Kids and music: I am a rich man!

Subject: Kids and music: I am a rich man!
From: Blues=Life
Date: 15 Jun 02 - 11:24 PM

I'm just in such a good mood tonight, I had to share it. My oldest son is out chasing around with a buddy tonight, but my two youngest yard-apes spent the evening with dear old Dad and a couple of guitars. My 10 year old son Jon learned a D and an A7 chord on the little 3/4 size Yamaha I bought for them to mess with last year, and my 8 year old daughter Emily sang "for real" for the first time with me tonight. (It looks like I should count my self lucky that she takes after her mother in both beauty and voice. I don't think she'd like to go through life with my gravelly bass, let alone this nose!) They just couldn't get enough of the chorus of John Prine's "Paradise", and we sang it over and over, with Jon playing along where he could. Great musicianship? Nah! Great music? You bet your life!

Perhaps best of all, Jon said "Dad, I want to learn to really play guitar," and Emily said, "Dad, let's do this again.

To quote the good Mr. Prine, we just a made a memory that, years from now, will be "often remembered, so many times that my memories are worn."

I may not have much money, but I am a very rich man.

Blues

Subject: RE: BS: Kids and music: I am a rich man!
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Jun 02 - 12:11 AM

And so you are. Wish I'd been there, sitting in the corner taking it all in. We'd all be enriched if we just had a few more moments like that.

Subject: RE: BS: Kids and music: I am a rich man!
From: Celtic Soul
Date: 16 Jun 02 - 12:32 AM

Take that BS outta the title line! :D

That is a wonderful story, and very much at the heart of folk music. Wow, now *that's* family bonding. Kudos to you for passing it on to the next generation.

Subject: RE: Kids and music: I am a rich man!
From: Mr Red
Date: 16 Jun 02 - 04:32 AM

The beauty is that they want to play. As Yehudi menuin said, all the teaching in the world is meaningless, the wish, the enjoyment has to be there - everything else will follow.
How I wish I had followed my Grandmother's wish to play the violin. She sorta killed it by claiming they were Stradavarius. Experts told us they were victorian copies and that such copies were common enough for the 1850's (or what ever decade he said).
But would I still be a folkie after learning violin?
I would like to think so but I dunno.

Subject: RE: Kids and music: I am a rich man!
From: fat B****rd
Date: 16 Jun 02 - 04:35 AM

Great thread !! It makes me feel good for you and a trifle regretful for myself.

Subject: RE: Kids and music: I am a rich man!
From: CarolC
Date: 16 Jun 02 - 05:13 AM

Guest, Date: 16-Jun-02 - 12:11 AM, I think maybe you're the ghost of my late friend LR Mole. That's exactly what he would have said, and how he would have said it.

Subject: RE: Kids and music: I am a rich man!
From: Blues=Life
Date: 16 Jun 02 - 08:11 AM

I was talking to my brother-in-law in California late last night, and telling him about our "jam" session. He summed it up nicely when he said, "You couldn't ask for a better Father's Day gift, now could you?"

No, I couldn't, anything else will be anti-climatic.

Blues

Subject: RE: Kids and music: I am a rich man!
From: DonMeixner
Date: 16 Jun 02 - 09:02 AM

Hi Blues,

I am recalled of the time when twin sons sat in the back of the car and sang The Rattlin' Bog as if they where the Everly Brothers. Eleven year olds in perfect vocal harmony as I drove, almost in tears, stunned by the beautiful voices I had helped raise. And I hope inspired to a smal degree.

Now , eight years later one is a vocalist and one is a guitarist. I listen to Greg play guitar and I hear myself before some injuries limited my abilities. I listen to Geof and hear a strong voice with range and potential that only time and experience can season.

I have no doubt that we are both rich men in the same coin.

Don

Subject: RE: Kids and music: I am a rich man!
From: Celtic Soul
Date: 16 Jun 02 - 10:53 AM

Mr. Red, but don't you think that many times, kids see their parents passion, and that is what sparks a bit of theirs?

And violin *not* a folk instrument? Egads!

Subject: RE: Kids and music: I am a rich man!
From: Amos
Date: 16 Jun 02 - 05:43 PM

Thanks, Blues -- what a moment of joy worth the sharing. It really goes to show what the difference is between the dusty facts of songs and the fire and light which comes from their singing.

Thanks again.

And again, man.

A

Subject: RE: Kids and music: I am a rich man!
From: Mrrzy
Date: 17 Jun 02 - 03:27 PM

A violin may not be a folk instrument, but a fiddle is!

Subject: RE: Kids and music: I am a rich man!
From: PeteBoom
Date: 17 Jun 02 - 04:04 PM

Congratulations! Breakthrough!

Had a similar event with three of the grandchildren a couple of weeks ago.

Much happiness to you!

Pete

Subject: RE: Kids and music: I am a rich man!
From: DancingMom
Date: 17 Jun 02 - 11:27 PM

Yes, to have a passion, and to be able to pass it down to your kids. My four all play different instruments (clarinet, trumpet, saxophone, harmonica) but when I sit down with my guitar they all gather around beside me to sing. Life IS sweet. Sharon

Subject: RE: Kids and music: I am a rich man!
From: Lynn
Date: 18 Jun 02 - 09:53 AM

Blues - You are indeed blessed, not only by your time with your kids, but by the ability to recognize its preciousness.

Lynn (a dad, equally as blessed)

Subject: RE: Kids and music: I am a rich man!
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Jun 02 - 10:37 AM

Been there, Done that with my 5 year old Grandaughter. These are times to treasure. Jeep

Subject: RE: Kids and music: I am a rich man!
From: Socorro
Date: 18 Jun 02 - 03:43 PM

You brought a tear to my eye. I sat my grand-dtr in my lap while i played piano, when she was about 2 months old, and now (she'll be going into kindergarten in Aug) we do a duet of "Twinkle,Twinkle", whenever i can get her attention. I don't see them as often as I'd like, but i did manage to get them an OLD beatup piano, which the local highschool gave away. Now they can bang on it without anyone chiding them (until they get TOO LOUD), and i can play it when i'm over there. It quiets them down, and sometimes they'll sing or dance.

It's sort of a wild household. I'd give anything for a longer time to play music with them, as you describe - but they're only 4 and 2, so I may just be too impatient!!

Great thread.

Subject: RE: Kids and music: I am a rich man!
From: Blues=Life
Date: 24 Aug 02 - 11:23 PM

Ah, the music in this house just keeps growing. Oldest son was talking about quitting the cornet, til we were out in Iowa this summer during the Bix Biederbeck Jazz Fest. Bix and his family went to my home church, and they put on a jazz litergy every year. The cornet player they had was amazing, and got Daniel fired up. He even was kind enough to speak with Daniel in between services about sticking to it, and playing because you love it. So, along comes first week of Jr. Hi, and his band teacher has him excited once more. (Thank God for teachers with passion!)

Plus, on the 4th of July, I was playing at a party/Jam session with some amazing musicians, and afterwards, all the kids were fired up about learning more guitar.

And finally, number 2 son starts piano lessons next week.

Lottery? Lottery? We don'tneed no stinkin' lottery. I still am a very rich man.

Peace to all,

Blues

Subject: RE: Kids and music: I am a rich man!
From: Blues=Life
Date: 24 Aug 02 - 11:29 PM

Upon reading the above post, I spotted an ambiguous line that I just can't leave alone.

"Bix and his family went to my home church, and they put on a jazz litergy every year."

Even though the motto of the Bix Fest is "Bix Lives", neither Bix nor the members of his family still inhabit this particular plane of existence. The "they" in the above sentence refers to the church, not the family.

I know, you may not care. But stuff like that just bugs me.

(Laughing at myself)

Blues

Subject: RE: Kids and music: I am a rich man!
From: Genie
Date: 24 Aug 02 - 11:42 PM

So glad to hear these stories, Blues (and others). I don't have kids myself, but among my favorite recent family memories are a couple of times my sister and I got a jam session going with her teen-age daughter (and once with my brother's 20-something-year-old son, as well). My niece plays piano and (electric) guitar, my sister plays piano and acoustic guitar, I play acoustic guitar, and we all sing. My niece has, for a few years, been at that stage where she doesn't have a lot to say to grown-ups (especially mothers and aunts), and, of course, the kids have their own music specifically chosen not to appeal to most adults. But when we occasionally all "get on the same page of music," it's a real joy!

May your riches continue unabated.

Genie

Subject: RE: Kids and music: I am a rich man!
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 25 Aug 02 - 01:35 AM

This is a very encouraging thread, thank you for sharing and caring...

BTW.... who is the good Mr. Prine?

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Kids and music: I am a rich man!
From: smallpiper
Date: 25 Aug 02 - 07:02 AM

You are all very rich people and long may you prosper

Subject: RE: Kids and music: I am a rich man!
From: Ferrara
Date: 25 Aug 02 - 09:58 AM

blues, you are indeed a wealthy man. What a lovely story.

When I was expecting my son (now 20), he would kick me every time I played my guitar. Throughout his childhood and early teens, the word from him was that he hated folk music. It was for seniors.

Then -- Lo and behold! -- His friends discovered the Renaissance Festivals and the Pyrates Royale. (Celtic, are you paying attention?)

Darriel discovered that teenagers COULD relate to folk songs; moreover, he had been absorbing tunes and choruses all those years we dragged him to Open Sings and Getaways.

He's now on the Board of the Folklore Society, he's a regular at shantey sings at the Royal Mile Pub and co-led a pub sing at the Getaway last year with Mudcat's own Jeri.

I would have loved beyond words to have him enjoy making music with Bill and me and our friends while he was growing up, but the most important thing from a parent's point of view is that music has now become a rewarding part of his life. It adds so much.

Subject: RE: Kids and music: I am a rich man!
From: alanabit
Date: 25 Aug 02 - 11:05 AM

I played music for my living for a long time and really just about survived. The great things about it though were the travel and the way it enabled me to make friends easily. I hope my children get into to it too - although you can't force these things. I was amazed a couple of years back, when they were four and one year old. I put on a CD of Mississippi John Hurt and they immediately began dancing. I was able to pass on "Go to sleep my baby" which I had heard my mother singing to my younger sisters. (This song was the subject of a recent thread). My mother never met my children and my father only met my daughter once. However, it is comforting to think that Merle has had something passed on from her grandmother. Of course, you are quite right Blues=Life. Children and music are real wealth... but I won't mind if my lottery numbers come up all the same...

Subject: RE: Kids and music: I am a rich man!
From: Blues=Life
Date: 26 Aug 02 - 08:50 AM

Gargoyle, The good Mr. Prine is John Prine, writer of the song Paradise, where the line "often remembered, so many times that my memories are worn" came from, and which I was singing with my kids. In my humble opinion, John Prine is one of the greatest songwriters America has ever produced. For more info, check out: www.jpshrine.org

Alanabit, OK, I admit it, I'm not going to throw away a winning lottery ticket, either. So little time, so many great guitars.

Blues