My Replacement

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 13 Aug 2001 6:46 am

Yesterday I was sitting with my four year old grandson. He was watching cartoons and playing with some toys, I was reading the paper. I heard some words, almost singing and they went: I saw Bob on sunday, they locked him up on monday, put him in the jailhouse way down town.

At first I thought it was on the TV but then I heard him singing: I told him once or twice, to quit playing cards and shootin' dice, he's in the jail house now.

I asked him what he was singing and I embarressed him. He wouldn't say anything nor did he sing anymore. When his Mom and Dad got home, we talked about it. They aren't exactly country fans but someone had given Dad a copy of the George Clooney's CD of old bluegrass songs from a recent movie. The boy was having a ball with them !

Let me show you my favorites, he said. The first was a mandolin intro and the second was a dorbro intro. He's pretty fast, aren't all grandchildren ? He loves lyrics and now we find out that he's a natural bluegrass fan.

Well, that's where I began 65 years ago and now that I've found this new plant growing in my family, I'm surely going to take good care of it and see that it gets proper nourishment. Who knows what the flower will be like. Everytime he hears a pedal steel on the radio or TV he says, Paw Paw, there's your guitar !

You gotta love it ! God has been good to me and mine and Lord knows, I'm very grateful !

Sincerest Regards, Paul[This message was edited by Paul Graupp on 13 August 2001 at 07:47 AM.][This message was edited by Paul Graupp on 13 August 2001 at 08:15 AM.][This message was edited by Paul Graupp on 13 August 2001 at 12:18 PM.]

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 13 Aug 2001 7:12 am

Thanks for sharing that story with us, Paul. (When you gonna get him his first lap steel?)

Here's a story from my family:

When my son, now aged 12, was in kindergarten, the school's music teacher wanted each child to come forward and sing something. It could be anything, any song at all that they knew, and if the teacher knew the song too, he would play along on guitar.

So, one after the other, these little toddlers come up to the front of the room and sing: Mary Had a Little Lamb, Ring Around the Rosy, and similar nursery tunes. Then it was my son's turn. He marches himself up to the front of the room and launches into his own rendition of the western swing classic, "Miles and Miles of Texas"! Atsmaboy! You can imagine the look on that music teacher's face! I only wish I could have been there to see it myself!

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www.jimcohen.com

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 13 Aug 2001 7:22 am

Thanks, Jim ! I was reluctant to post that at first because Grandparents are notorious for bragging on their offspring. But just like yours, you can't help but love them and honest to God, They really are little troupers !! No one ever told them it couldn't be done so they get up there and do it. The Greatest Show On Earth !

Yeah, a lap steel is the next thing I've got to do. I would give him my DPC-1000 but his parents would keep me out the house after that. And I intend to be his music teacher as well. I'm going to show him my theory of how scales evolved even tho' I couldn't get it published. I have so much to do and just the other day I was complaining about being retired and having nothing to do. Oh, well !

Best Regards, Paul

John P. Phillips · Post by **John P. Phillips** » 13 Aug 2001 9:37 am

Paul & Jim,
It did my heart good to hear those stories. Reminds me of not too long ago, asking my six year old to sing his favorite song and he broke into a rousing chorus of "I Saw The Light". I guess the world will pass on down into pretty good hands after all won't it? We gotta have faith in our youth!

Ernie Renn · Post by **Ernie Renn** » 13 Aug 2001 12:30 pm

Paul & Jim;
Both of your stories warmed my heart! I hope I can add a story of my own.

Here's a picture of my daughter:

She's already got the look. Now if she could reach the pedals. She's 2 1/2. The light in Daddy's eye. (She keeps me running, for sure!)

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My best,
Ernie

The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 13 Aug 2001 12:59 pm

Hi Paul,Jim,Ernie John,
Wow this thread is a "keeper" I love it,,,I have a six year old grandaughter who for some reason is hooked on the steel as well.

When I was six years old,,I couldn't even walk,,these kids are something else,,,,what a great thread,,,Paul you are not 65 years old,,,,,gimme a break,,,,,no more than 50 at best,,,I knew you when,,,Jim ,,,,time for another,and you can start a western swing band....ya have the vocalist,,,do it. as for you John,,,,you will have a Flatt & Scruggs team there before long,,,,Ernie that kid is a "doll" makes that Emmons guitar look good,.

Why dont we trade pictures,,,but I dont know how to get them on the Forum,,,Im an idiot on this contraption,,,,

bill ramsey · Post by **bill ramsey** » 14 Aug 2001 1:21 am

that song was originally country by webb pierce. called he's in the jail house now. early 50's.

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bill ramsey

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 14 Aug 2001 7:00 am

Bill; You are exactly correct because that is how I remembered the song. I suppose the movie's musical director took some literary license with the score because You Are My Sunshine in in there as well as a hymn titled: Working For My Lord.

But the arrangement of the material instrumentation is all blue grass and done very well. The club where I'm working right now is constantly playing these songs and especially the one that you can see on TV. I think the title is Oh Brother and George Clooney portrays an ole hillbilly singer (description is an affectionate one !) in the video clip.

I was actually enjoying the music before my grandson brought me up to date with the CD.
I think the musical interpetations are magnificent and they take me back to those old days in southeastern Pennsylvania that Chas Smith was writing about, awhile back. I now find that a lot of his comments about movie portrayals using music as an enhancement, were right on the money.

Regards, Paul

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 14 Aug 2001 7:18 am

Ernie that is a beautiful girl! (She won't even have to take "Jeff's" right hand course because she already has the "peak".)

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 14 Aug 2001 7:39 am

I'm new to the forum but I have to reply.
My grandson is now 6 years old but when he was about two, I was riding in the back seat of the car with him and he said "Grandpa, I'm sure glad I was born or I would never have gotten to know you". Talk about out of the mouth of babes. The Lord is soooooo good!

Kenny Davis · Post by **Kenny Davis** » 14 Aug 2001 10:51 am

Here's my daughter getting my attention last Thursday evening.

At almost 14 months, she starts to move to music when she hears it. My wife said that she had a hard time keeping her from coming down to the stage.

Of my 3 grown children, only my 24 year old son has played an instrument, but nothing professional.[This message was edited by Kenny Davis on 14 August 2001 at 07:33 PM.]

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 14 Aug 2001 12:33 pm

Kenny, if your not careful that little gal is gonna wrap you around her little finger! (btw, where was that picture taken?)

Kenny Davis · Post by **Kenny Davis** » 14 Aug 2001 6:37 pm

Gene - Ya think??? We were at Hafer Park in Edmond. Barely beat the thunder boomers!!!

She was actually giving me a hard time - I think she was asking me "What are you doing playing a MSA"???

Don Walters · Post by **Don Walters** » 14 Aug 2001 9:55 pm

Actually, it's an old Jimmie Rodgers song (the real one, not the Honeycomb guy)

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Don Walters
Carter D-10, 8p/6k
Session 500 with Lemay Mod

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 15 Aug 2001 4:07 am

Don; Absolutely correct ! A bunch of us local dinosaurs were talking last night and a jazz guitarist reminded us of that fact. Maybe when that Cooper gal talks about Jimmy on the Ernext Tubb Record Shop, I'll pay a little closer attention from now on.

Regards, Paul

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 15 Aug 2001 8:08 am

Erv: Forgive my manners ! Welcome to Forum and I hope you have as much fun and meet as many nice folks as I have. There is such a vast repository of steel guitar, singer and musical knowledge here that it's hard to put a handle on it. ENJOY !!

Best Regards, Paul

Bob Shilling · Post by **Bob Shilling** » 15 Aug 2001 8:46 am

"Oh Brother, Where Art Though" is a Coen brothers movie. If you're into them (which I am) and into oldtime music, you'll love this movie. Yes, the Soggy Bottom Boys.

Erv, welcome to the forum.

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Bob Shilling, Berkeley, CA--MSA S10, "Classic"

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 15 Aug 2001 9:30 am

I remember very well the "honeycomb" guy, that I played with in Korea. He became a "star" before he learned to play his guitar, so he tuned it to a chord and played it by "barring" with his index finger. I just hope he learned to play it before the California Highway Patrol beat him senseless on the interstate one night! www.genejones.com