hiː bɪɡˈæn hɪz mjˈuːzɪk kɚɹˈɪɹ ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi ˈeɪt ɪn wˈɛɹ, mˌæsɐtʃˈuːsɪts, wˌɛɹ hiː hˈoʊstᵻd ɐ ɹˈeɪdɪˌoʊ ʃˈoʊ ænd tˈʊɹd wɪð ɐ lˈoʊkəl bˈænd kˈɔːld ðə tɹˈeɪl blˈeɪzɚz.
He began his music career in 1948 in Ware, Massachusetts, where he hosted a radio show and toured with a local band called the Trail Blazers.