Your First Time. Be Honest.

Subject: RE: Your First Time. Be Honest.
From: The Shambles
Date: 24 May 99 - 04:34 PM

I was persuaded to perform for the first time at a fund raiser for a Spiritual Healing Centre in Stansted Essex. It was not exactly a complete disaster, but it was 'pretty damn' close. It was held in marquee and I was sandwiched between a tenor, singing 'light ' opera and a little girl, dancing in a tutu.

I was proudly playing my new (it was the 1960's) Yamaha FG 140, which I still have. I had a harmonica harness, made out of a wire coat-hanger. It didn't work that well, as the wire bent forward, when I tried to play it and I ended up facing the floor (stagecraft).

It was during my Doc Watson, period and I was singing , quite appropriately, I thought, given the cause, We Shall All Be Re-United.

But unknown to me, there was this famous record producer in the audience,...................the rest is history.............. he signed up the tenor.

The last bit wasn't true, but the rest was, unfortunately. ......Now if I had only been wearing the tutu?

Subject: RE: Your First Time. Be Honest.
From: Allan C.
Date: 24 May 99 - 04:24 PM

My guitar playing partner,Keith Behner somehow booked the two of us to play a sort of "half-time" show at his eighth grade dance. We played a Kingston Trio song, "South Wind". Despite a very obvious (to us) false start, it actually went pretty well. But then the sisters (it was a Catholic school) insisted that we follow up with a song that everyone knew. Well, we only really knew the ONE SONG together. But I quickly broke into "Red River Valley" which Keith followed along with adequately. We managed to get through it okay and even had people singing along with us. Fortunately they didn't demand a third song. I am not sure that we could have complied.

But confidence was Keith's long suit. He immediately booked us to sing a birthday party. I don't know about Keith, but I have been performing with remarkable irregularity ever since.

The first booking I remember getting any money for was also a birthday party. It was during my senior year in high school. I was part of a short-lived trio at the time which contracted to do about a forty-five minute show. I have only a vague recollection of singing songs like "Bamboo", "The Water is Wide", and "You Can Hear It If You Try". We split the fee three ways and earned seven bucks apiece!

Subject: RE: Your First Time. Be Honest.
From: Roger in Baltimore
Date: 24 May 99 - 03:13 PM

George,

Could "Piddlin' Pete" be the same story as "Piss Pot Pete"? If so, I've forgotten all but the title. Do you remember?

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: RE: Your First Time. Be Honest.
From: Vixen
Date: 24 May 99 - 01:37 PM

Great thread idea! I have not one, not two, but three "firsts!" I'll keep the suspense down, and share them all!

My FIRST performance was at the age of four or five, in kindergarten. The assignment was to learn a new song, and then sing it for the class. By that time, I'm pretty certain I knew dozens of songs, because I would listen to the Seegers, and Joanie, and Joni, and PPM, and the Weavers, and the New Lost City Ramblers, etc. for hours on end. Besides, I have a guitar-playing aunt who liked me to sing along, and my dad plays harmonica, and I'd sing with him too. OK, so I go home choose a song that is the most exciting song I know, and bring that into class on the appointed day. I remember practicing it several times, so I wouldn't get the verses confused. It has a lot of verses.

I then went into kindergarten and delivered my most rousing and energetic performance of...Frankie and Johnny.

The kindergarten teacher managed to shut me up, though that part is rather confused in my memory. She also had a conference with my mother, which as I recall, resulted in my Mom sticking up for me, since the assignment hadn't been clear, nor sent to the parents. My dad still relates this story with great glee.

My first musical performance after the kindergarten experience was thirty-some-odd years later in March 97, at an open mic, for which I prepared Leaving on a Jet Plane and Long Black Veil. I lost my nerve in the middle of Jet Plane, and stopped. The audience (bless them forever, Lord) yelled at me to finish.

My first PAID performance was a weekly gig Tim and I are still playing, doing a music hour for mentally retarded people. It barely pays our gas money to get to it, but it's a lot of fun. We've gotten to know the clients, and their favorite songs, and we have a good time giving other people a good time!

Thanks for letting me share it!!!!

V

Subject: RE: Your First Time. Be Honest.
From: DougR
Date: 24 May 99 - 01:31 PM

I was about six years old when I performed publicly for the first time, in 1936. There was a singing competition for kids at the Central Texas Fair in my hometown. I sang, "Let Me call You Sweetheart," and I won second place, but I was hooked. Later I sang at a lot of weddings and it was at one of those that I had my most embarrassing experiences. The ceremony was scheduled for a country church a few miles out of town. I had arranged to meet the accompanist an hour ahead of the ceremony in order to rehearse the song I was to sing, "The Lord's Prayer." I arrived, met the accompanist, and we entered the church. I placed the music on the organ and the accompanist said, "Oh, I don't read music!" We stumbled through it but it was tough.

DougR

Subject: RE: Your First Time. Be Honest.
From: Art Thieme
Date: 24 May 99 - 01:30 PM

As David Wilcox said in his fine song "SEX AND MUSIC",

At first you say you'll do it for love,

But then you do it with friends,
but as soon as you do it for money,
Right there's where the innocence ends.

And why do you want them to love you,
What change are you trying to bring?
Do you lust after just their attention;
Do you want them to come when you sing?

Art

Subject: RE: Your First Time. Be Honest.
From: MMario
Date: 24 May 99 - 11:30 AM

hmmm, well you can't really count the solo I did after my sister's wedding, lying flat on my back on the boardwalk in the moonlight, even though it DID get a three car "honk".... So I guess my first time was at the Georgia Ren-faire where the "innkeeper" always asked "Is there anyone here with a song to be sung, a tale to be told, or a toast to be toasted? In three day s of watching, I had never seen him choose anyone except someone with a toast. Though I had had a few cream ales, I felt safe enough when I shouted out "I've a song and a story!" Dang if he didn't turn around and say "Well stand up and do them!" With about 200 people watching ans several videpo cameras cranking, I figured performing would be less embarassing then backing out.... so I did a song I KNEW no-one else knew, with the story that went with it. That way, no one could tell if I flubbed it!

MMario

Subject: RE: Your First Time. Be Honest.
From: Peter T.
Date: 24 May 99 - 11:17 AM

New thread, George. Come on. Some of us have never heard of P.P. whatever that is.
Yours, Peter T>

Subject: RE: Your First Time. Be Honest.
From: George Henderson
Date: 24 May 99 - 11:09 AM

I started in The Seven Stars Pub at Ponteland Folk Club in 1967, near Newcastle upon Tyne in England, when the resident band was called to do a TV show and the regulars had to keep the night going. I was so nervous the stage, which was an old door on top of beer crates rattled and nearly drowned me out.

I couldn't sing - I did a monologue - Piddlin Pete, which I'm sure you all know.

It brought the house down and I did Piddlin Pete weekly for about 6 months.

Then I got the courage to start a song and I haven't stopped since.

George

Subject: RE: Your First Time. Be Honest.
From: Roger in Baltimore
Date: 24 May 99 - 02:22 AM

Can't resist.

My first solo experience was in my Junior year in High School. I had been learning basic guitar for about two years and singing with others at parties. (It was the 60's and everybody sang folk music at parties).

I was practicing in my bedroom and realized that I was not completing my French homework assignment to write something creative in French. So I wrote my first song. I haven't maintained my High School French.

Well, my French teacher asked if it was truly a song and I said yes. She asked me to sing it. I did it for my class which still felt like playing for friends. Then she asked me to sing it for the French Assembly. Well, I mark that as my first public performance. Surprisingly it was disaster free.

I played a nylon string Gibson in those days. I mistakenly sold it to my sister after I bought a Martin D-28. Years later, I bought it back from her and gave it to my then wife as a Christmas present. I lost the wife and the guitar in one fell swoop. Sure wish I had her back, the guitar that is.

Here's what I remember.

Il y a une ville en France. Paris, Paris, Paris. Ou toute le monde aime danse. Paris, Paris, Paris

CHO: Paris est la ville, ou toute le monde aime allez.(3) Paris est la ville.

La toure Eiffel vous regardez, Paris, Paris, Paris. Vous mangez dans les cafes. A Paris, Paris, Paris.

Quand je suis tres vielle. Paris, Paris, Paris. Il faut que je vais alliez a. Paris, Paris, Paris

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: RE: Your First Time. Be Honest.
From: Mark Roffe
Date: 24 May 99 - 02:17 AM

Oh, wow - first time in front of an audience was in high school days, in 1963 or 1964. Our band was "The Sandy Rock Singers" which consisted of Lee, Mark, Larry and Stitch. Lee and Larry were the twin sons of the guy who did the Nestles commercials with his puppet "Farfel" (remember N-E-S-T-L-E-S, Nestles makes the very best...chocolate)?, I was Mark, and Stitch was this great relaxed, kind of roundish banjo player who looked like a grownup balding man even though he was around 15.
Our debut was at a Long Beach, Long Island NY "beach club," which is a seaside country club. We followed a very tight rock 'n roll band (whose musicians were a bit older and much more experienced than we were) in the outdoor dance pavillion. The teenage audience was really worked up from dancing rock 'n' roll. Suddenly "The Sandy Rock Singers" were announced...we went onstage with our acoustic instruments. As soon as we started playing, the kids in the audience were disappointed that the electric stuff had ended, and they started drifting out. We began playing, and then more drifted out (we weren't too great yet). But a handful remained, and dead center was this gorgeous, svelte 16-year old godess, red hair down to her waist, bikini...starting up at....ME!!! She was positively idolizing me, the guy with the guitar on the stage singing "Take a Stick of Bamboo," "Mighty Day (Seawall in Galveston)," and other Kingston Trio and PPM type folk hits. We may have lost the war, but who gave a damn with the gorgeous Barbara T. transformed into my groupie???

Mark

Subject: RE: Your First Time. Be Honest.
From: SeanM
Date: 24 May 99 - 01:16 AM

My FIRST first time isn't that interesting... my first pro gig was fun though. We were at the recent International Gold Panning Competition in sunny Coloma California. We'd had a member sick for a couple of weeks before the gig, so our recent rehearsals were spotty at best, and with half the group living in Northern California and the other half 500 miles south, there weren't as many as we could have had to begin with.

In any case, we arrived for check in (substantially late... traffic in San Francisco was extraordinarily ugly) to discover that the Czechoslovakian (sp?) contingent had taken over the pavilion we'd been directed to. Seems that they were holding a pancake dinner. After a couple of hours, we finally got checked in and were directed to the camp we were staying at.

Well, the next morning we arrived for our show. With about 4 hours sleep split between 5 people, we were looking and feeling our absolute best. After discovering our names spelt wrong on the schedule, and our introduction getting a bit... off, we were already a bit intimidated. We took the stage, and gave one of the most mediocre dress rehearsals possible. Voices freezing, missed notes, bizzare tempo changes, the works.

Fortunately, there were only about 3 people in the audience to begin with, and they didn't speak English.

We're much better now... Honest!

M

Subject: RE: Your First Time. Be Honest.
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 24 May 99 - 01:10 AM

At a fraternity party in 1968 (yes I'm old) I was drinking beer and chasing girls with my friends. Several guys had brought along and set up guitars, a drum kit, microphones, a Farfisa organ and they were attempting some Turtles, Beatles, Stones etc, and everyone was dancing. I heard the guitar player ask the organist if he knew Poor Side of Town and saw the organist, who was doing the vocals shake his head no. I put my beer down and volunteered.

A funny thing happened. People were dancing. Some of the loudest drunks stopped to listen. A Norwegian exchange student named Barret, whom every guy had been chasing all night, came up and stood right in front of me smiling and swaying with the music. We finished the song and she says"I would like to be your valentine." One of the high points of my life, actually. One week later we were booking gigs as a band. I haven't stopped loving to perform since.

LEJ(now a one-woman man)

Subject: RE: Your First Time. Be Honest.
From: Mudjack
Date: 24 May 99 - 01:04 AM

I didn't start playing guitar until I was thirty and about age thirty three went to an open mic The Starvation Cafe,in Fontana Calif. A great little venue for all kinds of music. Patrick who I become good friends with, was running the impromtu cafe and believed it was essential to have an open mic. I am forever grateful for him and The Starvation Cafe, it was there I got my first center stage experience at playing and singing the "Moonshiner" song. My hands were shaking so bad I could'nt control my flat pick, I got dry mouth and swear I stopped breathing for the duration of the song. Patrick was an encouragement in explaining everyone goes through the first fright thing. From there it was a matter of getting back up there time and time again and building a confidence level. Scared breathless is what I remember most.
Mj

Subject: RE: Your First Time. Be Honest.
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 May 99 - 01:03 AM

Cute, Rick, so far eveybody's been "clean", so I guess I'll stick with the trend:-) Sorry to disappoint anyone! Did get 'em all in here, though, didn't ya? Hehehe

Really, honest to goodness, first time, was I think as concert mistress in grade school, about 11 yrs. old, I think I had a solo on the violin of Silent Night; then that same year, the quartet I was first chair in played the same song LIVE on the one and only television station in Western Colorado! I think I was too young and too busy being a bossy leader (teacher's pet) of the other players to be too nervous. The nervousness came many yrs. later when my brother and I performed a piano/violin arrangement of Ave Maria at a Unity church in Grand Junction, Colo. I shook so much, from my knees on up it sounded as though I was playing vibrato the whole time!

Now, I love to get up and perform, just don't do it very often. Get really flushed and hot, initially, then calm right down. It's just (imagine Carly Simon singing here) Anticipation!

Thanks, Rick, this is gonna be a fun one!

Love ya,

kat

Subject: RE: Your First Time. Be Honest.
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 24 May 99 - 12:50 AM

Nancy. You just brought back a memory. My late Mum made her debut in 1930 playing her accordion in front of a large orchestra. It was, I believe she said at the Royal York Hotel here in Toronto. Very ritzy. Some kind of inaugural ball or something. She had given the band her sheet music to the song "Tiger Rag" which has three parts. Apparently through nervousness she started with the third part - "hold that tiger..Hold that tiger etc." The band, who probably would not have known a jazz song to save their lives, played the first part! She said it was a DISASTER!

Subject: RE: Your First Time. Be Honest.
From: Frank of Toledo
Date: 24 May 99 - 12:49 AM

I had a Silvertone guitar with Black Diamond strings and 2 45's of Hank Snow. I would stand in front of the Bluebird Island for hours and hours and hours till my dad would just scream with agony over my bad notes. But when my Dad took me to Wheeling , West Virginia and the weekend Hayloft Jamboree with Wilma Lee and Stony Cooper I knew that music was going to be my life. And then it happened...I heard Woody and Cisco and Pete and I was hooked forever on Folk Music...Wow that feels so good to talk about it and remember the joy of singing along with Hank and it makes it all worth the doin'. Thanks Rick, for the opportunity to relive the old days in my mind..........The first song I sang in public was Hank William's "Ramblin' Man".. I could settle down and be doin' just fine....Til I heard a train comin' down the line.....and on and on and on.............

Subject: RE: Your First Time. Be Honest.
From: okscout
Date: 24 May 99 - 12:08 AM

I've always been primarily an instrumentalist. The first time I played "alone" was actually as an accompanist for my brother and his tuba. We played a piece called Beelzebub at a talent night at music camp. I began too fast, he tried valiantly to meet my tempo, but realized that it would be impossible. He stopped and made jokes at my expense, turning our performance into a comedy monologue. We eventually finished the piece, but not before I conquered my embarrassment. What a hard way to break into show business.

Nancy

Subject: Your First Time. Be Honest.
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 23 May 99 - 11:40 PM

Someone asked me a couple of nights ago if I remembered the first time I sung in front of people and what that first song was. They also wanted to know "was I nervous?"
This young lady was about 14 and is just finding her singing voice as a communication tool to use on the long road that lies ahead.
I'll never forget that experience many years ago. 'Twas in the high school gym, and I sang "The Ballad of Springhill", a pretty tame version of "Seven Nights Drunk", and "The Sinking of the Reuben James". Nervous? Not a bit. It was the "real world" that made me nervous. You know, those songs still hold up today. Learned 'em off records by Ewan and Peggy, Kingston Trio, and The Weavers.
I know for some, this means goin' back a ways, but if you can, I'd love to know.

rick