Henry Allen Cross    29 May 2001 16:30:56 -0500  
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My name is Henry Allen Cross,
Born 8-30-58 in St.Louis Missouri at 8:30 a.m. on a Saturday.
It was 98 degrees that day, I checked the paper at the library.

Started playing guitar at age 7, my dad showing me chords.
Took tenor banjo lessons for 2 years, I still hate that instrument.
Continued playing Guitar until 1970, this was the year I started playing
the Bass.
Played Bass in various bands at "Teen Towns".
1972, got back to the 6 string guitar, bought my first Fender Strat,
1964model.
1973 started playing 5-string Banjo and I still do.
1974 played lead guitar in a classic rock group called, " The Kings"

1977 played Banjo on live television on the Chris Moore show, P.B.S. 2
shows.

1977 started "August King" with old friend Mark Dieterle, Al Koonce and
Jim Lowman.

1978 " A.K." went through a line-up change that then lasted for 13 years
give or take a member.

Played at various large clubs in Illinois, Kansas city, Des Moine,
various cities in Missouri.
Some large 4th of July Celebrations also.
1979 hired a manager, "The Goon", Tom Swane..

1981, took a year off to try and save my marriage, it didn't work.

The group  played sporadically til1988, my last show
was in Perryville, Mo when the singer was pushed off of the stage
by the bass player, I saw it and grabed my guitars and left.
" The Goon" resigns and black-balls us at other clubs he  serviced.
Suffice it to say, we were tired of each other.
By this time I had an interest in the lute and had started to play a
bit.

    An interest in lute building came about in 1993, the year of the
flood.


At present I am working on  Vihuela and a 7 co. Lute as well as making
pegs
for other builders.

On my tombstone I want it to read,

Hank Cross

1958-20??

" Hey, mike, Could ya' turn the monitors up a bit"



cheers,

H