Stringed Blatherskite
This afternoon I turned the TV on early so that I wouldn't miss the beginning of the five o'clock news. This means that I caught the last 15 minutes or so of Oprah, a show I watch very infrequently because I usually have better things to do (like watching oatmeal coagulate). As you've probably guessed, I'm not a fan of Oprah because I think her show is mostly brainless drivel. For example, today's show was some sort of Oscar preview. I can't really describe it because I had the sound muted and I wasn't paying much attention, but I did notice at one point Oprah was talking to Reese Witherspoon about playing the part of June Carter Cash in Walk The Line. Walk The Line is a movie I will never go and see, nor will I buy it on DVD because I don't want the images of Joaquin Phoenix ruining the iconic image I've had of Johnny Cash since childhood. Johnny Cash was one of my Dad's musical heroes, along with Hank Williams Sr. and Ernest Tubb. And I just love June Carter. When I was a teenager my Dad used to watch reruns of a country TV show on Iowa public television, and I'd watch with him; not because I liked country music (I like it more now than I did then) but because a young June Carter was on there and I just loved her. She had a great voice, and she was FUNNY! She'd come out and wisecrack with Roy Acuff, and I always almost died laughing. She was the best part of the show, for me.
So anyway, Oprah was talking to Reese and at one point they showed a clip of Reese as June Carter playing an autoharp. I would dearly love to find out what kind of 'harp she was playing, because I intend to buy a new 'harp sometime this summer. If I knew what June/Reese was playing, I might go and look for that particular model (or its 2006 equivalent). I only hope I can afford it. Of course, it was June's mother Maybelle Carter who got June started on the 'harp, since Mother Maybelle was a premier 'harp player and country singer. I wonder what it was like growing up as a member of the Carter family. Talk about having a genetic predisposition to music! Wow! I mean, I grew up in a family with a genetic predisposition to music, but nothing like that. I only wish my genetic links to music were stronger. I envy those members of my family who can play the guitar. (Don't worry, family members - I may envy you but my love for you is stronger!) That's a talent I'll never have because of my minor "learning disability". I have something called a "method processing disorder", which really isn't a disability but it prevents me from playing complicated instruments like guitar and piano. I can't coordinate my fingers to find and hold down multiple strings at the same time, and I can only read notes one at a time, not several at a time as required when playing piano. (My "disability" also interferes with schoolwork, but that's another story.) That's why I love playing autoharp. I only have to hold down one button to get a chord as I strum, and the chord keys are laid out in a pattern that makes playing three-chord songs (i.e. most country songs) easy. I imagine the only instrument I'll ever play is the autoharp. I wish I could play guitar, but oh well. It's one of those things I've learned to live with. (Insert smiley face here!)
Oh, and by the way...I can paint, too. Sort of. :-)
So anyway, Oprah was talking to Reese and at one point they showed a clip of Reese as June Carter playing an autoharp. I would dearly love to find out what kind of 'harp she was playing, because I intend to buy a new 'harp sometime this summer. If I knew what June/Reese was playing, I might go and look for that particular model (or its 2006 equivalent). I only hope I can afford it. Of course, it was June's mother Maybelle Carter who got June started on the 'harp, since Mother Maybelle was a premier 'harp player and country singer. I wonder what it was like growing up as a member of the Carter family. Talk about having a genetic predisposition to music! Wow! I mean, I grew up in a family with a genetic predisposition to music, but nothing like that. I only wish my genetic links to music were stronger. I envy those members of my family who can play the guitar. (Don't worry, family members - I may envy you but my love for you is stronger!) That's a talent I'll never have because of my minor "learning disability". I have something called a "method processing disorder", which really isn't a disability but it prevents me from playing complicated instruments like guitar and piano. I can't coordinate my fingers to find and hold down multiple strings at the same time, and I can only read notes one at a time, not several at a time as required when playing piano. (My "disability" also interferes with schoolwork, but that's another story.) That's why I love playing autoharp. I only have to hold down one button to get a chord as I strum, and the chord keys are laid out in a pattern that makes playing three-chord songs (i.e. most country songs) easy. I imagine the only instrument I'll ever play is the autoharp. I wish I could play guitar, but oh well. It's one of those things I've learned to live with. (Insert smiley face here!)
Oh, and by the way...I can paint, too. Sort of. :-)
1 Comments:
I can do chords on the piano. The thing I can't do is play one rhythm with my right hand and another with my left. And I don't think I have enough finesse to master the guitar.
Oh well, back to the euphonium.
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