Yours truly having a "we're not worthy!" moment yesterday at Old Town School of Music in Chicago:
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You never get nothing by being an angel child. You better change your ways and get real wild, 'Cause wild women don't worry. Wild women don't have the blues - Ida Cox, Wild Women Don't Have the Blues
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic. Yours truly having a "we're not worthy!" moment yesterday at Old Town School of Music in Chicago:
Here are photos taken in London 1951 (bottom) and 1957 (top) of the guitar he was using on those occasions. Click on images to greatly enlarge.
Playing the guitar was a great thrill, and totally unexpected. I asked the guy in the store if I could see the guitar, thinking it was behind a glass case somewhere. He picked up the phone & called someone else in the building, brought the guitar case out, pulled out the guitar and handed it to me. I played it for a 1/2 hour & they never rushed or bothered me.
High point for me was when another customer in the store called out his recognition of my playing "Diddie Wah Diddie". btw Old Town School of Music is generally a great place run by very cool people -- highly recommended for Weenies!!! Normally I'm not a believer in instruments once owned by famous people retaining any kind of spirit value, but on the other hand . . . that's really great! It must have been quite a thrill to play that guitar. Congratulations on that experience, Michael.
All best, Johnm poymando
I know someone else who played that guitar (and is a big devotee of Broonzy's music). He said it was really spooky to hear Big Bill's sound come out of that guitar when he played it.
hello friend,
that is really, really cool! i imagine i woulda got the chills playing one of his songs on it. & out of curiosity, how did the guitar sound? chris Big Bill's 000-28 is in very good condition. The first thing you notice is how light the guitar is compared to a modern guitars.
There's an engraved medallion of Big Bill glued to the headstock -- you can see it in my blurry picture, and you can see it on the "Hey Hey" video. On the inside of the guitar, "Big Bill Broonzy" is stamped two or three times on the center bracing. The top wood has the usual playing wear, and the backs & sides have the dings & scratches, that you would expect on a guitar that age. The neck & fretboard seemed in good condition, but the action was a little high -- I'm no expert, but I'm guessing it could use a neck adjustment. They keep it toned down a half to whole step to relieve stress on the neck. The strongs probably need changing too. Overall, the guitar played & sounded great. It would probably sound even better with an adjustment & new strings tuned up to standard. Great story Mike, It would be fun to go there, and play the guitar. I'll try and remember some new strings!
Mike Is it for sale or does it just live there?
The suave picture with Grahame Bell is amazing, I have some of his rather Australian 'authentic' jazz band's 78s and from them you you get the impression they all skinned their own kangaroos in the out back! The guitar lives there. Big Bill gave lessons at Old Town School for the last several years of his life. I believe he either or his widow gave the guitar to the school.
Tags: Big Bill Broonzy
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