Music

Music has always been a big part of my life.  When I was around 11, I remember hanging with a friend of mine in the basement of our house in Topeka, Kansas, listening to the first Beatles album.  His name was David Caddy.  I remember him as a hyper, chubby kid who used to love singing and jumping on me and knocking me over.  He, or we, would laugh and laugh at nothing really, all the while music playing in the background on the the record player.  "She loves you yea, yea, yea."  One Sunday my family went to the grand opening of a new Sears and Roebuck's store.  What band was playing at the opening of the new store?  The Kingsmen, " Louie, Louie".  I was mesmerized.  I remember thinking they were so cool.
      Topeka was about sixty miles from Kansas City. and I heard on the radio that the Beatles were touring the US and coming to Kansas City.  OMG.  When my Air Force military, short haircut, Colonel father came home that night I ran around like a banshie screaming, "The Beatles are coming, the Beatles are coming.  Please, Please, Please can I go? Can I, can I, can I?"  Well, you know the rest of the story. I had about as much chance of going to see the Beatles as I did driving there myself.  No, didn't go, but I was hooked.
      At age 12, on a vacation to San Diego, we visited Tijuana for the day.  "Dad, Dad, can we get this 12 dollar guitar?...Please, Please, Please."  Seems I was always begging.  "Cost too much," he said,  and "you don't know how to play".  We made several trips back to the little vender shack and finally my dad relented and bought the guitar for a few bucks.  My first guitar.  Sadly, the neck broke off from the body on the drive home.  My older brother thought this the funniest thing EVER.  Teased me till I cried.    Fortunately, the miracle of Elmer's glue had already been invented and I was back in action shortly after we got back to Kansas.  From there it is history:  G chord, C chord and D chord, ha, I can play a thousand songs.
    Well, I did stick with it and music has been a very huge part of my life.  I don't know how much time I have spent playing the guitar and mandolin but I know I should be a lot better than I am for all the time I've put in.  I've met a lot, if not most, of my really close friends through music and playing together.  Now I am surrounded with people who play music.  What a joy it is to have 10 or 15 people in the living room just raging on old tunes.  Picking and a grinnin.  Jane even grabs a couple of spoons now and then and chimes along.  The best is playing with all ages, young and old,  playing all our old tunes, so, so fun.  Hard to wipe the smile off. 
    In 1970 I found myself in Detroit, Michigan.  I was flirting with the US Army draft and playing at a local Holiday Inn for drinks.  I saved all my work money for the year and walked into a guitar shop and bought me my first real guitar.  A 1970 D-35 Martin guitar.  It has been a good friend and companion ever since.
     I was giving it a good cleaning last night and replacing the strings when a flood of emotion and  memories came over me thinking of all the places "this ole guitar and me" have been.  I can't really believe I still have her.  Three years traveling in the army, traveling all over the country. living here and there. Lost, theft or damage was never far from my mind.  But I have to say,  I have never had a close call or a worry that she'd been lost or damaged.  She is in super shape for 44 years old.  Sounds like a bell and looks like she's twenty.  I have other guitars, but if I ever had to sell or give away every guitar I have, this is the one I would want to keep to play.
     Music has helped me get through some really tough times.  ( Like now)  I am sure we all have a few songs that the instant you hear them, you are transformed to another place and time.  Oh, there are so many good songs.  During radiation I get to listen to music.  Last week, while trying to relax and meditate, some Russian Battle hymn came on pandora.  It was very distracting and difficult to tolerate.  Then yesterday, one of my favorite songs to meditate, relax and transcend to, played.  "Somewhere in Time" by John Barry.  It is the theme song for the movie.  I don't know why, but this song moves me. My current favorite acoustic guitar song is the tune  "This Ole Guitar and Me"  by Vince Gill. Take a listen to it if you don't know it. I usually have to have a tissue close by.
I have other songs that resonate with me and I hope you do, too.  .   Namaste 
                                                                   

My 1970 Martin D-35 Guitar...