Duncan Pryce believes playing a variety of styles is what being a musician is all about.
During the past 26 years he's either headed his own bands or played with others whether it's blues, classic rock, country, funk, bluegrass or rockabilly.
He now plays with The Thunder River Boys, who will provide an eclectic mix of dance tunes for the annual Spuds & Suds fundraiser Nov. 6 at St. Joseph's School in Kennewick.
"I've always found it a lot of fun to mix up music," said the Richland musician. "I actually like to play more jazz and classical, as well as ragtime. Those are so much more challenging to play on guitar."
For Pryce, music has been a passion since he started playing guitar at age 12.
"My dad had an old guitar in the back room and told me if I could learn to play it I could keep it and I did," Pryce said. "But the real reason I started playing was because of the new Beatles songs that came out on the radio. The one that really hooked me was Yellow Submarine. It changed my life forever."
He was born and raised in Richland but his family moved to Pullman when he was in high school for a few years while his dad attended Washington State University.
From 1973-76, Pryce toured the country playing in various bands. But like many musicians, there comes a time when living out of a suitcase gets old. So, he headed home to the Tri-Cities to settle down.
He had his own commercial painting business for several years and spent three years in Seattle as a foreman for a construction company and then a painting company. Pryce, 54, came back in 1989 and ran Pryce Painting & Contracting Co. Then a heart attack in 2005 changed his life.
"That took me out of the work force for six weeks because of a quintuple bypass," Pryce said. "I had another minor heart attack in 2008 but I was up and playing guitar again in four days.
"The tough part has been finding a steady job since having those heart attacks, which probably discourages people from hiring me. The truth is I am in better shape right now than I have been in years because I exercise every day and changed my eating habits."
Despite the downturn, Pryce hasn't lost an ounce of his love of performing and continues to stay active in the music scene.
"I love playing with The Thunder River Boys because the band's philosophy is to strike lightning into people's hearts," he said. "Our goal is to get people to have fun by getting up to dance."
The St. Joseph's fundraiser is open to anyone over age 21. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Music starts at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $15 at the door.
The fundraiser features baked potatoes with a selection of 10 different toppings and microbrews from Ice Harbor Brewing in Kennewick and wine from Columbia Crest Winery in Paterson. Beer and wine cost extra.
*Dori O'Neal: 582-1514; doneal@tricityherald.com