By Judy Clabes
NKyTribune editor
Paul Riesenberg heard the call of the drums as a young boy, growing up in a large family on Dudley Road in Edgewood. He first heard the enticing percussion sounds wafting from a neighbor’s basement and knew at that moment, he belonged to the drums.
At age nine, after incessant begging (and hoping and praying), he got a gold metallic drum with one cymbal for Christmas. His mother wanted him to take lessons, but Paul had no interest in learning to read music. He had a gift for the beat, believed he could play by ear, and convinced his mom he could teach himself.
He also convinced his parents to let him set up his drum in their bedroom because that’s where the stereo was. Amazingly, they agreed — though he could often hear his siblings plead, “Make him stop, Mom!” She didn’t, and his life with drums marched on from there.
As his friends were headed off to fishing, young Paul demurred. He went home to play his drum, he said.
As a teenager at Covington Catholic, he and two friends (one played base, the other guitar) started a band they called Synapse. (His two friends were sons of a physician, and the term refers to nerve endings. Clever boys.) They played at CovCath dances and at the local swim club dances.
He started teaching drums even then.
“Everybody likes to play the air drums,” he said.
Riesenberg got married, had a son, Christopher, and got a job with the Turtle Wax company’s industrial division to support his family. It turned out that he had a penchant for business as well, so his sales territory ultimately grew to seven southeastern states, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas.
But Christopher had health problems and his marriage was ending. He won hard-fought custody of his son and moved to Florida where he acquired a Turtle Wax distributorship that allowed him more time at home. He built that into an extensive statewide footprint as he recruited salespeople who worked all of Florida selling big “drums” of Turtle Wax to car washes and gas stations and more.
In Florida, he met Kathy, the woman of his dreams — and herself a free spirit who loved art and Paul’s drums as well. Kathy was his biggest cheerleader. Even more, she was a loving stepmom to Christopher who was thriving under their care, despite his health challenges and multiple transplants.
The family moved back to NKY for a short time so that Christopher could know his extended family “up north” — and there were plenty of aunts and uncles and cousins to know. While back home, Paul helped build car washes and serve car washes — all of which used Turtle Wax.
And, in 2000, he co-founded a band, Doghouse, a popular group that plays on today. Four friends — Paul Chuck Davis, Tim Schulte, and Dick Stewart — started playing at parties and had their first gig at Southern Lanes in Alexandria. Paul helped pick his own replacement when he moved back to Florida with Kathy and Christopher. He had a business to sell — and a drummer’s life to live, teaching drums and continuing with his music.
He and Kathy lead a charmed life as soul mates until she was stricken with cancer. He was her caretaker through the agonizing final months until her death.
After selling their home and packing up all his possessions (including their extensive art collection), he moved back to NKY this year to a home on the very street where he and his CovCath buddies first practiced their teenage band’s music. In Kathy’s absence, he wanted to be closer to his aging and ailing mom (who just turned 91) and to his supportive extended family.
Today, he’s ready for his “next life” as a mentor and teacher, helping others find themselves in the drums. Part social worker and part drummer, he sees the drums as “therapy” for young people who are looking for a way to express themselves.
“If I can expose people to the drums through teaching,” he says, “then my life will be complete.”
He is taking on new students now. He meets with their parents to determine their commitment and needs. His heart is in his teaching.
Parents Lisa and Nathan Carillo are big fans of Paul’s “music therapy” and what it has done for their son, Nathan, who was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome at a young age.
“Music has always been Nathan’s way of expressing what words sometimes couldn’t,” said Lisa.
Though Nathan was in the band at his school, he faced bullying that took a toll on his confidence.
“Since working with Paul we’ve see an incredible transformation is such a short time,” she said. “Drumming . . .has helped him rebuild his confidence and find joy and purpose.
“Paul has helped him find his rhythm and voice through music.”
Indeed. Now, Nathan sees hope for his future.
“Nathan has dreams of attending college to earn a degree in music therapy,” his mom said, with hope now in her heart as well. “He wants to help others experience this same kind of healing.”
Paul Reisenberg, using his own special gifts, is sharing his big drum-beating heart with others so they, too, can look forward to their best lives. One beat at a time.
