Not really a John Denver fan, and I still don't have a wife, but....

Not really a John Denver fan, and I still don't have a wife, but....

Well, I got a nice surprise a few days ago. My mom called and asked if I had ever considered playing the violin. Well, I've always wanted too, but I've been a bit intimidated by it. Violins sound awful in unskilled hands! She says, she was watching some program and the violinist had hands like mine and she wanted me to have a violin. So, I checked online and found a really nice one at a crazy good price that wouldn't make me feel guilty is she bought it for me. THen, she said, "With all the instruments you play, you really should open a little studio/music shop and teach music. I was like... wow, you know I never thought about that... but you may be right! It arrived two days ago and I have figured out how to tune it, hold, it, hold the bow, play the majors scales and a couple of fiddle tunes like "Liza Jane" and "Sally Goodin" and "Shady Grove"...

So:

"Thank God I'm A Country Boy"



Well, life's on a farm is kinda laid back,

ain't much an old country boy like me can't hack.

It's early to rise, early in the sack thank God I'm a country boy.

Well, a simple kind of life never did me no harm,

raising me a family and working on the farm.

My days are all filled with an easy country charm, thank God I'm a country boy.

Well, I got me a fine wife, I got me old fiddle.

When the sun's coming up, I got cakes on the griddle.

And life ain't nothing but a funny, funny riddle, thank God I'm a country boy.



When the work's all done and the sun's setting low,

I pull out my fiddle and I rosin up the bow.

The kids are asleep so I keep it kinda low, thank God I'm a country boy.

I'd play Sally Gooding all day if I could,

but the lord and my wife wouldn't take it very good.

So I fiddle when I can and I work when I should, thank God I'm a country boy.

Well, I got me a fine wife, I got me old fiddle.

When the sun's coming up, I got cakes on the griddle.

And life ain't nothing but a funny, funny riddle, thank God I'm a country boy.



I wouldn't trade my life for diamonds or jewels,

I never was one of them money hungry fools.

I'd rather have my fiddle and my farming tools, thank God I'm a country boy.

Yeah, city folk driving in a black limousine,

a lotta sad people thinking that's-a mighty keen.

Son, let me tell you now exactly what I mean, thank God I'm a country boy.

Well, I got me a fine wife, I got me old fiddle.

When the sun's coming up, I got cakes on the griddle.

And life ain't nothing but a funny, funny riddle, thank God I'm a country boy.



Well, my fiddle was my daddy's till the day he died,

and he took me by the hand and held me close to his side.

He said, "Live a good life and play my fiddle with pride,

and thank God you're a country boy.

My Daddy taught me young how to hunt and how to whittle,

he taught me how to work and play a tune on the fiddle.

He taught me how to love and how to give just a little,

thank God I'm a country boy.

Well, I got me a fine wife, I got me old fiddle.

When the sun's coming up, I got cakes on the griddle.

And life ain't nothing but a funny, funny riddle, thank God I'm a country boy.

I wouldn't call myself a John Denver fan either, but Country Roads will always have a place in my heart since it was played at my Grammy's wake. She was from West Virginia before she settled down in Alabama.

I wonder if we could put together a jam session of Permies over the wide web. I play violin pretty badly and sing pretty well. I know you play guitar nicely, and I'm sure there's someone on this forum who understands video/audio coordination as well as many good musicians.

Harmony d'Eyre wrote:I wouldn't call myself a John Denver fan either, but Country Roads will always have a place in my heart since it was played at my Grammy's wake. She was from West Virginia before she settled down in Alabama.

I wonder if we could put together a jam session of Permies over the wide web. I play violin pretty badly and sing pretty well. I know you play guitar nicely, and I'm sure there's someone on this forum who understands video/audio coordination as well as many good musicians.

That would be fun!  Have you ever listened tot he Quebe Sisters?  They are from the Dallas area... amazing musicians and singers!

I'd never heard them before, but she would have liked them. Thank you for sharing! My taste leans more towards bluegrass or Old World folk music, but they have good voices and harmony.

I LOVE western swing - Bob Wills is Still The King!  Growing up int he Appalachian mountains of NC, Doc Watson was my main influence and he was the best bluegrass guitar player ever lived.  But, Doc loved westerns wing and he got me hooked on it when I was in my teens.

Harmony d'Eyre wrote:I'd never heard them before, but she would have liked them. Thank you for sharing! My taste leans more towards bluegrass or Old World folk music, but they have good voices and harmony.

Here is Doc playing a Texas style tune on guitar.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-fjTRasksg

I recognize the background on that album cover - Mast General Store in Valle Crucis, NC

And, the original https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOi-h3kGo9E  

That's more my sound. I also really like Hayde Bluegrass Orchestra, the Wailin' Jennys, and Billy Strings.

I've also been half-heartedly learning violin for a few years. I just keep forgetting about it. I have played guitar since middle school, and I expected at least some instincts would transfer over, but no. I live in Kentucky, but the only traditional song here I really like is "Cotton-Eyed Joe." There are a few modern ones like "Devil Comes Back to Georgia" I like, but what I really like is the old folk Irish music. It was built for the fiddle like nothing else I've ever heard. "Lannigan's Ball," "Star of the County Down," "The Morning Dew," etc. There's also a lot of old sea shanties that fit well, like "Drunken Sailor" or "Wellerman." And anything by Lindsey Stirling. She is an absolute goddess on violin.

Yes, very good - I used to play that style quite a bit when I was trying to make it as a pro musician.  Old time, punk and outlaw country are all major influences since I grew up with them all.  But, I also love jazz, blues and traditional country.... I even played Celtic for a while.  But well, my ship never came in and I got too old to sleep on sofas and play for tips... and as Randy Travis said, "I couldn't go pop with a mouth full of fire crackers."  I have a lot of good memories and might have beens.  I got to meet a lot of my heroes.... no regrets except that I was not born 50 years (at least) earlier.  

Jordan Holland wrote:I've also been half-heartedly learning violin for a few years. I just keep forgetting about it. I have played guitar since middle school, and I expected at least some instincts would transfer over, but no. I live in Kentucky, but the only traditional song here I really like is "Cotton-Eyed Joe." There are a few modern ones like "Devil Comes Back to Georgia" I like, but what I really like is the old folk Irish music. It was built for the fiddle like nothing else I've ever heard. "Lannigan's Ball," "Star of the County Down," "The Morning Dew," etc. There's also a lot of old sea shanties that fit well, like "Drunken Sailor" or "Wellerman." And anything by Lindsey Stirling. She is an absolute goddess on violin.

i love Celtic music, although I have mainly played it on mandolin and tenor banjo.  Actually, that was a big reason I was intimidated by the fiddle - I got to meet Natalie MacMaster when she was 20 or so and played like a tornado!!!  I was so in awe of this petite, little blonde that I could barely speak to her.  SHe let me hang around, and her mother was very kind to me.