Dr. Dave started playing the piano at age 6. His sister had been playing for some time and he found the piano irresistible, so, his parents started him in lessons. Although not classically trained, his early teachers instructed him in chord theory and in applying that too improvisation. At 12, Dave’s elementary school music teacher put him in touch with Steve “Stubby” Heist, a local ragtime performer at a pizza parlor. “Stubby” quickly took Dave under his wing and started him in classical Ragtime. For the next several years, Dave could be found frequenting the pizza parlor to practice his new found Ragtime skills.