Common Mythologies -- Uncommon Things (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781412086141)

Bruce Kingery is a native of Indiana (New Albany) and a former longtime resident of Kokomo, Indiana, where he began his music career, playing saxophone in many of the bands and orchestras of the pre-WWII era. After the war, he again played in small bands in the North Central Indiana area, until he became active in the United Auto Workers Union, Local 292, at Delco Radio/Delco Electronics Division of General Motors Corporation. He was actively involved in the Labor Movement from 1950 until his retirement in 1985.

During his active Labor Union years, first as a Bargaining Committee Chairman of UAW Local 292 in Kokomo, Indian, and later, as an International Representative of the Education Department, UAW International Union, at Solidarity House, the UAW's headquarters, in Detroit, Kingery kept writing songs in a variety of styles and types, Compiling in time, over 1000 copyrighted songs as lyricist and composer. (MOR, Marches, Pop, C&W, Novelty songs, Polkas, Blues, Jazz, Semi-Classical, Waltzes, Religious, Ragtime, Disco, Ballads and R&B.)

As an International Representative of the UAW's Educational Department, he taught hundreds of classes and workshops on related Labor Education subjects, throughout the United States and Canada. Attending Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, he earned his BA, MA and Doctor of Education degrees.

Appointed by Governor James Blanchard of Michigan to the Board of Control (now Trustees) of Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan in 1985, he was awarded the honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters by that University in 1993.

A WWII veteran, with more than 20 years of Active and Reserve duty, Kingery is retired from the USAR with the rank of Captain, USAR. He is a Master Mason. He is a member of the University of Michigan Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa, a life member of the Reserve Officers Association (ROA), the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion. He has been a Chairperson of the Labor/Business/Industry Advisory Panel of the Michigan council of the Arts. He is a member of ASCAP, the Songwriters Guild of America, and a Life Member of the Association of Concert Bands. Kingery has also written more than 1000 poems, with more than 35 manuscripts of poetry, educational essays, speeches and labor education papers, which have been placed in the Labor Archives of the Walter Phillip Reuther Library of the Labor & Urban Affairs of his alma mater at Wayne State University.

Along with co-writers Armando Di Robbio (Al Dero), B.J. Shawd, Larry LaVey, Joe Terry, Keith Bradford, Sal Rainone and others, Kingery has four cassette albums, to date, on the market plus more than 20 CD compilation albums through 1997.

In 1995, he established the Music Publishing Company, Far Memory Music (ASCAP). In 1988, he established RHM Records, and to date, has produced and released four CD's. They are: "Classic Theme" and "Champagne Wishes And Caviar Dreams" featuring the great vocals and arrangements of Sal Rainone, formerly of the New York Entertainment Circuit and now, of Las Vegas, wherein he has established his new recording studio and all-around musical entertainment focus. Featured on ten internet sites and with radio station airplay in the United States, France, Germany, Belgium, China and Japan, among others.