Friday, August 15, 2014

Grandmother Willow and broken guitar strings

WE HAD A lot of fun last night for the KHQA Mountain Dew Days of Summer event in Washington Park. Avenue Beat and Madd Hoss Jackson performed before a really good crowd, and the evening was capped by watching a movie in the park.

I love the Avenue Beat girls. I mean, other than the fact they are 16, write their own songs, sing like angels, play their own instruments and have great parents, what else do they have going for them?

For some reason they like it when I play with them. They have nicknamed me "Grandmother Willow," apparently from a Disney movie. Maybe it's because I have a lot of wrinkles, too. Sheryl says it's probably because when I don't shave, my face is like tree bark.

Nice guitar, Grandmother Willow. (Photo courtesy Mike Sorenson, Bad Wolf Media)
Last night I jumped up on the Washington Park Gazebo to play a few songs. During "Fat Bottom Girls" (yup, another reason to love them), I broke not one, but two, guitar strings.

I am not much of a guitar player but I am good at breaking strings. The main thing was that the girls didn't get flustered. In fact, they laughed at my expense. And they finished the song with vocals, sans guitar.

It's all part of the learning process. They get better and better every time they play. I'm like a proud grandmother, or something.

Of course when we got done, a gal requested she get her picture taken with them, and I had to scold them to stop wrapping up cords and putting away guitars to get down there and HANG WITH THE PEOPLE. Live and learn, right?

By the way, Mike Sorenson of Bad Wolf Media took some tremendous photos. And yes, that's me, playing Savana's beautiful black Takamine guitar.

My four-string guitar is behind us on the stage.

1 comment:

  1. Rodney, you have been such a blessing to these girls. If you are their grandmother, does that make me your daughter? No, mother, I will not throw away my sandals. Thanks for all you and Sheryl do! By the way, this is Lisa not Sami.

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