Today I saw a Guild make a grown man cry.

Jeff

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Hope I can put this down close to the way it happened.

Yesterday I jammed with a man, a much superior musician, resident in a local nursing home. Jerry's his name, real close to my age, maybe a year or two younger.

Jerry's required nursing care for some time now & he's sick enough it's not at all likely he's going home any time soon. I walked in to his room with my F20 & the D62 cased up and a package of strings for his guitar.

His eyes lit up when he saw the cases & he says, "Looks like there might be some real guitars in those cases." I just said, they're good enough for me, both play better'n I do. We talked a while, replaced the strings on his, guitar, God's honest Truth it's a First Act, Walmart, 29.95 special. It's all he's has, a gift & he's grateful to have it but it's horrible, you can't really tune it.

In deference to his roommate Jerry escorts me and the guitars up front to the little library off the main lobby. Nice room, comfortable furniture, peaceful place. We mess with the First act for about 1.5 minutes & I opened the F20. I show him what I've been doing with it & he picks on it a few minute & asks what is it because of the wierd high stringing. It's all cool & there is no doubt it's in a different league from his First Act guitar
but I can tell it isn't his thing.

I traded him the DV62 & after strummin it for a minute or two he asks, "You mind if I drop tune it" & I said "show me how it's done".
Minute & a half later Jerry breaks in to John Denver's Poems & Prayers & Promises, it fills the room & spills out into the hallway. The man has earned his living most of his life playing music & he's darned good. Amazing voice & nice flat picker.

About halfway to the chorus he chokes up & has to stop, turns the guitar face up & really looks at it for the first time. He's trying to hide it but there are tears in his eyes, & I'm fighting moisture issues of my own.

Some guitars have the magic & some don't. That big Guild has some.

Things recover, he picks a bit & I pick a bit & we pick a bit together for about 45 minutes & attract a little attention. Jerry's blood sugar goes loco again & he has to take a break. I tinkle along by myself for about 45 minutes & go outside for a little fresh air. Nursing homes are hotter than the devil. By now a couple of Wheelchair Minutemen have stationed themselve appropriately & assure me I need not worry about my guitars. Jerry makes it back & we go again for another 45 minutes till he runs out of gas.

Jerry knows a lot of John Denver & does them all well. Throw in my old folk songs, blues & fingerpicking rags & we had a good time. I got to play with a much better musician & Jerry had one of the better days he's had in a long while

A few more smiling faces as I walked out, the biggest one on my homely chin.

It was a good day & we're going to doing it again twice next week, but earlier in the day when he has a bit more endurance.

:D

Jeff
 

Jeff

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Hope I can put this down close to the way it happened.

Yesterday I jammed with a man, a much superior musician, resident in a local nursing home. Jerry's his name, real close to my age, maybe a year or two younger.

Jerry's required nursing care for some time now & he's sick enough it's not at all likely he's going home any time soon. I walked in to his room with my F20 & the D62 cased up and a package of strings for his guitar.

His eyes lit up when he saw the cases & he says, "Looks like there might be some real guitars in those cases." I just said, they're good enough for me, both play better'n I do. We talked a while, replaced the strings on his, guitar, God's honest Truth it's a First Act, Walmart, 29.95 special. It's all he's has, a gift & he's grateful to have it but it's horrible, you can't really tune it.

In deference to his roommate Jerry escorts me and the guitars up front to the little library off the main lobby. Nice room, comfortable furniture, peaceful place. We mess with the First act for about 1.5 minutes & I opened the F20. I show him what I've been doing with it & he picks on it a few minute & asks what is it because of the wierd high stringing. It's all cool & there is no doubt it's in a different league from his First Act guitar
but I can tell it isn't his thing.

I traded him the DV62 & after strummin it for a minute or two he asks, "You mind if I drop tune it" & I said "show me how it's done".
Minute & a half later Jerry breaks in to John Denver's Poems & Prayers & Promises, it fills the room & spills out into the hallway. The man has earned his living most of his life playing music & he's darned good. Amazing voice & nice flat picker.

About halfway to the chorus he chokes up & has to stop, turns the guitar face up & really looks at it for the first time. He's trying to hide it but there are tears in his eyes, & I'm fighting moisture issues of my own.

Some guitars have the magic & some don't. That big Guild has some.

Things recover, he picks a bit & I pick a bit & we pick a bit together for about 45 minutes & attract a little attention. Jerry's blood sugar goes loco again & he has to take a break. I tinkle along by myself for about 45 minutes & go outside for a little fresh air. Nursing homes are hotter than the devil. By now a couple of Wheelchair Minutemen have stationed themselve appropriately & assure me I need not worry about my guitars. Jerry makes it back & we go again for another 45 minutes till he runs out of gas.

Jerry knows a lot of John Denver & does them all well. Throw in my old folk songs, blues & fingerpicking rags & we had a good time. I got to play with a much better musician & Jerry had one of the better days he's had in a long while

A few more smiling faces as I walked out, the biggest one on my homely chin.

It was a good day & we're going to doing it again twice next week, but earlier in the day when he has a bit more endurance.

:D

Jeff
 

West R Lee

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Wow, I really am speachless Jeff. I get my turn at the Assisted Living Center on Sunday. You and Dred really inspire me. I was really nervous about it but not anymore.

You see, now I'm a professional. Tonight I got out all the gear, my acoustic amp and mike. I set it up in the living room. Just my wife and my sons at home. Many times while I play and sing, I close my eyes. At one point, I opened my eyes and there was a can in front of me with $.35. I did it....I played my first professional gig. The blonde later told me that she happened to be a gruppie too and she sure liked my music. I told her we'd make beautiful music together. 8) I'll leave the rest.

West
 

West R Lee

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Wow, I really am speachless Jeff. I get my turn at the Assisted Living Center on Sunday. You and Dred really inspire me. I was really nervous about it but not anymore.

You see, now I'm a professional. Tonight I got out all the gear, my acoustic amp and mike. I set it up in the living room. Just my wife and my sons at home. Many times while I play and sing, I close my eyes. At one point, I opened my eyes and there was a can in front of me with $.35. I did it....I played my first professional gig. The blonde later told me that she happened to be a gruppie too and she sure liked my music. I told her we'd make beautiful music together. 8) I'll leave the rest.

West
 

dklsplace

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Jeff....that is a truely moving story! Thank you for taking the time to spead a little sunshine in Jerry's life, & here at LTG as well.
 

dklsplace

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Jeff....that is a truely moving story! Thank you for taking the time to spead a little sunshine in Jerry's life, & here at LTG as well.
 

Jeff

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Thank you for taking the time to spead a little sunshine

Don

It was a collective effort, I had a little help from a few of my friends here at the site & my lady pestering me to come in.

I might not have been there if not for some of the conversations taking place here over the last several months.

8)

Gday mates

Jeff
 

Jeff

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Thank you for taking the time to spead a little sunshine

Don

It was a collective effort, I had a little help from a few of my friends here at the site & my lady pestering me to come in.

I might not have been there if not for some of the conversations taking place here over the last several months.

8)

Gday mates

Jeff
 

West R Lee

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Boy that's a fact. Dred and some of the guys here have really lit a fire under me. Great stuff Jeff.

West
 

West R Lee

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Boy that's a fact. Dred and some of the guys here have really lit a fire under me. Great stuff Jeff.

West
 

coastie99

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Hey Jeff, well done mate.

Love reading stories like that - seems to me that stuff like that is the true essence of "christianity". Bringing cheer to the unfortunate.
 

coastie99

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Hey Jeff, well done mate.

Love reading stories like that - seems to me that stuff like that is the true essence of "christianity". Bringing cheer to the unfortunate.
 

GardMan

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Jeff,
A moving story. Brought tears to my eyes just reading it. Thanks for sharing.

Listening to you guys may get me motivated... lately, my only "public" performances are for my 5 year old's kindergarten class (rewarding is an similar, but different way) and anyone who happens by on the street when the front door is open.

I don't play much in public. But for for years (starting when I was 10), I had to give "command" performances for my grandmother, whenever I saw her. Grandma was born in Sweden, and played guitar as a young girl. When I started learning to play, we also bought her a cheap guitar, and she would play and sing in Swedish. However, like any teenage kid, having to play for Grandma wasn't my thing...

I started singing when I was in high school... in college, I learned a bunch of Pete Seeger/Arlo Guthrie tunes... some of which were a bit raunchy, and not exactly appropriate for polite company... I figured that I would play/sing a couple to Grandma, and that might put an end to my required performances. One in particular, titled "Old age is golden," had a chorus that goes:

How do I know my youth is all spent
My get up and go has got up and went?
In spite of it all I'm able to grin...
And think of the places my get-up has been...

I figured that would be the end of it. Was I wrong! She loved that song! I played/sang her that tune every time I saw her, right up to the last time, before she passed away, at the age of 93. I'm not sure she heard me the last time, as her hearing was mostly gone, but I rememeber the way her eyes lit up when I got out my old D35 and started in. My family still calls that song "Grandma's song."

My 5 yr old daughter's class does visit/sing in a nursing home a couple times a year... maybe I'll have to ask if I can tag along to accompany them.
Dave
 

GardMan

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Jeff,
A moving story. Brought tears to my eyes just reading it. Thanks for sharing.

Listening to you guys may get me motivated... lately, my only "public" performances are for my 5 year old's kindergarten class (rewarding is an similar, but different way) and anyone who happens by on the street when the front door is open.

I don't play much in public. But for for years (starting when I was 10), I had to give "command" performances for my grandmother, whenever I saw her. Grandma was born in Sweden, and played guitar as a young girl. When I started learning to play, we also bought her a cheap guitar, and she would play and sing in Swedish. However, like any teenage kid, having to play for Grandma wasn't my thing...

I started singing when I was in high school... in college, I learned a bunch of Pete Seeger/Arlo Guthrie tunes... some of which were a bit raunchy, and not exactly appropriate for polite company... I figured that I would play/sing a couple to Grandma, and that might put an end to my required performances. One in particular, titled "Old age is golden," had a chorus that goes:

How do I know my youth is all spent
My get up and go has got up and went?
In spite of it all I'm able to grin...
And think of the places my get-up has been...

I figured that would be the end of it. Was I wrong! She loved that song! I played/sang her that tune every time I saw her, right up to the last time, before she passed away, at the age of 93. I'm not sure she heard me the last time, as her hearing was mostly gone, but I rememeber the way her eyes lit up when I got out my old D35 and started in. My family still calls that song "Grandma's song."

My 5 yr old daughter's class does visit/sing in a nursing home a couple times a year... maybe I'll have to ask if I can tag along to accompany them.
Dave
 

Guildmark

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Lucky I had a box of Kleenex at hand. I read Jeff's story while at work and didn't want the other cubicle veggies to see moist eyes. And I loved Gardman's story about Grandma's song.

I used to play once in a while at the retirement home my dad ran. I wrote a song years ago that has a closing verse about living in an old folks home. I was reluctant to put that tune in the set, but my dad insisted. He understands senior citicens better than me - they dug it. Got a real good laugh and some very positive feedback.

Can't wait to hear how your gig goes, West!

And Congratulations on the tips! Gotta tell ya, I use three tip jars these days when I play out.
First is a little one marked "Tips".
Second one next to it is larger and labeled "Kids College Fund".
Third one is twice as big again and labeled "Gas Money".

I average just about a tankful for a two hour gig. And I'm thankful.
Yep. Thankful for the tankful.

Guildmark
 

Guildmark

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Lucky I had a box of Kleenex at hand. I read Jeff's story while at work and didn't want the other cubicle veggies to see moist eyes. And I loved Gardman's story about Grandma's song.

I used to play once in a while at the retirement home my dad ran. I wrote a song years ago that has a closing verse about living in an old folks home. I was reluctant to put that tune in the set, but my dad insisted. He understands senior citicens better than me - they dug it. Got a real good laugh and some very positive feedback.

Can't wait to hear how your gig goes, West!

And Congratulations on the tips! Gotta tell ya, I use three tip jars these days when I play out.
First is a little one marked "Tips".
Second one next to it is larger and labeled "Kids College Fund".
Third one is twice as big again and labeled "Gas Money".

I average just about a tankful for a two hour gig. And I'm thankful.
Yep. Thankful for the tankful.

Guildmark
 

dreadnut

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you the man, Jeff :D

Of course he liked the Guilds, he's a geezer :D

Keep up the good work guys. Our Thursdays are filled in for the rest of the year between nursing homes and a Hospice facility. We go into these things thinking we're giving of ourselves and we end up receiving more than we give, I think.
 

dreadnut

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you the man, Jeff :D

Of course he liked the Guilds, he's a geezer :D

Keep up the good work guys. Our Thursdays are filled in for the rest of the year between nursing homes and a Hospice facility. We go into these things thinking we're giving of ourselves and we end up receiving more than we give, I think.
 

john_kidder

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What a wonderful tale, Jeff. How simple it can be to spread happiness, how seldom most of make the effort. THanks for the reminder.

And Gardman, I'm sure you won't mind if I post here the rest of the lyric from that wonderful Seeger tune (I sing it for my aging mother, with much the same result):

My Get Up and Go Has Got Up and Went

How do I know my youth is all spent?
My get up and go has got up and went
In spite of it all, I'm able to grin
When I think of the places my get up has been

Old age is golden, I think I've heard said
But sometimes I wonder as I crawl into bed
My ears in a drawer, my teeth in a cup
My eyes on the table until I wake up

As sleep dims my vision, I say to myself
Is there anything else I should lay on the shelf?
But nations are warring and business is vexed
So I'll stick around to see what happens next

chorus

When I was younger, my slippers were red
I could kick up my heels right over my head
When I was older my slippers were blue
But still I could dance the whole night thru

Now I am old, my slippers are black
I huff to the store and I puff my way back
But never you laugh, I don't mind at all
I'd rather be huffing than not puff at all

chorus

I get up each morning and dust off my wits
Open the paper and read the obits
If I'm not there, I know I'm not dead
So I eat a good breakfast and go back to bed

words trad, melody Pete Seeger
 

john_kidder

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What a wonderful tale, Jeff. How simple it can be to spread happiness, how seldom most of make the effort. THanks for the reminder.

And Gardman, I'm sure you won't mind if I post here the rest of the lyric from that wonderful Seeger tune (I sing it for my aging mother, with much the same result):

My Get Up and Go Has Got Up and Went

How do I know my youth is all spent?
My get up and go has got up and went
In spite of it all, I'm able to grin
When I think of the places my get up has been

Old age is golden, I think I've heard said
But sometimes I wonder as I crawl into bed
My ears in a drawer, my teeth in a cup
My eyes on the table until I wake up

As sleep dims my vision, I say to myself
Is there anything else I should lay on the shelf?
But nations are warring and business is vexed
So I'll stick around to see what happens next

chorus

When I was younger, my slippers were red
I could kick up my heels right over my head
When I was older my slippers were blue
But still I could dance the whole night thru

Now I am old, my slippers are black
I huff to the store and I puff my way back
But never you laugh, I don't mind at all
I'd rather be huffing than not puff at all

chorus

I get up each morning and dust off my wits
Open the paper and read the obits
If I'm not there, I know I'm not dead
So I eat a good breakfast and go back to bed

words trad, melody Pete Seeger
 
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