▁a ▁family ▁of ▁Russian ▁Jewish ▁imm igr ants , ▁Car men ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Cleveland , ▁Ohio , ▁and ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁Ly nd h urst , ▁Ohio . ▁He ▁has ▁been ▁involved ▁with ▁music ▁since ▁early ▁child hood . ▁By ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁two , ▁he ▁was ▁entertain ing ▁his ▁parents ▁with ▁impress ions ▁of ▁Jimmy ▁Durante ▁and ▁John nie ▁Ray . ▁By ▁age ▁three , ▁he ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁Dal cro ze ▁Eur h ythm ics ▁program ▁at ▁the ▁Cleveland ▁Institute ▁of ▁Music . ▁At ▁six ▁years ▁old , ▁he ▁took ▁viol in ▁less ons ▁from ▁Mur iel ▁Car men ▁( his ▁a unt ), ▁a ▁viol in ist ▁of ▁the ▁Cleveland ▁Orchestra . ▁By ▁age ▁ 1 1 , ▁he ▁was ▁playing ▁piano ▁and ▁dream ing ▁about ▁writing ▁his ▁own ▁songs . ▁The ▁arrival ▁of ▁the ▁Beat les ▁and ▁the ▁Rol ling ▁St ones ▁alter ed ▁his ▁dream ▁slightly . ▁By ▁the ▁time ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁s oph om ore ▁at ▁Charles ▁F . ▁Br ush ▁High ▁School , ▁Car men ▁was ▁playing ▁piano ▁and ▁singing ▁in ▁rock ▁' n ' ▁roll ▁bands ▁including ▁the ▁F ug it ives , ▁the ▁Har le qu ins , ▁the ▁S ounds ▁of ▁Sil ence ▁and ▁the ▁C yrus ▁Er ie . ▁ ▁Though ▁class ically ▁trained ▁in ▁piano , ▁Car men ▁became ▁a ▁self - t aught ▁guitar ist . ▁At ▁ 1 5 , ▁he ▁started ▁guitar ▁less ons , ▁but ▁when ▁his ▁teacher ' s ▁approach ▁did ▁not ▁fit ▁with