Holy Hootenanny, Batman!
interestingly, another blog i read had hottenanny in title...but i'm on tape on saturday night using the word, so i'm not a copycat...honest
on friday night bill c. and i drove down to the lowell congregational church for what they called a "jam session" but would be better titled, a hootenanny.
we arrived an hour early to introduce ourselves to the folks and get our names on the list of players. as people began arriving i noticed there wasn't a single person under 60 (aside from me...oh, and bill-i think). finally, another musician came that was about our age...but we were definitely out numbered...i was glad they didn't start picking on us...i can just imagine it:
"hey there, youngster! i was playing guitar befer yer daddy was born..." or "you play guitar like my gran-baby"...but they were all nice and kind...the most they said to us was "what was that? here talk into my good ear..." and stuff like that. about the most offensive thing was this exchange:
old guy: oh...you play the harmonica?
me: yes, i do.
old guy: what key is it?
me: G
old guy: can i play it?
me: what?
old guy: can i play it?
me: what?
old guy: can i play it? i promise i wont 'get nuttin' in it"--meaning saliva
me: uhm...here, you can play this one (i reach in and pull out my oldest--and now discarded--harmonica)
old guy: wow! that sure does play nice.
me: yes. yes it did.
anyway,
they allowed us to open the night...we had planned on singing some new songs but figured we should go ahead and fit in and sing some old standards...bill played guitar and sang, i played a little guitar and a backed him up with a vocal and played the harp (now that i've actaully played at a hootenanny, i can call my harmonica a "harp").
then we realised that the thing to do was to sit down with our instruments and join in with the others as they sang. and so we did. i'll be honest, aside from the hymns, i didn't know too many songs (other than having heard them in a movie or tv)...and i'm just not a big fan of country...but boy did i have a blast.
i'll tell you the truth...i have no idea how to play the harmonica. i really don't. and i'm far from being a real harp player like the old guy was...but it was a joy to play that thing!
but here's some things i either learned or had reinforced:
1. music is to be shared.
2. the quality of the moment is not based on the quality of the performance
3. good music is not pretentious
4. pretentious people stand out (and not in a good way)
5. old people tell the best jokes.
God, help me to not be pretentious.
on friday night bill c. and i drove down to the lowell congregational church for what they called a "jam session" but would be better titled, a hootenanny.
we arrived an hour early to introduce ourselves to the folks and get our names on the list of players. as people began arriving i noticed there wasn't a single person under 60 (aside from me...oh, and bill-i think). finally, another musician came that was about our age...but we were definitely out numbered...i was glad they didn't start picking on us...i can just imagine it:
"hey there, youngster! i was playing guitar befer yer daddy was born..." or "you play guitar like my gran-baby"...but they were all nice and kind...the most they said to us was "what was that? here talk into my good ear..." and stuff like that. about the most offensive thing was this exchange:
old guy: oh...you play the harmonica?
me: yes, i do.
old guy: what key is it?
me: G
old guy: can i play it?
me: what?
old guy: can i play it?
me: what?
old guy: can i play it? i promise i wont 'get nuttin' in it"--meaning saliva
me: uhm...here, you can play this one (i reach in and pull out my oldest--and now discarded--harmonica)
old guy: wow! that sure does play nice.
me: yes. yes it did.
anyway,
they allowed us to open the night...we had planned on singing some new songs but figured we should go ahead and fit in and sing some old standards...bill played guitar and sang, i played a little guitar and a backed him up with a vocal and played the harp (now that i've actaully played at a hootenanny, i can call my harmonica a "harp").
then we realised that the thing to do was to sit down with our instruments and join in with the others as they sang. and so we did. i'll be honest, aside from the hymns, i didn't know too many songs (other than having heard them in a movie or tv)...and i'm just not a big fan of country...but boy did i have a blast.
i'll tell you the truth...i have no idea how to play the harmonica. i really don't. and i'm far from being a real harp player like the old guy was...but it was a joy to play that thing!
but here's some things i either learned or had reinforced:
1. music is to be shared.
2. the quality of the moment is not based on the quality of the performance
3. good music is not pretentious
4. pretentious people stand out (and not in a good way)
5. old people tell the best jokes.
God, help me to not be pretentious.
posted by PMike. | 18:47
4 Comments:
sounds like it really turned out to be a great time of felolowship. The kids had fun too mostly outside playing. Thanks for giving them opportunities to stretch themslves. Thanks for serving the Lord even if it means singing country.
oh...the sacrifices we make.
That sounds like a really special. There is so much culture and life to glean from our "elders". I wholeheartedly agree with your lessons learned.
as a country music fan you would be surprised at how "spirtital" the songs are,all different types of music are wonderful to listen to as a child of the seventies i was only into rock but as i aged i learned that there are different types of music and all have their great qualities!
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home