Took the boy to another blues jam last night...

[66musicmaster]

Took the boy and his tele to a blues jam last night. He gets up on stage and 3 the other adults more or less ignored him. TILL HE STARTED PLAYING! It's always fun to watch the places we go to see the adults stop what they are doing, talking, eating, drinking, etc and just watch him play. They gave him plenty of breaks and he was always ready. He even got tipped $5 from someone. You'd think they gave him a C note! That was almost enough for a set of strings - he was pretty fired up. He's already saving for his next guitar - he wants a Fender tele he thinks. But he does love his BSB.

He got big rounds of applause - everyone very nice and they'd come by and ask him how old, how long, etc.

He got to play thru a boutique amp (bitar) and a Fender Princeton. Just made his night.

And yeah, I'm proud of him and we enjoy going out and playing together. I got to watch him play one set and played bass with him on another. I hope he don't mind me tagging along in the years to come....He's only 10, so he has to have a driver at this point.

Randy

[pictoratus]

Good for him! Sounds like a night he'll remember for quite a while.

[dannyvawn]

I'm sure he won't mind you tagging along until the girls start coming to the shows. Enjoy it while you can. Make sure you get plenty of video if you already don't.

[S. Rock]

that's GREAT, Randy !!! sounds like he was "born to play the Blues". and it also sounds like he has alot of natural talent, too. has he had any lessons ? if not, it might not hurt. just a thought.

[YeahDoIt]

These jam sessions can be so much fun. I'm pleased to hear that your son did well and had a great time. I wish I was there to see the show.

[66musicmaster]

We have been doing blues jams for a couple of years locally. But this was his second one in a larger setting - Greensboro NC, where there is a larger player base. He has had lessons from almost everyone in our town and they have all said they can't teach him much more - that he just needs to be playing. He plays lead in our band, Foothills Blues Society, which started out as a regular gathering of local blues folks and dwindled down to a band - we have just kept the name.

He does have a natural feel for the music. Much better than I ever have. He plays bass, drums and has recently started on piano lessons to get him reading music and understanding how it all fits together better.

He is starting to rearrange songs we do to make them a little different, too. And he is working on a couple of his own tunes. He knows most of the bluesy/jazzy chords, 7s, 9s, 13s and so on. It is amazing to watch and listen to him. He is able to teach songs to the adults in the band and they all accept him as an equal player, not just a kid that knows some scales.

Lately he has been working on playing with just his fingers - no pick. He goes back and forth as he wants to get the sound or speed. He is trying to work on and understand his "tone" as it comes from his fingers - a lot of the things young guys don't even think about. I hope he can be a professional musician if that's what he wants when he gets older. That's what he's about right now and we're doing all we can to get him the base he needs.

Thanks
Randy

[VintageTweed]

So awesome I wish I would have started that young.