Special Ed Rock Star

By Roy Fletcher

Roy Fletcher decided that raising his son was more important than the rock stardom that loomed on his horizon. In a move even more surprising than leaving his up-and-coming band, he became a special education teacher. Special Ed Rock Star chronicles the journey of the struggles and bittersweet joys he experienced while working with students who taught him humility and compassion.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Roy Fletcher
• Release date: Nov 24, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370424535

Roy Fletcher

Roy Fletcher pursues the dual passions of teaching and making music. He has performed alongside many world class musicians, most notably Randall Keith Horton of the Duke Ellington Big Band. He has also opened shows for Al Green, Dick Dale, and David Gray. He founded Raynbyrd Records in 2015 and released the solo guitar CD "God Fingers". He has recently released "Sit at My Table" with his new group Stained Glass Hearts. He became a special education teacher in 2004. His experiences in that role over a 12 year span prompted him to write the book "Special Ed Rock Star". In 2017 he became a music teacher and still gets to work with special needs children in his new position.

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Special Ed Rock Star

By Roy Fletcher

Copyright 2017 Roy Fletcher

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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Introduction

My career in the SPED Biz feels like a lifetime of humble pie stuffed into a bulging 12-year crust. In just over a decade, my students have taught me the humility I failed to learn on the road to rock stardom. However, pouring myself out in service to them has fulfilled me more than thousands of cheering fans ever did and made me richer than fortune and fame ever could.

Chapter 1: I Once Signed Autographs, Now I Sign Paperwork

Beginnings don't always reflect outcomes. If they did, I'd still be contentedly working the fields first broken by my ancestors and the mule-drawn plows they drove. For generations, my fathers had abandoned the school house to grow crops and raise animals that became the food on their tables, the clothes on their backs, and the coins in their pockets. I didn't drop out to raise cotton, cattle, or corn. I dropped out to raise hell.

I started playing guitar and abusing various substances in my 13th year. Both were an escape from crushing poverty and a generational trend of abuses of all kinds. One was a gift from God. The gift led me to pursue rock stardom, earn three college degrees, and eventually become a special education teacher. Self-medication led me to the gates of hell. By the time I'd become an 18-year-old man, I'd been on two tours and overdosed twice.

My first near death experience wasn’t a casual stroll towards the light of Heaven. Rather, it was a rapid plunge towards the fires of hell. I cried out in that moment, saying, God, if you’re real, don’t let me die!

He's real because I'm not dead. He's merciful because I didn't die the second time. I realized that I couldn't control the monster I'd befriended, so I found a friend in Jesus. The benefits of this relationship included instant freedom from addiction and a new sense of purpose.

As my mind began to recover from the haze I’d lived in, I started to entertain the crazy notion of going to college. Schools and church houses were somewhat familiar to my family, but college seemed like a distant planet. Yet, I decided to climb aboard the rocket and become the first college man my family had ever proudly owned.

I was determined to succeed. If the car broke down, I hitchhiked 13 miles to the bus stop and rode two hours to get to class. If I didn’t have enough money, I worked extra jobs to get it. I graduated three times with honors, earning Associate, Bachelor, and Master degrees. I had to stop touring during this time, but I continued to play local shows with ex-band members of the Coasters, Rick Derringer, Elvin Bishop, Frank Zappa, America, Christopher Cross, Willie Nelson, and Duke Ellington. I was offered a music director position with a Mandrel sister I'd never heard of but passed on it to finish college.

After completing the first two degrees, I began touring again. One of my bands was submitted for 11 Grammy nominations. Other highlights included auditioning for the Red Hot Chili Peppers and opening shows for Al Green, Dick Dale, and David Gray. I played hundreds of shows a year to thousands of fans, made radio and television appearances, and signed countless autographs. Then one day, I walked away from it all.

My lengthy absences were having an undesirable effect on my two-year-old son. He was happy when I was home with him but became despondent when I left. My desire to be a good father overpowered my ambition to be a rock star. The decision to leave was surprisingly easy, but my next step took a bit of soul searching. After weighing my options, I decided to become a teacher. When I quit my band, they looked at