, ▁were ▁sent ▁to ▁several ▁board ing ▁and ▁military ▁schools , ▁Page ▁Military ▁Academy ▁and ▁St . ▁John ' s ▁Military ▁Academy , ▁while ▁their ▁mother ▁worked . ▁He ▁picked ▁up ▁his ▁first ▁instrument , ▁an ▁alto ▁horn , ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 6 ▁while ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁pup il ▁there . ▁ ▁His ▁first ▁teacher ▁persu aded ▁him ▁to ▁put ▁aside ▁the ▁alto ▁and ▁pick ▁up ▁the ▁trom bone ▁because , ▁as ▁he ▁said , ▁he ▁had ▁a ▁" t rom bone ▁mouth ". ▁ ▁He ▁played ▁his ▁first ▁professional ▁gig s ▁in ▁LA , ▁and ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁Sp ok ane , ▁W A ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 5 . ▁ ▁He ▁graduated ▁high ▁school , ▁and ▁later ▁attended ▁classes ▁at ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁Community ▁College . ▁ ▁K ne pper ▁married ▁Max ine ▁Helen ▁Field s , ▁a ▁tr ump et ▁player ▁with ▁the ▁all - f em ale ▁jazz ▁band ▁the ▁International ▁S weet he arts ▁of ▁Rh ythm ▁on ▁May ▁ 8 , ▁ 1 9 5 4 , ▁at ▁a ▁civil ▁ceremony ▁in ▁T uc son , ▁Arizona , ▁while ▁he ▁was ▁on ▁a ▁tour ▁with ▁the ▁May n ard ▁Fer g us on ▁Band . ▁ ▁They ▁had ▁two ▁children , ▁a ▁daughter , ▁Robin ▁Re id ▁K ne pper ▁Mah onen , ▁and ▁a ▁son , ▁Tim othy ▁Jay ▁K ne pper , ▁who ▁prede ce ased ▁him . ▁ ▁K ne pper ▁chose ▁the ▁names ▁" Rob in " ▁and ▁"