x
Breaking News
More () »

First Coast YOU: Roger Glover, the man behind the keyboard at JIA

"Every morning, I get up now and I say a prayer to my grandmother. 'Thank you, Grandmother. Thank you!'" -- Roger Glover, Keyboardist at Jacksonville International Airport
Credit: Erica Santiago

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — First Coast YOU offers a glimpse into the people who make up our community. If you or someone you know has a story to tell, send an email to Erica Santiago esantiago@firstcoastnews.com or follow Erica on Twitter @erica_news.

Name: Roger Glover   

Age: 75   

Occupation: Keyboardist at Jacksonville International Airport, Air Force veteran

Lives in: Jacksonville since the age of 6, originally from Philadelphia

"The persistence of my grandmother [got me into music], which I had no control of. She says, 'One day, you're going to thank me,' and I said, 'No, it'll be a cold day in purgatory.' But every morning, I get up now and I say a prayer to my grandmother. 'Thank you, Grandmother. Thank you!' Because at my age I'm making money, I'm happy, it's very therapeutic and I love it. How did she know I would? I don't know ... I still wasn't very happy with it until I went into the military. Then I met guys who played guitars and different instruments who jammed in the barracks and stuff ... My first station was Savannah, Ga. right out of tech school, and thinking I hadn't seen a girl in such a long time, I wanted to talk to a female ... and I thought 'God if I could really play the piano I would have all the girls in the world.' It worked."

First Coast YOU: Behind the keys with JIA keyboardist Roger Glover

Before You Leave, Check This Out