Pickin' and Winnin'
Sara Denhart
Kentucky News Desk
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| After
losing normal use of his right hand after an auto accident, Steve
Pullias didn’t know if he would ever be able to play the guitar again.
One day the inspiration struck him to design a guitar pick wedged into
a small golf-ball sized wooden ball, which allowed him to play again.
Now Pullias encourages those who have lost function due to accidents or
strokes to try to play again with his invention. (Staff photo by Ken
Ritchie) |
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Steve
Pullias' hands tell a story. They have played hundreds of notes,
melodies and songs from when he was a musician in a popular 1960s band
to now when he teaches a 5-year-old child to play chords on the ukulele.
The
first time Pullias' hands touched the strings of an instrument was when
he was child growing up in Nashville, Tenn. In the music capital,
Pullias' mother played the ukulele, the piano and the guitar. His
grandmother was a vocal teacher. It was through his family that he
discovered his love for the guitar.
Soon, his mother moved from
Nashville to Jacksonville, Fla. While attending school, Pullias became
friends with members of upcoming bands Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Allman
Brothers. He was a member of The Night Shades that included the drummer
from The Allman Brothers and The Kicks, which later became Lynyrd
Skynyrd. He also became friends with James Cobb, Walter Eaton and Joe
Wilson, who would later become the part of the Classics IV.
After
playing the Jacksonville club circuit, the bands went in different
directions - one went to Atlanta, Ga., the other to Muscle Shoals, Ala.
"We all kind of split up," Pullias said.
Pullias,
who was now living in Atlanta, Ga., was playing at the famed Studio
One, a recording studio in northern Atlanta. The studio was designed in
1970 by audio engineer Rodney Mills, and the studio released albums
from Journey, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Joe South, the Atlanta Rhythm Section and
.38 Special.
"Everything that came out of Studio One were hits," Pullias said.
While
working as a session musician and playing with the Atlanta Rhythm
Section, his friends from the Classics IV asked Pullias to join the
group. The band, which was called Dennis Yost and the Classics IV,
released top hits, such as, "Spooky," "Stormy," "Every Day With You
Girl," and "Traces of Love."
During Pullias' time with Dennis
Yost and the Classic IV, he traveled on the road, touring clubs around
the country. While on the road, Pullias became interested in teaching
others guitar.
"I enjoy helping people learn guitar," Pullias said. "It's something God has put in me."
It
was difficult for Pullias to teach out of his home and play at clubs at
night. His passion for teaching was put on hold while he traveled with
the Classics IV.
One night in 1978 would change Pullias' life
forever. After a show in southern Atlanta, Pullias was traveling home
on Interstate 285 at 4 a.m. when he fell asleep at the wheel of his
car. The vehicle crashed, and Pullias broke his neck in three places
and was paralyzed from the waist down.
"I was thinking that's the end of my guitar career," Pullias said.
For
the next two months, Pullias was in intensive care. He had two
surgeries and had to spend two years in rehabilitation before he
learned how to walk again.
Despite his hard work in rehabilitation, Pullias' right hand would not recover. He was paralyzed in his strumming hand.
With his hope of playing the guitar ruined, Pullias moved to Kissimmee, Fla.
One
Sunday, Pullias went to a local church and sat in the back row. At the
church. Pullias met his future wife, Joyce, who said he had hair down
to his shoulders and well-tanned skin when she first saw him.
Joyce was in the church's music ministry program, and over the course of several church visits, the two got to know each other.
"I always had music in life," Joyce Pullias said.
It
was not until she went to Steve's house one night that she learned
about his past. She saw a guitar sitting in the house and inquired
about it.
"What's all this?" Joyce said.
"I used to play guitar," Steve said looking at his paralyzed hand.
"I bet you have more in those two fingers than most people have in their bodies," Joyce said.
"If I can't play like I used to then I'm not going to play at all," Steve said.
Joyce
convinced Steve to start playing guitar again. He began playing in the
church band. They were married six weeks after they first met.
After
they married, Joyce, who was a Ripley County native, wanted to move
back to Indiana to be closer to her family. They moved to Madison in
1990.
"I told him we were moving north," Joyce said.
In
Madison, years later, Steve was playing golf at Sunrise Golf Course
when he had a vision. He saw a guitar pick sticking out of a golf ball.
This was going to be the way he would play guitar again.
He bought Birch wood, nylon guitar picks and used automotive-grade adhesive to make an original pick.
"Don't use a Titlest - it has rubber bands in it," Pullias joked.
"It helped me with my dexterity. I think I play better rhythm guitar than I did before."
But, it would not be until about 10 years later that Pullias would teach others to use his new pick.
Pullias
was working for the state transportation department when he met Scott
Caudill, a member of the local band, Young Country.
"(Caudill) said, 'I got to get you in here to teach,'" Pullias said.
As
soon as he began teaching at Mom's Music, which is now Madison Music
Center, enrollment started to grow. Joyce suggested Pullias make a
full-time career out of teaching.
Pullias had up to 72 students
at one time. Earlier this year, the owners of Mom's Music decided to
close the store and move on to other ventures.
With Pullias'
teaching career in limbo, he and his wife decided to purchase the
business and open their own store and teaching facility at the same
location.
Since opening, the Madison Music Center has been
profitable for the couple. Aspiring musicians from the Courierarea are
able to take lessons from Pullias and other instructors.
"I
don't want to lose focus of teaching," Pullias said. "I've been able to
help others with disabilities. There is hope for people with
disabilities. It's not over 'til it's over. | |