Guitar man

When I was 10 or 11 - around 1971 I guess - my parents bought me a half-sized guitar as a present for failing my Eleven Plus. The Eleven Plus was an exam that all UK kids took at that time (I think) and the results were used to determine if you went to a secondary modern or grammar school from the age of eleven onwards.

It sounds a bit weird to get a present for failing but I think my elder sister and brother had both passed their Eleven Plus and got a present as a result and I guess that my parents didn't want my 'failure' to carry any overly heavy negative vibes.

As my sister commented here recently, the guitar 'present' only came after I'd completed a challenge - to learn 100 20 songs off by heart on the harmonica. I guess this was intended to demonstrate my commitment - not a bad idea actually. It was something I duly did, though I can't recall how long it took me. I do remember getting the guitar from the shop, along with a song book that contained the music to Go and tell Aunt Rhodie :-)

I've played the guitar on and off fairly consistently ever since and now consider it part of who I am. I'm not particularly good. I don't think I've ever played solo in front of an audience but I have played live with a fair number of bands of one kind or another. Biggest venue... the Royal Albert Hall (playing in the school folk group). Smallest venue... my bedroom (not really a venue but it is probably where I have done most of my playing :-) ).

When I went to university I realised that everyone and his/her dog played guitar, most of whom (including some of the dogs) were better than me. I quickly decided to buy a drum kit as the only way of getting into a band... but I'll save that story for another time.

As I've said before, the artist I used to copy most often (especially when I was much younger) was Bob Dylan. I used the metalwork facilities at my (secondary modern) school to make one of those harmonica holders that go round your neck and allow you to play guitar and harmonica at the same time. I still have it somewhere though I'm not sure I have a working harmonica. I can blow up a mean Blowin' in the Wind I tell ya!

For my 50th birthday I got a classical guitar (shown here) - something I've always wanted but never owned - which has re-invigorated my interest... but I'm still very much a bedroom/living-room guitarist.

All in all... today's song doesn't describe my life (or anything remotely like it) in any way, shape or form! :-)

I slept in the hobo jungles
I bummed a thousand miles of track
'til I found myself in Mobile Alabama
In a club they call "Big Jack's".
A little four piece band was jamming
So I took my guitar and I sat in.
I showed 'em what a band would sound like
With a swingin' little guitar man.

Guitar Man
Jerry Reed