James Bruce Lyttle
Born 1952 at St. Joseph's hospital in North Bay, Ontario. Put off college to "play in a band" in the 1970s. Travelled back and forth across Canada with Canadian Talent Productions and later the Hogan Entertainment Agency. Played guitar (occasionally keyboards or bass), sang, provided patter between songs, created 20-minute medleys of vocal groups (Beatles, Beach Boys, Four Seasons) along with a medley of TV show theme songs and brief comedy skits.
Left full-time performing in 1980 to settle down and work at Kitchener's Electrohome Electronics on the Canadian government Telidon project for three years. Kept playing in bands on weekends and prepared musical arrangements for the Johnnie Johnston Irish cabaret. Finally went to college in 1983 for a bachelor's degree in philosophy and a case-method MBA. Designed and operated lighting for more than three dozen Toronto theatre productions. Took Buddhist precepts and received the Dharma name Single Breath from Samu Sunim at The Zen Buddhist Temple, and happened upon a job teaching adults at a DeVry school ... which I loved!
Returned to school to earn the appropriate qualification and came to America to teach at LIU in Brooklyn just in time for the September 11 attacks. Then taught at Penn State's graduate professional school and finally the University of Minnesota. In the meantime, got married, had a lovely daughter, and retired in 2016. Later completed a masters degree in education and began teaching night classes at local public schools while making music strictly as a hobby.