shared the same stage as Frank
Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr.
In 1977, the band became a
family
act led by remaining
\Th
original member Hugh Borde.
By 1980, the Bordes had relo-
cated to Ypsilanti, Mich. Then,
in 1986, in a significant year for
the band, Hugh Borde was
awarded the Golden Medal of
Merit, for achievement in mu-
sic, from President Ronald Rea-
,— gan. And the Trinidad Tripoli
Steel Band was looking for a
new trumpet player.
Enter Greenberg.
He had played the trumpet
since third grade when his
mom, Roz, encouraged him to
participate in the Kenbrook El-
ementary School band in Farm-
ington Hills. As a student at
North Farmington High School,
he performed in a Dixieland
band he started himself and, at
the University of Michigan, he
formed two more.
By age 20, he was no longer
playing. But one time, when
he and a friend, a member
of TTSB, were jamming on
his friend's porch in Ann Ar-
bor, Hugh Borde came to the
house to pick up Greenberg's
friend for a performance. Bor-
de was so taken by Green-
berg's trumpet ditty that he
asked him to play with TTSB
the next night at a concert in
Detroit. Immediately after that
performance, Greenberg be-
came a full-fledged member of
the band.
"I didn't really know much
about them except that they
played reggae," says Greenberg,
the only non-family member
and American in the group,
which ranges from 10-15 mu-
sicians. "That was until I went
to one of their performances
and about 2,000 people showed
up."
Greenberg continued to play
with the band after graduat-
ing from the University of
Michigan with an electrical
engineering degree in 1988.
Unable to get a job in his field
after graduation, he worked
at Weaver's Marathon gas sta-
tion in Ann Arbor to pay the
bills.
He was eventually hired, in
March 1989, to work in the de-
partment of psychiatry at the
U-M Hospital, where he is now
the director of technical oper-
ations.

Jonathan Greenberg also has
a farm.
The original idea to run a
farm stemmed from his '85-'86
stint as teen director of Camp
Michigania, a week-long retreat
for University of Michigan
alumni and their families in
Boyne City, Mich. At the camp,
he befriended the "camp care-
taker fix-it guys," who had a lot
of practical knowledge of the
outdoors. Always a camping

buff, he was fascinated by their
enthusiasm.
He was still carrying that
spark when he decided to man-
age Deerland Farm in Ypsi-
lanti. Although he had lived in
the old farmhouse built in the
1800s since 1989, he didn't
start his farming duties until
1993.
"I've always liked the idea of
taking care of yourself," says
Greenberg. "And I like the free-

dom and responsibility of hav-
ing a farm. I just thought to my-
self, 'I can do this.' "
Together with his partner
Craig Young, Greenberg grows
and sells organically grown veg-
etables (no fossil fuels or sprays
allowed). Annually, they pro-
duce a half-acre of organic agri-
culture. including 20 types of
potatoes, melons, cucumbers,
beets, soybeans, wheat, and
about 3,000 ears of corn for feed.

The organic produce is either
sold to Zingerman's Deli or to
co-op stores in Ann Arbor, or
eaten on the premises.
"There's a real satisfaction in
growing your own food," says
Greenberg. "You know where
it comes from, and it tastes a lot
better."
Greenberg lives in the farm-
house with five other house-
mates. While he does the
majority of the work — the ex-
ercise is an added bonus, he
notes — they occasionally help
out with some of the mainte-
nance.
During the summer, Green-
berg spends the majority of
time at his job in the hospital.
During the spring and autumn
harvest months, however,
he often works on the farm,
taking time off from work.
He is also currently working
on his master's degree from U-
M in health-service adminis-
tration.
Then, of course, there's the
band. Because of his hectic
schedule, he usually doesn't
travel on the road with the
group. Instead, he plays when
the band's back in Michigan.
His favorite gigs over the past
10 years include a performance
at Aretha Franklin's birthday
party, the Reggae Sunsplash
in Charlevoix and the Sun-
shine Music Awards in New
York City.
TTSB has also won several
awards with Greenberg. They
include The Metro Times' Best
Steel Band and Best Reggae
Band Awards and the 1994
Walk of Fame Award. Last
year, the group released its
first CD, hotlikefire, with
Greenberg on trumpet, on
Schoolkids Records. Another
CD is in the works.
"I love being in the band," he
says. "It's a great stress re-
liever that allows me to vent
my emotions. And the music is
a very good byproduct."
And if Greenberg ever stops
playing, there are always some
other byproducts for him to fall
back on. ❑

Opposite page:
Jonathan Greenberg has been a
member of the Trinidad Tripoli Steel
Band for a decade.

This page:
Greenberg rides the tractor almost daily
on the Deerland Farm.

