While still teaching, Phil began to work as a songwriter for Popeye and Pals, a favorite children\'s show broadcast on WWL television for decades. During that time, somebody said: \"You know, Phil, you really don\'t look right behind a guitar. You look good behind a piano.\" So he began to learn to play the piano.\r\n\r\nMost of Phil\'s musical influence came from two record albums that belonged to his mother. As he wrote songs for Popeye & Pals, as well as for himself, the influence from those two albums surfaced in nearly every song.