It's fun!
Last month I was asked by an activities director at an assisted living home nearby if I knew of anyone who played “old country songs". I thought for a minute and said I did not, but……I could learn some and play them for her residents…? She said okay! So, for the past three weeks, I've been trying to learn a set of country songs and it's been a blast for me and a piece of my music education that I sadly skipped years ago. I learned a few Dolly Parton songs like “Jolene”, “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You” - I had to listen to her version over and over to get her inflections instead of Whitney Houston's! Whitney did an amazing job on the song, but I wanted to do Dolly's version. My mom always LOVED that song, so it was meaningful for me to learn it in that respect too. I learned Hank Williams' song “I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry” which I've always loved for it's simplicity and stark emotion. I learned “Stand By Your Man” and “Galveston” (Jimmy Webb!!! <3), “Ring of Fire”, “Coal Miners Daughter” and Jimmie Rogers' “Any Old Time” - Jimmie! The guy who started it all….
So, I put on my Scully western shirt and my Frye boots and went to play for the dear folks at Rockridge.
Anyway, it was really fun for me and they loved it. One lady came up and said one of the songs had been her and her late husband's song and she cried a little. Life is good. Love is good. Music is the best.