A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF

My name is Ron Chrislock. I was born Ronald Clayton Anderson in the year of the bomb, 1945. I changed my name to my Great Grandfather's name when I started writing and performing music in 1969. I actually learned the guitar in 1963 while working at the Yellowstone Park Lodge. I bought a guitar there from a friend from Georgia, and would practice by the river between shifts as a bus boy. I was 18 years old.

My music and poetry are mostly serious. Songs of the environment, war, and mystical experiences are what I write best. I was drafted into the army in 1967 and when I got to Baumholder, Germany I entered a talent show and won a trip to Garmish for the weekend by singing my song, A King's Chess Game.

A King's Chess Game
Refrain:
G D C C (b) D C D
Heaven help the ruler who’s to blame
G D C C (b) D C D
For losin’ another pawn in the king’s chess game

D C C (b) C(a#)
Two knights charged with flashing steel
D C D
Outside a castle tower
D C C (b) C (a#)
Death glanced off the shield of one
D C D
But it claimed the other

Refrain:
D C C (b) C (a#)
The blue coat soldier shed a tear
D C D
When his gray coat brother fell
D C C (b) C (a#)
His death like moan of pain and fear
D C D
Was his final rebel yell

Refrain:
D C C (b) C (a#)
The lifeless body of a sailin’ man
D C D
Lays cold upon the shore
D C C (b) C (a#)
A jungle vine grows through the chest
D C D
Of a soldier killed at war

Refrain:

I also got the chance to join a group of soldier musicians and we were sent around Germany playing our music at the soldier's clubs. One of the high points of the tour was playing for the local television station in Berlin. I would play my guitar and sing my protest songs at many of the bases and our last gig was for the officer's club at our home base. After I sang my songs the whole room was quiet and not an officer would look at me. I got orders to report to Viet Nam the next week despite having only 8 months to go in the service.

I went on leave and decided I would not be part of a war that didn't seem to me to be in defense of our country. I went AWOL for a few weeks, but was caught in Newport Beach, California sleeping on the golf course. I was sent to the Special Processing Detachment in Fort Ord, California. I told the officer in charge at Fort Ord that I wouldn't go to Viet Nam. The officer said he would force me to get on the plane, but after looking at the clock on the wall, said it was too late and I would have to go in the morning. He told me to sleep in the barracks next door until morning. I immediately walked to the post bus station about a mile away and bought a ticket for as far away as I could with the $60 I had on me. I got as far as Bismarck, North Dakota and hitch hiked home to Minnesota to spend a month. My father had me talk to a lawyer friend of his to try to talk me into going to Viet Nam. I told the Lawyer that I was not a pacifist and would kill anyone who tried to harm my family. I would also kill to repel invaders or attackers of my country, but I would not kill anyone fighting a civil war that was not a threat to me or my county.

After spending a month in a small apartment in Fargo, North Dakota, I flew back to Monterey and turned myself into the Special Processing Detachment. This time I was put to work while awaiting my court martial, which took several months. I received a month in the stockade and orders to finish my time in service at Fort Irwin near Barstow, California. I was allowed to work at a sports car garage fixing sports cars in the town of Barstow for the months remaining since I had very little in the way of equipment and uniforms and a big inspection was coming up.

During my time in the Monterey area while awaiting court martial I studied eastern religions and joined a group called Eckankar. I wrote songs for the group and performed them at many functions across the country. I recorded two record albums for the group during this time. Color Me a Thousand Rainbows, in 1971 and Ode to a Warrior, in 1979.

My wife, at the time, Melodie was also a member of Eckankar during this time and we had a beautiful baby boy named Gabriel in 1970 who now is married and has two children, Colin and Nola. They live in Los Angeles, California and he works in the music and movie business. One of my fondest memories is delivering Gabriel in the attic apartment we rented in Palo Alto, California. I read a midwife book to prepare for the event. Melodie asked me to do the deed as she had negative feeling about giving birth in a hospital. The cord was wrapped around Gabriel's neck, but after unwrapping it, the birth went fine. I almost dropped him on the last push, however. I managed to catch him despite his slippery condition.

I married again in 1982 to Pamela and we had a wonderful baby girl named Nicole in 1988. Nicole is a senior in college studying Biology. I started writing philosophy in 1988 when I dropped out of Eckankar. My beliefs had evolved to the point that I could no longer be called an Eckist. I called and still call myself a Wholist. Wholism is my personal religion. It has only one member, myself, and I don't proselytize it. I do however share my insights. I wrote a book of Philosophy in 1988 entitled, Illusion to Enlightenment. I am sharing this book with anyone who wishes to read it on this blog.