Derf Here! From the still snowless Northeast coast of Maine. However, tomorrow we have a weather forecast for snow. How much? Don't know. Me thinks the coast won't get a large amount. The Chevy and I are ready, however!
Last evening we (me, Spouse, Lew, and Tracy) attended the junior high band concert. The seventh grade band was huge. The eighth grade band (Josh's) was less in size. At three pieces per group, with an exchange of groups, the concert lasted only about thirty minutes. A good time was had by all.
As I sat spellbound watching these young kids perform, my mind wandered back a few hundred years to my childhood and band membership. My piano lessons lasted only from second through fourth grade. Oh how I wish I had continued to learn piano. The reason: I would love to be able to sit down at the keyboard and sing along with my own accompaniment. It will never happen! My fault! Mom told me!
Started lessons on a silver cornet my father picked up from a local resident. This was in the summer after my fourth grade school year. My instructor was a gentleman by the name of Everett Firth (nickname Papi). He would be my mentor for the next eight years and serve as my band director throughout my public schooling. A finer band director one could not meet. Mr. Firth's son (Vic Firth) was percussionist for the Boston Symphony and the Boston Pops Orchestras for several years. If you check out today's drum sticks, you have a good chance of seeing Vic Firth's name on them. He manufactures them in a Maine factory.
Back to the story. An announcement was made in the first month of my fifth grade. All those playing instruments should show up for Sanford-Springvale Junior Band on a certain date. Having taken about eight lessons, I decided this meant me. I was to learn several weeks later that it didn't. Well I showed up, sat in the second row of trumpets, and my band career started. I made it through that year and was promoted to the front row in grade six. From this point on, I never played anything but first trumpet music. My first year in high school I played fourth chair trumpet. A distant cousin, Malcolm Holland, played first chair and was a senior. Second and third chairs were taken by juniors Bob Ramsdell (father was percussion instructor) and Richard Ford. My sophomore year I was seated third chair. I ended up first chair for trumpet both junior and senior years.
During my freshman year I was joined by sister Jean (trombone) in the band. Then, when I was a senior, sister Deb (baritone) joined me in the band. They both were also instructed by Mr. Firth.
While in high school, a few classmates joined the Sanford town band (sponsored by Goodall-Sanford Mills). We joined the American Federation of Musicians (to get paid for playing concerts). I still have my insignia that attaches to my license plate. It was during my junior year that close friend Bruce McCombe and I formed a dance band called the "Swing Kings." We played at dances after concerts and even did two New Year's Eve dances in South Portland. We'd get paid three dollars for an hour session after each band concert. We also appeared on local TV in Portland on a program called "Youth Calvacade." It was live!
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| The Swing Kings. The stands have my initials -- "FG" -- on one side. You must look closely at the rightmost stand in order to see them. |
One of my favorite moments of band participation was when I got a call from Mr. Firth. He told me the junior high band was to march in a parade in town and he was lacking someone to boost up the trumpet section. I was happy to oblige. There I was, a senior in high school, marching with the junior high kids blaring away on my Olds Ambassador trumpet. To say I stood out would be an understatement. It was a fun experience.
I played a solo -- "Tenderly" -- at my graduation, as a local national band player and leader (Randy Brooks) had a hit with this song. Randy Brooks died in a fire in Springvale, Maine on March 21, 1967. My last public playing was around 1990 as I played on our closing song in my family's gospel concerts. I always played on the last few lines of Andre Crouch's "My Tribute: To God Be the Glory." It will be forever available as it is on our first album, Falling in Love With Him.
My interest in band music allowed me to attend many concerts to see world famous band leaders: Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Glen Miller Orchestra (with three different front men), Tommy & Jimmy Dorsey, Preservation Hall Dixieland Band, Louis Armstrong, and the list goes on.
I didn't dare to write more as Tracy may get typer's cramp putting this on the blog. Sorry Tracy, I'll be much shorter next time. I hope my arm doesn't break patting myself on my back!
Until next time!
Toodle Pip!
Derf!
1 comment:
"Oh how I wish I had continued to learn piano. The reason: I would love to be able to sit down at the keyboard and sing along with my own accompaniment. It will never happen!" My oldest beginner in adult recreational piano classes has been age 82. You still have some time! New classes start every couple of months.
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