I Want a Digeridoo, how about you?

more musical mumblings...

I’ve had a rather strange musical career.

Actually, maybe I shouldn’t refer to it as a “career”—it’s been more like a “musical experience” or a “lifetime musical adventure.”

When I was a kid my parents spent thousands of dollars on pianos and guitars and trumpets with which I achieved some limited success. By the time I was a senior in high school I could actually walk out in front of a few thousand people in a football stadium and get through a chorus or two on my Maynard Ferguson signature model Holton Trumpet.

You remember Maynard Ferguson don’t you? He was that other good 1970’s trumpet player (besides the Tonight Show’s Doc Severinsen.) He was the guy that did the theme song for the movie “Rocky.”

Those days are long behind me since my lips have spent more time over the past 25 years eating and drinking and blabbing than they have pushing air through a custom Schilke 14-A-4a mouthpiece.

In the past ten years I decided to learn how to play the harmonica. It all began innocently enough, but before it was over with I had to have a Shure 520dx “Bullet” microphone and a briefcase full of Honer and Lee Oskar Harps in practically every possible key. I defy you to name another musical instrument that can be had for less than $10.

OK—forget about the kazoo (I have one of those also.)

I’ve found that if you can actually play the harp (slang for harmonica) pretty well, it is fairly easy to get the chance to play occasionally with other singers and musicians.

I’ve actually been on stage in Atlanta several times to do “Sweet Home Chicago” or “Red House” with blues recording artist Theodis Ealey. I hope to find someone down here in the Golden Isles to jam with on occasion.

Recently I’ve been lusting after a couple of Mannette Steel Drums and a set of Gibson Bagpipes.

Steel Drums and Bagpipes you say?

Am I strange or what? How about some Calypso music played in a Kilt?

I don’t think so. After all, being able to play the steel drums would be handy here on the coast for doing Caribbean style music, not to mention Reggae and a bunch of Jimmy Buffett.

And the Bagpipes—I don’t care if anyone else wants to hear the bagpipes—I want to hear the bagpipes. I’ll figure it out too, you just watch me.

Just when I though that my quest for strange musical instruments was over with, this blogger has to go and mention the Australian Aboriginal Didgeridoo. You’ve probably seen a Didgeridoo on TV or in the movies at some time. It looks like a tree limb because that what it is—a piece of Eucalyptus tree that has been hollowed out by termites, then fashioned into an eclectic musical instrument.

I want one, and one can be had for as little as $25.

I think that with my new arsenal of instruments that I can terrorize the neighbors cats and dogs at an entirely new level.

“Hey, get down off of there...mean kitty..."