From music to hot air ballooning, Peter Taylor a jack of all trades

Mr Taylor was involved with a number of musical groups since the early 60s, serving as a drum player with district bands gone-by like The Starlights, Nomads and The Silhouettes.

Later, he owned a number of successful business, including one of the city's biggest music stores, Griffith's first book store, a Dick Smith's and even a computer graphics outlet.

If that wasn't enough, he and his wife, Lucy, kick-started the district's hot air-ballooning craze with their commercial business 'Balloon Aloft' which ran for 15 years.

Mr Taylor said his adventures began at the age of 14 when he acquired his first drum kit.

"I played in many bands from then on," Mr Taylor said.

"I wouldn't have considered myself crash hot, but musos were in high demand in those days. There were no DJs so it wasn't uncommon to be doing the club and pub circuit three or four nights a week. There was plenty of work back then.

"We went everywhere from Hillston to Cootamundra, and there were a lot of people I worked with who I admired, particularly jazz players. I was hugely inspired by the Cootamundra Jazz Band.

"Eventually me and a few others formed a jazz club and one of those who helped develop it was an English couple known as the jive champions of England. They were a lot of fun to be around."

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In the late 60s he opened a music store in Griffith which he ran for 12 years.

"We sold records and instruments. I still have people come up to me saying how they brought their first guitar when they were 15 and how they still have it," Mr Taylor said.

"My wife and I ran 14 other enterprises over the years. I always wanted to be a retailer."

The couple's later pursuits in the hot air ballooning business came about by accident.

"It was 1988 and I heard an interview on the radio calling for people to help pilot an event in Perth as part of the bicentennial year celebrations. We'd never had anything to do with hot air ballooning but we thought we'd give it a go. We got so wrapped up in the lifestyle that when we came back we brought one," he said.

So popular was the business that Rice Growers eventually sponsored the pair to do ventures in Leeton as part of the SunRice Festival. They also piloted flights for festivals in Canberra.

His love for music has never faded. He was instrumental in forming the Murrumbidgee Ukulele Group (MUG), having served as treasurer for six years.

He and his mates can be found jamming at the shearing hall of the Griffith Pioneer Museum on the first Saturday of each month.

"Ukulele is a great instrument for older people who have always wanted to play but have come to it later in life. It's very therapeutic. It's a great day of non-stop music when we get together and we do it purely for fun," he said.

"We've had people from as far as Lake Cargelligo come along and anyone who is interested is more than welcome."

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