Tonight’s mystery artist was asked at the end of 10th grade by a guidance counselor to leave school and not come back because he was a distraction; he liked girls and was obviously a musician.  He said he had a different path to walk.  Any guess who he might be??

This info comes from a SXSW interview with Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo. Pat and Neil were dispelling a few myths for the interview about Pat never really going to Julliard when Neil pipes in and tells how a guidance counselor pulls him aside at the start of his 11th year and said: you know you’re a distraction here. We know you’re a musician we know you like girls, we know all this stuff about you, you don’t belong here. What about if I gave you the credits to graduate but don’t come back? He finished by saying you have a different mission in your life and I know that and I’m gonna help you by letting you go. And he did. Neil goes on to tell how he educated himself with reading and in many kinds of instruments and music.

Here is Neil and his lovely wife Pat Benatar with tonight’s featured song:

And here is the interview:

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