Today I saw a Guild make a grown man cry.

[Jeff]

Jerry down at the home & Midnite.

Today after my lesson I stopped in at the home to see Jerry & take the Redhead to lunch.

Fellas ya'll best thank the allmighty for the blessings you have. These are some tough places to live out your last years.

Anyway, Jerry has this cool old Kay guitar he received as a gift a short while back, I can't remember exacty how long ago he got it, back a couple three months. I picked up his Kay & it's pretty obvious it has a bit more play wear. Jerry talks about how much he loves this guitar every time I see him.

Jerry's been playing evenings & running a Karoake do a couple times a week since he got the new guitar. The strings are corroded green & He mentions he wanted to change the strings but is afraid to start it himself since his hands are so unsteady. . I volunteer to do it for him & set to it. No sooner do I relieve the tension on the bass E & the nut gives it up. The corner of the nut just fell off, just like when you crack a tooth & almost as painful. I'm sure it was stressed already & just gave it up when the tension was relieved. That's my story anyway. I felt just terrible, really crummy, I know it's probably no big deal to fix but I still felt just terrible.

This story isn't about the nut . I'm gonna put that over in the Tech section.

Long story short, I take the Redhead to lunch, & we drive back to the house & pick up Midnite the bargain D 25 I picked up, go back & make the swap with Jerry for his old Kay. Just till I can get the new nut installed. Smiles all around. Hope I see the same smiles when I return the repaired Kay & ask for my D 25 back.

Sometime this GAS stuff works out, I'm quite sure Midnite is getting
some play time. 8) Thought you all would enjoy the story, might come in handy next time a deal comes by too good to pass up.

[img:338:450]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid220/pefbc047b22bda4f2f87397f96d61495b/ebb850d2.jpg[/img] [img:450:338]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid220/pbe412aca7c127d79676436c10a8df9b2/ebb84b51.jpg[/img]

p.s. Thanks to Jerry we're getting some devoted groupies down at the home, I'm starting to remember folks by their first names.

 

[Guildmark]

I clicked on the Post Reply button.... and now I can't think of what to say.
Just wanted to thank you for telling the story.

 

[Mr. P ~]

Keep spreading the love Jeff!!

It will all come back to you, somewhere when you least expect it.

8)

 

[West R Lee]

Jeffrey,

I'm sure there are a many professional musician that play thousands of people, and never get the gratification and the reward of the heart that you are experiencing there via music.

You go guy!

West

 

[john_kidder]

Jeff -

The three most basic Buddhist precepts are:

• Do No Harm
  Do Good
  Do God For Others

Sounds as if you've got them all covered.

Thanks for making part of the world a better place.

 

[Squawk]

Way to go, Jeff!

 

[Pike]

You da Man Jeff.

 

[SmithfieldFair]

Nursing Homes for the Soul

Jeff - Wonderful story. When I was still playing in the local bagpipe band, after every gig - parade, or whatever - my piping buddy Andy Anderman of Florida would drag me with him to whatever nursing home was on our way back. We would stop in - kilted and drawing looks - and ask if we could play a bit for the residents. It was always amazing, a lot of fun, and very gratifying. Andy, who was a decorated Vietnam copter pilot AND a decorated civilian air-med copter pilot is an amazing individual and very inspiring. He would always say, "You know, Dud - we're only a couple of short years away from here."

When I was younger, the members of the folk-rock band I was in would dedicate nearly every Sunday to the "Louisiana State Spastic School". (It isn't called that anymore.) These kids had so little in their lives and we seemed to have so much - it was something we just HAD to do. I think it started with a girlfriend of one of the band members who worked there and asked us to come by. We did for years. One day, there was a little girl who was blind, deaf and behaviorially maladjusted. (Wouldn't you be?) She sat there before my Guild G-37 with this puzzled look on her face week after week after week. One Sunday, I reached down and grabbed her hand gently and flattened it against the top of my Guild. I started playing and her little face lit up like Christmas. She had never 'heard' music before. We went from there to her hands on the stereo speakers and the her whole world changed. The nurses there said that her behavior problems began to resolve after that and there was some amazing progress as she continued. I sometimes imagine, pray and hope that it all continued and by now - she must surely be in her mid 30's now - she has a blessed life - as normal as can possibly be.

As a sickly child myself, all I had was the radio and the sound of my father's pump organ in the other room, the sound of my mother singing in the kitchen, and the beautiful Scots songs and hymns of my grandmother. Music meant so much to me that I feel we all have a responsibility to share it whenever possible. When Smithfield Fair's on the road, we occasionally stop in at hospitals, children's wings and nursing homes - my own mum is in an assisted living facility where we play periodically. It's never enough and we always come away with more than we bargained for.

Music is the universal language - the universal healer. Jeff, my hat's off to you! You're a good lad! I would encourage you all to make an effort to look around and share your music with someone else. Al Dronge named the company "Guild" as a nod to the old world craftsmen guilds. Perhaps we can retool that slightly and make ourselves into a "Guild" of geezers who send music out like ripples in the rock pool.

(Thanks, Don, for this great forum, which allows all these amazing guitarists and musicians to meet for 'lunch' and share. Blessings on you, my friend.)

Dream large....dbs

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

Nice!

 

[dreadnut]

Ditto to all of that! We played last night a a Hospice Facility, did Christmas songs, some old hymns, some gospel bluegrass, even did some John Prine Of course we had to do "Christmas in Prison".

The average stay of the patients here is two weeks. We made music with several of the patients and their families, and what a great time - everyone escapes to a magical place when there's music...

There was one old gal in the front row who had a big smile on her face the whole time and sang along on most every song. Her daughters were all there with her.

Another younger woman and her husband were in the back with their 2 kids, a boy about 5 and a girl about 7. Mom & dad were in their late 20's and mom is dying of cancer, hair all gone and racked with pain, but they all came to the concert. Ripped my heart right out. Went away counting my blessings.

I figure in the total scheme of things, the good Lord gave me the gift of music for a reason other than for my personal satisfaction 8)

 

[Graham]

Hey Jeff, Midnite update?

Graham

 

[Jeff]

Hey Jeff, Midnite update?

Graham

Just got word from Gene, (the Luthier.) The Kay should be finished tonight or tomorrow. It works out since I need to Air Freight a couple packages to Anchorage & need to run up to SeaTac anyway.

Word is Jerry at the home is in no hurry to return the D 25. I hope I don't have to get rough with him to get it back. :wink:

Meanwhile I'm busy with a project in the shop. Everything is out of the paint shop & ready for detail. Pink for the girls & John Deere green for the boys. [img:450:338]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid221/p572017beac29bfc664c66a76d5917cd6/eb8b8477.jpg[/img] [img:450:338]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid221/pf541add37201f0bf9878458854ca5de8/eb8b8434.jpg[/img]

 

[Graham]

Thanks Jeff.

Sounds like you're bringing a lot of joy to Jerryand probably the other folks as well. Good on ya!

Nice benches too.

Graham

 

[West R Lee]

Smith, Dred and Jeff,

God bless all three of you for what you've done and continue to do. Since I've been playing assisted living, I've heard a couple of the tennents refer to staying there as being in their final waiting station.

It's good to know that with a little talent (very little in my case), we can touch the lives of others who have left this world to us. It is our time now, time to make the little difference we can, with whatever ability God gave us.

Again, Merry Christmas to all of you,
West

 

[HoboKen]

I've been doin' gigs at the Veterans' Hospital in Lebanon, PA and at Churches where the congrigation members go out & bring in shut-ins for our performances for a number of years now with our Bluegrass Gospel Group. Like you all say, you come away with more in your heart and soul than you went in with on those days.

HoboKen

 

[Jeff]

I stopped in to see Jerry & visit Midnite the D 25. I hadn't been in to see Jerry in a while, he has been having some real trouble with a nerve disorder in his left arm & hand, Several weeks of creative therapy & Jerry's nerve problem has improved to the point he can play again. The rest of his body hasn't fared so well & it took him 15 minutes to bring me up to date on the medical end of things.

I wish you could have seen his face when he picked up that D 25 & showed me he could play again. He had a good night with it & tears in his eyes as he described making it "Cry Like a Baby". I heard several residents & staff comment about Jerry playing again, he can draw a crowd with that black Guild.

[img:338:450]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid219/p2b5c3ccf696a1ed5bd6bee4e9ba8bbc9/ebe6952c.jpg[/img] This bargain priced beauty is paying her way. Sometimes music is magic.

 

[dreadnut]

you the man Jeff! Man I hope someone does that for me if I'm ever in a similar situation. You've likely helped add some time to Jerry's life, if not, you've at least improved his quality of life

 

[Jake The Loafer]

Just found this & ya'll got my 60 year old eyes pouring tears. I've had to go into nursing homes before to visit relatives & also when I worked in the medical field as a RN & can't imagine having to live my days out in one. They depresss me very much.

To the guys that do this you have my gratitude. If I could sing & play a little better I would start doing this. I'm afraid to sing in the shower.

Jeff, just a thought but do you think we could get Bing to "donate" a decent GAD for Jerry if we all came up w/ a few bucks to help cover his cost? Sounds like this man deserves better than a Kay.

 

[dreadnut]

Jake: you should read some previous posts on this subject, check out "From The Stage". There was a time I couldn't imagine getting up in front of people and singing, and believe me, my knees were knockin' more than a few times in the beginning Nothing builds confidence like actually going through with it, because you find that folks want to hear what you have to offer, and sometimes they even like it. The nursing facilities are a great place to test the waters, and they won't have any beer bottles to throw at you like some places I've played :lol:

Something tells me with that fine stable of Guilds, you must have some talent. Ya gotta let it out, man! I think there are at least 3 guys on this forum that got up the courage to go out and share their music with others, just in the last couple years.

 

[Graham]

I've said this to Jeff privately, there is something about this particular story / man that just tugs. Could be the guitar thing, I don't know for sure. More than one person has offered to step up and more than one person has stepped up in this case, it's even more heart-wrenching a story, to me, when you know a little more about Jerry.

This saga has stuck with me since I first read it. And at "special" times such as Thanksgiving and Christmas I wished that I could do something for either Jerry or someone in a similar circumstance. There are many Jerry's out there that go unnoticed but when one does come our way part of me wants to do something special for that person. I know that's the selfish side wanting to make me feel better in the face of someone elses woes and we carry on with our own day to day trauma of parking spaces and line ups at the store, etc. Major human tragedies those. :shock:

I'm all in if someone has an idea for a yearly donation or whatever of an instrument that will bring some joy back to another due to unfortunate circumstances, or dreds giving strings to some folks and making their day/week/month.