Your proudest moment as a musician

Subject: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Marion
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 05:58 PM

What musical accomplishment has made you the proudest?

For me: I once sang an original song, just once, to a friend. When I saw her again six months later she told me that the chorus had been running through her head. I was very proud to have written a song that could stick in someone's head six months after one hearing.

Marion

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Bert
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 06:01 PM

A little old lady was watching a performance of mine. She said to me after. "When I sat down, I was in great pain with my arthritis, but I laughed so much that all the pain has gone."

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Little Hawk
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 06:17 PM

Writing some original songs that were every bit as good as what I had hoped to write, I guess...

I am mostly just proud to be human, and very happy to be a musician.

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: MK
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 06:32 PM

Being accepted as a guitar player by my peers, as I've been doing this for a far shorter period of time, than as a keyboard player.

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: MAG (inactive)
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 06:46 PM

A $5 tip for a cappella "Song of the Seals" -- as a busker.

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: mousethief
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 07:08 PM

I was in a grocery store in Wilkeson, Washington (a tiny former coal-mining town near Mt. Rainier, where our church used to meet regularly until we built a new church down closer to civilization). I saw a couple of guys who were visitors at the service that morning, and introduced myself to them. One of them said, "Alex? Alex Riggle?"

I said yes.

He said, "Hey, you're the guy who wrote Existential Sheep, aren't you?"

I allowed that perhaps I was.

Turns out he was a former roommate of a former roommate of mine, who had a tape of some of my songs.

Vain peacock that I am, I was tickled pink.

Alex
O..O
=o=

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Matt_R
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 07:10 PM

Hasn't happen yet...

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Dharmabum
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 07:13 PM

First time my daughter joined me on stage.
2nd was when I joined her.

Ron.

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: kendall
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 07:14 PM

My proudest moment was when I received my very first copy of Lights Along The Shore, and knew I was now a member of the Folk Legacy Family. Appearing on NBC's TODAY SHOW was secondary, as was appearing on Charles Kuralt's On the Road. There is nothing to compare with being part of the Folk Legacy folks, and I am both proud and humble for it.

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: The Shambles
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 07:43 PM

I remember being very proud when someone considered me good enough to ask me if I could teach them to play guitar.

And folks, that person was Richard Thompson and the rest is history.......

No I jest, it was one of my mates from school. He was however already a pretty good player but he played classical guitar and I thought he was good. To be asked by him was a great boost to my confidence.

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Bill D
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 08:14 PM

....looking up from singing and playing "Storms Are on the Ocean" on the autoharp and seeing Tom Paley expectantly waiting for a fiddle break...and giving him the nod, and having it WORK...just like the big boys...

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 08:18 PM

Switching on the Mudcat Radio by chance a few months back, and hearing Áine and her husband Layne singing a song of mine, and doing a damn good job of it too. (And if you've got Real Audio, here it is, if I've done the blue clicky thing right..)

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 08:20 PM

Well, I hadn't, but here's another go.

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Mooh
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 08:22 PM

A former band recorded, rather primitively, a cd of trad songs and tunes with two originals, one of which was mine. No big deal, I had the opinion that once it was recorded it was time to get on to the next project. However, I was completely blown away by the fact that at a festival several months later I could hear, from stage, some of the audience singing along to lyrics I wrote. Weird sensation, and I was proud. That band has evolved into something else and there hasn't been another recording, much less the will to make one. Oh well.

Mooh.

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Cap't Bob
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 08:40 PM

This happened a few years ago while substitute teaching for our local elementary music teacher. After a long day of teaching (one 20 minute lunch break during the entire day), I was on my way walking across the parking lot with my ukulele case, tenor banjo, brief case full of penny whistles, recorders, etc. One of the little boys (most likely from the 3rd or 4th grade) walked up to me and gave me a great BIG HUG. The kids just loved the folk music and the small instruments like the ukulele.

CAP'T BOB

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Benjamin
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 08:52 PM

Hasn't happened to me yet either. Give me some time!

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Matt_R
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 09:03 PM

Ok, maybe. Midchuck wanted to learn the tune I wrote for "The Plains of Emu".

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: P05139
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 09:12 PM

I've had three. The first one was when I was 12 and Keith Donelly dragged me up on stage at Crewe and Nantwich Folk Festival. I was only going to do one song but I ended up doing three. That was my first time using a mic.

The second was in April this year and my folk group, Fireboots, got asked to perform at Talent 2000, which was a charity concert for Selby District Nightstop.

The third was in May, when we (Fireboots) got asked to perform at the Year 11 Leaving Assembly on the last day before our GCSEs started. We finally managed to convert some of the year group, and we even had stage divers doing a bit of a jig while we were playing"Athol Highlanders". That was absolutely unbelievable!!!!!!!

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Escamillo
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 09:14 PM

Congratulations to McGrath, Áine and her husband for a lovely song. I liked it very much !

Un abrazo - Andrés

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Morticia
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 09:25 PM

I think it was when Micca came to one of our gigs and I nervously launched into Raglan Road, knowing it's a favourite of his. He told me, and I've never forgotten, that he had never heard it done better and anyone who knows my uncle would know he doesn't give out praise lightly, furthermore he's heard some of the greats over the years. It meant far more to me to be praised by my family than anyone else.

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Bill D
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 09:49 PM

...a lovely song, McGrath.....

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: JenEllen
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 09:50 PM

I sang "Farewell to Tarwaithe" to a pod of killer whales in the Haro Strait one night. The air was perfect for it. Not only did the whales hang around (we could hear them breathing) 'Someone' slapped their tail fin against the water several times when I'd finished. It's great when you are scared shitless and can still make a friend.

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: MMario
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 10:01 PM

it would have to be one of two moments...either when I sang an original song to a musician fiend and she refused to believe I had written it....

or watching my father struggle to hold back tears when I sang at my parents 50th anniversary party.

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Gypsy
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 10:21 PM

Having a recorded artist tell a friend how nice it was to hear me play. And that she was looking forward to hearing me again.

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Jimmy C
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 11:25 PM

I have had a few, the second time was when I was approached by Edith folk and asked to sing at her workshop at the Mariposa Festival. That made me feel real good.

The third was when a song that I wrote was recorded, didn't sell a lot but it was recorded, that made me feel real good.

The fourth time was when I was doing a set and the Dubliners came in to the pub, they were over in North America on tour. When I had finished, the great Barney McKenna looked up at me and said " Ok Brother" being a banjo player that made me feel real good.

But the very first time was when someone offered to pay me for playing the banjo and singing. That made me feel real, real, real good,!

The

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Jimmy C
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 11:29 PM

Sorry for the typo - but that should have been Edith Fowke,a great lady.

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 11:47 PM

A couple come to mind.

Having Sandy and Caroline Paton ask me to be a Folk-Legacy Artist. I was almost afraid to tell them that I bought my first Folk-Legacy albums when I was in grade 9! (didn't want to make them feel old! Ha Ha) What an honour (eh Kendall?)

Singing a Vietnamese song (in Vietnamese) to 3000 people at their new Year's celebration in Toronto. Enjoyed it tremendously although I was scared shitless! (needless to say I kept my political opinions to myself!)

Rick

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Naemanson
Date: 04 Nov 00 - 12:10 AM

There are many for me but the following three stand out.

The day I was invited to join Roll & Go.

The night I came off of the stage at a festival in Camden, Maine, and Ann Dodson laid her head on my shoulder and said, "I love to hear you sing!"

The time Gordon Bok complimented me on my performance at the Side Door Coffeehouse.

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Lyrical Lady
Date: 04 Nov 00 - 01:25 AM

My proudest moments have been when I've made someone cry through my interpretation

When Vancouver's finest musician Hughie Rudd complimented my performance

When 'Raffi' asked if he could sing back-up for Me!

and THE #1 proudest moment was performing with my 13 year old daughter ...

LL

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Ebbie
Date: 04 Nov 00 - 02:57 AM

I was thrilled when a bluegrass group asked me if they could include in their repertoire a song I wrote called (Gotta Get that Dust)'Off the Wall'. I'll never forget that first time I heard it performed.

Ebbie

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 04 Nov 00 - 03:15 AM

Singing a version of the 23rd psalm at a freind's funeral, from the gallery in church. The congregation were not expecting it, and mine were not the only wet eyes. Of course, I can never sing it again without I sing it for her.

Being asked where I got a song from and telling that it was mine is pretty good too, although the first time, it was because a chap wanted to tell me how trite and nasty it was. The second time was you lot. Guess which one makes me feel best!

LTS

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 04 Nov 00 - 09:44 AM

When I first sang a show for the folks at a local nursing home. A number of nice comments, but best of all was a couple of old ladies who seemed completely out of it, eyes unfocused, head hanging, brought up their heads and we clapping along, having a ball! I was walking around on cloud nine for several days!

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Allan C.
Date: 04 Nov 00 - 10:23 AM

When my daughter, Kelly, who was about twenty, invited some of her friends to the house and then asked me to play a few tunes for them - that was a great moment. It was especially so when she chose to sing along.

Farther back in my history was when three young women asked me if I would help them with a couple of songs for a talent contest. I was flattered that they thought I could be of help. I took on the project and created the arrangements, harmonies, etc.. They won. I was so proud of them that I took them to the Cellar Door's Sunday night hootnanny where they again did a fine job.

I am not too sure where to fit this in the list of proudest moments, but certainly one of my finer moments was on June 21st of this year when Bill and I appeared with many fine performers on the Mudcat Radio Show. What a night!

Perhaps another would have to be the moment that Max signed the Adventure guitar. It was just too cool!

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: JedMarum
Date: 04 Nov 00 - 10:36 AM

I don't know about proudest, but I can tell you about the most moving ... a couple of weeks ago in Oklahoma we were ending the Yukon Celtic Festival with a bit of an on-stage jam - among Eammons Kitchen and several of the players from the festival headliners. I was asked to play Look Ahead, Tommy, a song I wrote for my Dad. I was honored to be asked to play that song. As we played, it was sounding pretty good and I was again honored to see that all of the other musicians had learned the song. Then I wondered how my Dad would respond if he could have been there and heard his story sung from that stage, on that day. When we came to the chorus I was floored to see nearly the entire audience was singing along. It hit me all at once, and I choked on a word or two ... but got through it just fine, afterall.

It is true that a song has a life of its own, and I enjoyed the song as much as anyone listening - in those moments I was not the writer or even the performer, I was simply enjoying the song - but to see that many people all caught up in the story of my Dad and his family (which is similar to the stories of sooo many) was in deed an honor; for me it was a private tribute to the man. It was a gift.

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Greyeyes
Date: 04 Nov 00 - 01:59 PM

My local pub held an air raid shelter theme night a while ago and the landlord asked me to do a turn. It was a raucous night with a lot of community singing and I was unusually nervous as I got up to perform. I usually do comedy numbers at an event like that but because of the theme I sang Noel Coward's "London Pride" unacompanied. I think the crowd, most of whom knew me, sensed my nerves and were pindrop quiet. Several of the older people who had lived through the blitz were blinking back tears. Several people have told me that that song is their abiding memory of a cracking night. I don't really perform in public very often, so to get a reaction like that chuffed me.

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Bernard
Date: 04 Nov 00 - 02:11 PM

The day we found out that John, my piano student who, aged 19, but born with cerebral palsy, had passed his Grade One piano exam...

The doctors claimed he hadn't even sufficient co-ordination to play the piano one-fingered, but John's determination showed 'em all!!

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: WyoWoman
Date: 04 Nov 00 - 02:11 PM

Lovely moments described here, folks. Many goosebumps.

JenEllen -- that's one you'll never "get over." What a lovely thing. Jed -- I've seen a couple of my plays produced and it's simply amazing to be sitting there seeing something you sweated bullets over for months, being spoken (sung) from the mouths of others and not even noticing for a bit that it's YOUR stuff. And then thinking, "hey, this isn't all that bad ..." Makes all those sweated bullets worthwhile.

Greyeyes-- what a story. I'm not familiar with that song. I'll have to look it up.

My proudest moments come when I've finished a song I've lost myself in and the song is still lingering in the air and there's not a sound from the audience. And I know we all got to the same place at the same time, which is what I live for. Mmmm. Union. Concord.

And also, once when my son was 14 and experimenting with drums and I was singing with the Gonzo All-Star Garage Orchestra and doing picnics, parties and receptions for all our friends, Austin sat in on drums for some rock 'n' roll song I did. Looking back seeing that swell kid playing drums just about made my heart explode.

Seeing the look on my daughter's face once when I was performing. That much admiration beaming a mother's way from the face of a teenager can be life-altering.

ww

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Mrrzy
Date: 04 Nov 00 - 03:58 PM

I'm not a professional but... the other day walking with my twins and singing along with a song they'd learned in Kindergarten, meeting up with my X2B for custody transfer. He --who would normally rather DIE than say anything positive to around or about me-- looks at me and says Is your singing getting better? Now, I've been singing more since joining here, and have sung with several mudcatters and asked for, gotten and followed advice, but if I've gotten to the point where the prizest asshole in creation is moved to notice, maybe I'm not just hallucinating that I can sing, now!

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Greyeyes
Date: 04 Nov 00 - 04:04 PM

I haven't tried this before but here goes:

LONDON PRIDE
(Noel Coward)

(Chorus)
London pride has been handed down to us,
London pride is a flower that's free.
London pride means our own dear town to us,
And our pride it forever will be

Woa Liza, see the coster barrows,
Vegetable marrows with the fruit piled high.
Woa Liza, little London sparrow,
Covent Garden market where the costers cry.

Cockney feet mark the beat of history,
Every street pins a memory down,
Nothing ever could break or harm
The charm of London Town.

There's a little city flower, every spring unfailing,
Growing in the crevices by some London railing.
Though it has a Latin name in town and countryside,
We in England call it "London Pride".

(Chorus)

Hey lady, early in the morning,
See the policeman yawning on his lonely beat.
Gay lady, Mayfair in the morning,
Hear the footsteps echo on the empty street.

Early rain and the pavement glistening,
All Park Lane in a shimmering gown,
Nothing ever could quite replace
The grace of London Town.

In our city darkened now, street and square and crescent,
You can feel our living past in our shadowed present.
Ghosts beside our starlit Thames who lived and loved and died,
Keep throughout the ages London pride.

(Chorus)

Grey city, smokily enchanted,
Taken so for granted for a thousand years.
Stay, city, stubbornly implanted,
Cradle of our memories, our hopes and fears.


Every Blitz your resistance toughening,
From the Ritz to the Anchor and Crown
Nothing ever could override
The pride of London Town.

Standing on a London station one morning after a particularly bad blitz, Coward wrote "most of the glass in the roof had been blown out and there was dust in the air and the smell of burning. My train was late so I sat on a platform seat and watched the Londoners scurrying about in the thin sunshine. They seemed to be determined and wholly admirable and for a moment or two I was overwhelmed by a wave of sentimental pride. A song started then and there : I am proud of its words for they expressed what I felt at the time….."

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Ely
Date: 04 Nov 00 - 05:17 PM

1) When I finally got the the point where I could show up at a fiddle & mandolin gathering with a lap dulcimer and nobody would groan.

2) Any time we're out playing and the older guys who played for dances when square dancing was a bigger deal want to go get their instruments and join us. Once we had a mandolin, a banjo, and four guitars. Oh, well. They always look amazed and very happy to see twentysomethings playing string-band music.

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 04 Nov 00 - 05:49 PM

AS I recall, it had something to do with a F Chord on a guitar

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Mark Clark
Date: 04 Nov 00 - 05:50 PM

I guess I've had my share of proud moments but there is one that stands far above the rest. It's the day long ago when my middle-school aged daughter presented me with this poem she'd written for class. Her hand lettered copy still hangs on the wall.

      - Mark

The Guitarist
by Kate Clark

He plays and I listen
So intensly do I hear
The sounds of true happiness
Drowning my saddened mind

He makes me laugh
He helps me cry
Until my tears are dryed
Until my trouble has gone

I cry away the hurt
The hate and jealousy
I forget the anger and bitterness
With his one beautiful sound

I can laugh at all the good times
When he sings but one word
One note --- that's all it takes
And I'm happy

The music rolls on
And suddenly stops
A tunnel of emptiness
Grows in my soul

But the blue moon of Kentucky
Always shines through the silence
And the old, old house
Falls down in my mind

The happiness never leaves
It stays with me forever
The sadness comes back
But the music pushes it away

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: WyoWoman
Date: 04 Nov 00 - 05:55 PM

Ok. I'm crying. Between London Pride and the pride of Mark Clark, I am undone.

ww

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Greyeyes
Date: 04 Nov 00 - 05:57 PM

Mark Clark, what age group is middle-school? Those are amazing words. Almost make me regret not having children.

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Mark Clark
Date: 04 Nov 00 - 06:07 PM

Middle-school here in Iowa is the 6th through 8th grades (age 11-13). It turns out I was wrong about the time though. I just asked Jan and she thinks it was written when Kate was a high school freshman, age 14.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Greyeyes
Date: 04 Nov 00 - 06:07 PM

Wyo Woman - undone - best not to go there.

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Bagpuss
Date: 04 Nov 00 - 06:16 PM

My proudest moment was when my grandma asked me to play and sing the music for my granda's funeral.

Bagpuss

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Oversoul
Date: 04 Nov 00 - 07:27 PM

My proudest moment was when I did't resond to this thread.

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Oversoul
Date: 04 Nov 00 - 07:36 PM

...when I did not respond to this thread. oops!

Subject: RE: Your proudest moment as a musician
From: Greyeyes
Date: 04 Nov 00 - 07:41 PM

Don't worry, we got the point.