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Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | Just a question. Do any of you fellow Ovationists find yourselves playing a favorite guitar and singing old songs late at night? I have a song book with "1000 Favorite Songs" 2 books really, one with words and one with the music to the songs (all in C for simplicity). I find myself playing and singing songs like "Little Joe the Wrangler" "Navaho Trail" etc.
Then I have a songbook that I have scribed with my favorites, " Till I Can Gain Control Again", many Christofferson songs, "One More Ride" a Hank Snow, Sons of the Pioneers song, and a few Willie Nelson songs. The point is, I am enjoying this much more than playing in a bar because my dogs enjoy it and I feel much more freedom than I do in a band. Have I slipped into a loser's copout, or is this abnormal?
Bailey |
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Joined:
July 2002
Posts: 150
Location: Minneapolis, MN | Bailey,
I've noticed that as I've gravitated to my nylon string Ovation, I play exclusively for those whom reside in my house- namely me, my lovely wife of 6 1/2 years, my two greyhounds and three cats. That's all the audience I need :D I just pray that all of them stick around long to see if I can improve! Take care and Godspeed on your recovery-
-Rich |
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Joined:
January 2003
Posts: 63
Location: Virginia | Bailey,
If you are sight reading and finger picking note for note, I can see the music book. But if you are just playing chords and you have them all in "C" why do you need the book? I would dare to say that all you really need is a list. Just my thoughts, don't mean nothin'.
bd :D |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | late at night ? I thought it was early in the morning.... |
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Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | BD and Al
I need the book for the words, what's bad about it is I already know almost 3/4ths of the songs in the book, I dont need the music. Some of the older ones were on my aunt's wind up Victrola that us kid's used to play with on her porch as the adults listened to radio in the house in the 40's. She had old Gene Autry records and various prewar country artists, songs like Tweedle O Twill, Roly Poly, cowboy songs etc. Also we had a player piano with boxes of 30's and 40's piano rolls, songs like O Sole a Mio, Memories, Darling Nellie Gray, Old Folks at Home, etc., Then in the 50's, my brother & I were learning all of Hank Snow and Hank Williams and Ernest Tubb plus many polkas of Frankie Yankovich (a Cleveland Band) and waltzes that we played at dances (we had a 120 bass accordian that my brother played quite well)So out of these 1000 songs I DON'T NEED NO STEENKING MUSIC.
If you think about it, many of you probably know at least 500 songs that have crept into your mind over the years.
Also, it's not quite as early in the AM here in NM as it is in NJ.
This post is a bit of what they call rationalizing, I had announced that I wanted to quit playing in the band about a month before my accident. The accident clinched it, and my son showed up with a demo CD without me on it (IMHO it would sound better with my mandolin but who am I to Judge).
Bailey |
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Joined:
December 2002
Posts: 939
Location: Fort Worth, Texas | Hey Bailey, that's great that you know all those old songs. Hank Williams, Ernest Tubb is about as far back as I can go. The youngest member in our band (38!) has ribbed me for never wanting to do songs written in the last two decades...
I'd love to learn some of those really old songs, it's hard for me to pick them up without having heard any of them. I was at a clearance sale at Mr. E's music and they had these song books from the 40's, 50's, etc.
(I bought Wilco's Being There songbook) |
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May 2002
Posts: 1026
Location: Back in the Valley of the Sun Mesa Az. | Hey Bailey!
Late night picking is good for the soul. I played in a small group when I was a kid back in the mid to late seventies. I enjoyed the bar scene back then. Heck,I was young,the girls were cute, and the drinks were free, and if you could make one set, you could fake the rest.
Buying my 1117 Legend this past summer rekindled a desire to pick up the guitar and get back to playing again. At first, my desire was to get in with some country/folk/ballad type band. I even got back together with my former partner in crime to reignite some of that lost magic. Well, the magic was still there with our harmonizing (like riding a bike isn't it),but the desire had completely left me.
Over the past few months, I have been doing just as you described, picking at home alone in the night. Sometimes waking at 2:00a.m.or so, and being inspired to write. Over these past few months,I have written more meaningful music, and have enjoyed playing, more than EVER before.
Peace,
Norse(Sounds more like a soul search than a cop-out Bailey. Godspeed.)man1 |
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Joined:
August 2002
Posts: 623
Location: Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey | I get my greatest inspirations and creative bursts late at night, say between 10-3am. If I didn't have to deal with getting up at 7am for the day job, I'd be quite the late night guitar picker! At 35, though, the body can't handle too many nights during the week at that hour! Still, it happens, and many of my best songs happen then.
I think the peaceful aspect of that time of night is a big contributor. The environment is quiet and great for focussing. Your repsonibilities are on hold...what else are you expected to be doing except sleeping at 2am! And the distractions are minimal (...till the neighbors call the police! ) The soul can shine when the right elements are in place-it's much like meditating. There are no expectations (an audience) and there is room for complete relaxing with the instrument.
-Johnny |
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March 2002
Posts: 15686
Location: SoCal | I've got small kids. If I'm up past 10:30 pm then it's with sick kids or dogs and a disaster! This grownup life can play hell with your guitar playing. |
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Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | You guys all make me feel good, I started my marriage going to college on the GI Bill at Kent State in Ohio. I was working at a 24 hr a day Chem factory and I traded off all my day shifts so I could go to school. When I moved to CA I ended up working shifts and in time became a confirmed night person where I seldom went to bed before 3 AM, and playing in bars fit that lifestyle. Working construction here in NM dented that habit as I had to be on work sites 50 miles away at 7:00 AM, when I retired I slipped back into my errant ways.
Paul W. this book I have was compiled by a guy here in NM who, it appears, made it his life's work. His name was Frank J. Wilson and he or helped by his friends typed the whole two books of 1000 songs, had them copied and bound and sold them at events where our bass player (a true musician as I have pointed out) got at least 2 of them, one of which he lent to me. the book with music gives the melody and chord changes for a verse and chorus, the word book has all the words. For a lover of old songs from the turn of the century up to the 70's it's the greatest thing I've ever seen. I think Mr. Wilson is deceased so I'm not sure it's available anymore. I am trying to avoid returning the book to our bass player and if he insists I'll try to buy it, I think he paid $40 for the set.
Up late as usual
Bailey |
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Joined:
October 2002
Posts: 125
Location: Dallas | Bailer - My favorite C&W from the 30's-40's is "Bill Boyd's Cowboy Ramblers". Ever heard them? More currently I like Don Walser "The Rolling Stone From Texas". I have some old recordings of Hank Williams' (senior) "Health & Happiness Hour" radio show. I really hate modern C&W, with just a few exceptions, like the Dixie Chicks.
Regards, KD |
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Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | KD
I agree with your assessment of modern country and don't listen to it at all. Don Walser is a good western style singer and at one time had a big youth following, Bill Boyd's Country Rambler's I'm not sure of, but they might have been part of the Hopalong Cassidy movies. I discovered the Hopalong Cassidy books when I was in high school and read every western book in the Conneaut OH high school library. Hopalong in the books was an ordinary cowboy with a limp from some misadventure, I think Bill Boyd played him in the movies in a ridiculous all black cowboy suit, and was very popular. I say ridiculous because Hopalong in the books was a regular cowboy with a limp (hence the sobriquet hopalong) in jeans and flannel shirt with a bandanna around his neck and a worn Stetson on his head. He was a cowboy with little money but a lot of character. Someday I'll talk about Justin O(ther) Smith, the "Paintin' Pistoleer", an itinerant cowboy in the vein of Russell and the Swede who's name I can't recall even though he painted some valuable paintings in the mining towns around Silver City NM for beer and food. The "Paintin' Pistoleer" always was misunderstood because of his artistic bent, drawing attention away from his crack shooting and ability to defend himself quite well when attacked. There was a whole series of books of his adventures in the late 40's, humourous in tone.
Dixie Chicks are real
Bailey |
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Picking late at night
