1950–1980：From Birth to the Prime of the Folk Song Era
Chen Chih-Yuan (also known as Roger Chen) was born on February 16, 1950, on Xinshen Street in Taoyuan City, Taoyuan County, Taiwan. He was the second son of a notable family in the Taoyuan area. Chen received no formal music education, but from a young age, he taught himself how to play musical instruments, depending on just his own natural talent. In junior high school, he picked up the guitar. Without the help of a teacher, he studied music theory by himself, and then he began playing the keyboard. Unobstructed by his lack of a formal foundation, he was soon playing the keyboard superbly. He started playing for the US Army Club in Taichung and for many pubs. After completing his mandatory military service at the Kaohsiung Art Performing Group, he was introduced by Rich Huang, the “King of Drums” in Taiwan, to the Taiwan Television Big Band led by Weng Ching-Hsi to compose arrangements for multiple voices. His years of experience as a musician helped set the foundation for his career in arrangement.
