
hot dinners on the table, three times a day, clean clothes ready
to go, She also knitted, sewed, darned and crocheted. A truly
idyllic upbringing.
The Roeck family had two amazing summers together on Lake
Hamilton, Not to mention the wonderful life that Robert given
them filled with love and adventure; spelunking, water skiing, fishing, swimming, and a
smorgasbord of down home southern cooked delights prepared by
Mother Mildred and her Sister Venita. Many relatives came to
visit them at their lake house that Robert built, from both
sides of the family tree. Much love, laughter, and adoration was
had by all. Robert had realized his retirement goals. He loved
his family more than himself, and felt content, successful,
happy, and proud of his life, wife, boys and grandchildren.
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