During my junior year at North Texas as a music education student, I spent many hours practicing saxophone and clarinet in the old Music Building. The practice rooms were far from being soundproof. I was easily distracted by someone playing the piano in an adjacent practice room.

One day as I was practicing, someone was practicing piano in the next room. I decided to take a short break and check to see who was in that room. I exited my room and looked through the practice room window and saw a very attractive young girl seated on the piano bench. I thought, "I have to meet this girl!"

I knocked on the door, walked in and said, "Could you please quit playing so loud? I can't focus on my practicing because of your loud playing." (She really wasn't playing that loudly, but it was the only pick-up line I could think of at the time.) I was surprised she didn't tell me to go away and stop bothering her. She was actually very friendly and foolishly agreed to go on a date with me.

We married at the beginning of the spring semester of 1960 and have been together for 63 years. I had a long career as a university band director, music education professor and applied woodwind teacher and professional musician. My wife, Helen Jahn Holt Crews ('63), had a successful career as a piano teacher, my accompanist and partner in our Crews Music Duo.

Norval Griswold Crews ('60, '63 M.M.)
Wichita Falls