It's late.  Been wondering what I would write about this time.  Finally figured it out.  One of my favorite topics is music.  If you were to ask me what my favorite group is, I would have to ask YOU of what genre are you asking?  Foundational Folk Music of the 60's through today?  Kingston Trio of course.  I cut my guitar playing teeth listening to and trying to emulate them.  Have I succeeded?  Let me put it this way.  The Kingston Trio has been singing songs through the years of around 1961 to today.  Bob Shane was the glue the keep the Kingston Trio the premier folk group through the years.  George Grove has become the leader now after over 30 some years of Kingston Trio with Mr. Shane (now retired).  Love their music. But I am not even close to their quality of playing. I also love Southern Gospel music that the Gaither's share with us.  I suppose I should take a count of the CD's and DVD's that I have in my audio library, it has to be in the hundred's.  Kevin Williams is their guitarist that I just love to listen to, in addition to his quick wit and comedic relief between songs.  Each group that they have on their shows are so top of the line performers, that it is like listening to the angels sing.  I have had the pleasure of being at two of their Homecoming events when I lived in Las Vegas.  I was flying high for days afterwards.  It was their music that I love to sing and play at church.  Of course, much to my dismay, time moves on and the younger folks have their music hero's just like I did.  Toby Mac has some nice stuff, that I got acquainted with when I was at the little church on the hill and we had a Youth Fest (VBS) for the teenagers of our neighborhood.  I can't play well enough for that music without a complete focus of the new songs and time to develop them, to do it justice.  But from what I heard, he is capturing quite a few young people singing good Christian ethics into their heads!  That is one of the great things about music.   We have a regional Gospel group called the Joylanders that I dearly love to listen to and to visit with as much as I can.  They sing for the Lord and are developing relationships throughout the area from Illinois to Florida.  I am thankful their home is here in West Tennessee so I can visit their Music Store in Trenton.

We all have things we can do well, but through adversity, perseverance and tenacity, we can work on, and make better, those things we CAN'T do so well.  For instance, I can't read music.  I thought that was a little strange until I learned that quite a few professionals can't either!  Now I don't feel so bad. It slows me down a bit and has made it a little more difficult when I see a song and want to play it.  I have to sound it out first and eventually it comes out (in my head) the way I interpret it.  So far it has worked pretty good for me.  Knowing how music is put together sure helps a lot.  During most songs there are repetition throughout the music.  Once I get the key that they are playing in, I know there are three basic chords in the whole song. When it comes to the chorus or the bridge there are perhaps some transitional chords to get there and back, but it will all fit together once I can figure out what they are doing.  Folk music is pretty basic stuff.  Gospel and Country are about the same.  Since I don't read, I stay away from most classical stuff and orchestra type pieces.

During the years I have had different guitars, and I think I shared with you the excitement of getting my first professional quality guitar.  It was a 1965 CF Martin D-25 just like the Kingston Trio were playing at the time. It took my whole savings account to get it, but it was worth it!  Through the years I have had two pedal Steel guitars, a classical guitar (still have it). I have a mandolin that I was going to learn how to play. It hangs on my office wall, waiting for that day. I had a banjo in my beginning years and hope to get another one some day to take it back up again.  My Martin was replaced by a Guild D-55 model when a crack developed on the back of my Martin....still can't part with it long enough to get it repaired.  Some day I will drive to Pennsylvania to the factory and drop it off there for a while with them to do their magic.  And recently I bought a Dobro style guitar  to learn how to play that.  It looks kind of like a regular guitar but is played parallel with the floor and uses a steel bar, like a pedal steel guitar is played. It has a resonator which make the sound very distinguishable.

My Resonator Guitar

So that is where I am for today's story.  My friend Randall is guitar player I am teaching how to figure out some things such as music make up, how to strum, pick and hopefully grin as well.  Now we have something we can learn together . . . how to play with other instruments.  As I will be trying to give him some experience with keeping with other members of the band.  That's the fun part...sharing music.

Here in Rutherford, we pride ourselves with being Davy Crockett's last known residence.  We have a cabin down on our main drag that is a rebuilt (from original logs) and is staffed during the summer months for folks to see. It has a lot of historical things that belonged to Mr. Crockett before he went off to fight at the Alamo.  His mother's grave is on the site as well.  During the summer on Tuesday evenings, a group of folks gather around 7 pm and take turns to sing or play a few tunes with their guitars, fiddles, banjo's, mandolins, etc.  People come on down with their lawn chairs and a glass of Sweet Tea and enjoy the music and the company.  I have played and sang a few times, and may try to get down there more often this year.  They are a very fun group and are always welcoming to others to join them.  There is a camaraderie among musicians that can't be beat, except maybe on Sunday mornings with your church brothers and sisters.

The point of this story tonight is this:  Music is a language everyone enjoys.  You don't have to read the notes, just listen to the message.  There is no age limit, no gender barrier, no race restrictions.  Music is for everyone to meditate on, soak up and think of pictures of what is being heard.  Sometimes it is music that helps us through the day.  We can go into our "inner place" and sing the songs that make us feel good.   Not everyone can play an instrument. Not everyone can sing either.  But we can ALL enjoy music in our own special way.  Music strikes patriotism in our hearts sometimes.  Music brings tears to our eyes sometimes.  And music can make us laugh too.  Music is given to us to communicate with other.  I believe it is a God thing.  Sometimes the musical message is the only way some people get it. Think about this as you read this and see what you do:  Jesus loves me this I know.  For the Bible tell me so.  Little ones to Him belong, we are weak but He is Strong.      Did you just read it or sing it?

Keep singing, keep praying, keep smiling,

Blessings,
Gary