The Story

Not everyone is fortunate enough to know what they want to be when they grow up, to have a clear-cut destination and a path to reach it. For some, it is a struggle to find a purpose and to figure out where they fit in. Too often, the decision of what to do or be is based on perception; what is expected or assumed to be the right choice. Money, the illusion of success or the pleasing of others are rarely the right reasons to choose a career. After struggling to figure it out, one such man finally discovered that what he was meant to be was happy. This is the story of his extraordinary journey to find it, a journey that took him to many unexpected places. Singing with Luciano Pavarotti, performing on stage with Tony Award winning actors and directors, programming the music for a major market radio station and working with a Hall of Fame radio broadcaster on a top-rated morning show, working with a legendary college coach and earning a letter in football from a major university and even playing opposite a prominent TV and film star in a feature film were just some of the stops along the way.

Though the story is unique, the concept is universal. If you are lucky enough to wake up each morning, you have two choices. You can spend your day being happy or unhappy. This ordinary man decided that life was too short to do anything that didn’t bring him joy, so he chose happy.

About The Author

Fred Buchalter was born and raised in Michigan and is a graduate of the University Of Michigan. He spent over thirty years working in the Detroit radio market at 95.5FM and for several stations in the CBS Radio group. Since retiring from CBS in 2016, in addition to writing this memoir, he has continued to perform as an actor and singer with many local theatre companies, Michigan Opera Theatre and in local film projects as his journey in search of a life of happiness continues.