When Kelly Gainor picked up an accordion and played his first tune over 50 years ago, he never dreamed he would one day be creating a CD filled with the music he has grown to love. But that is exactly what has happened.

When Gainor was just 8 years old, his father bought him his first two-row button box accordion from Sears & Roebuck Co. for $59, and Gainor has been playing ever since. Gainor shared his talent early on, playing the accordion left-handed for an audience at his grade school Christmas program. While his father favored the banjo, Gainor loved the accordion, and the pair would play at weddings before the lad was a mere ten years of age. Not only did he love the music, Gainor was paid $2 for playing at weddings, a substantial bit of change for any young man in the early 1950s!

A few years later at the promising age of 11, Gainor was visiting an uncle and picked up his piano accordion, immediately starting to play. He ended up trading his pocket radio for his uncle's piano accordion, and the first time he brought it home, Gainor's parents were astonished by his natural ability: He had already learned three songs, playing them by ear.

Over the years, Gainor has taught himself to play not only the accordion and button accordion, but the keyboard and guitar as well. Gainor has come a long way from that first two-row button box; he now plays a midi accordion, which has a variety of sounds built right in, such as the piano, trumpet, violin and bass guitar, among others.

Gainor loves music and finds performing to be a gratifying pastime with therapeutic results, a means of escape from the daily doldrums and problems life sometimes presents. So, too, do the folks he plays for, making weekly appearances in the long-term unit at Harbor Beach Community Hospital and upon request at Autumnwood in Deckerville and the medical center in Bad Axe. Gainor has also performed at a few different functions over the past three years in Macomb County, Mount Clemens, Sterling Heights and in the Warren area. His love for music is infectious, and if he can put a smile on someone's face while he plays, it makes him feel good, too, his time spent, well worthwhile.

While creating his own CD has been on Gainor's mind for quite some time, it wasn't until about a year ago when the idea finally began to be more than just a notion. At the urging of a friend, Gainor went to work, and his CD, which is expected to hit store shelves in mid-March, includes the music of 24 songs. Music lovers will find Gainor's CD to be filled with a good variety of many of the old standards. Music played by Gainor will include songs such as All The Girls I've Loved Before, Now or Never, Tiny Bubbles, Golden Slippers, My Happiness and Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.

Like so many others, Gainor fondly recalls the good old days; they were times no one can bring back, but times people should never forget. In creating this CD and sharing his talent, Gainor hopes people, upon listening to his music, will not only relive those wonderful memories of days gone by, but also create some new memories. Upon the success of this CD, Gainor also has future plans to create two more CDs, one featuring country songs from the 1930s and 1940s and the other, Christmas music.

Gainor's new CD will be available in mid-March for the price of $10 at the following stores in Harbor Beach: The Corner Store, The Flow'r Mill, Harbor Drug, Patty's Barber Shop and All Season Service and Sales. Music lovers interested in purchasing his CD can also order their copy by calling Kelly Gainor at 989-479-9138.

The Lakeshore Guardian wishes Kelly Gainor much success in all his music endeavors.