Danny Starwars
209 posts
Jun 05, 2015
4:57 PM
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Do you have a musical heritage? Do you come from a family of musicians, or are you a musical aberration?
My brother (guitar) and I (harmonica) always thought we were pretty much by ourselves in the family; neither mum or dad as far as we knew ever played anything or had much of a musical background.
Two years ago dad passed away and recently mum did after a short, surprise illness. In going through photos of/connected to both of them since their passing, I was touched to find these.
This is a picture of my mum when she was young with a guitar (pretty, no?). I had never seen her anywhere near an instrument before, so it was special to see it - I didn't get to see this photo until the day of her funeral in a montage that had pictures of her I had never seen before.
And in this picture from 1892 in Samoa (!), that's my granddad (who died before I was born), second left in the front row:
I don't know if you'd all know this, but having (expensive!) instruments like that in Samoa back then would have been a very unusual thing, and it would have been a mighty big deal to be in a band like that. Go granddad!
While these are pretty minor things compared to the heritage some have, it's been a comfort to see these pics.
Anyone have some great musical heritage to share?
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SuperBee
2638 posts
Jun 05, 2015
6:00 PM
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Ha ha, yeah I reckon my musical ability is probably on a par with my heritage. Mum played harmonica at school in the '30s, and she plays piano 'by ear'. I recently discovered she plays everything in key of F, but I had to work that out by watching her. She thought she was playing in G. Apparently she'd had an opportunity for lessons but the teacher decided her premature self-taught bad habits had rendered her a lost cause. What a strange attitude.
dad played a fife. Not in my lifetime. Great (paternal) uncle joe made his own fiddle and played at pubs and bush dances in mining communities pre-1930s. My sister played the organ in church. My maternal aunt's family all played 'country' guitar and sang in a peculiar nasal fashion which seems common among local country performers.
My late brother made such a fuss about piano lessons that we younger siblings were never offered the opportunity. My kids have had every chance and have demonstrated they are somewhat quicker on the uptake than I was at their age
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Sarge
464 posts
Jun 05, 2015
6:25 PM
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Two of my great Grandfathers played harmonica. One was also a bones player and made his own set of bones from a hedge tree (osage orange) Both of my Grandfathers played the fiddle and harmonica. One Grandmother played piano and the other played mandolin. They all played at house parties and barn dances back in the early 1900's. My Dad and his two brothers all played harmonica and jew's harp. My mother played the accordian and guitar. I started playing harmonica when I was 10, 57 years ago, and started guitar when I was 15. I played bass guitar in a rock and roll band back in the mid 60's. I can scratch out a couple tunes on the fiddle, but it's an aggravating instrument.
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indigo
124 posts
Jun 05, 2015
6:53 PM
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Absolutely none in my family ..could explain some things ;-)
Great photos you are lucky to have them in the family.
One of our good friends hails from Samoa..but looks Palangi ,though her sister has a nice afro.
Last Edited by indigo on Jun 05, 2015 6:57 PM
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nacoran
8506 posts
Jun 05, 2015
7:12 PM
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My mom was a pretty good trumpet player in school (All State). She used to sing in choral groups too. She got the solo for Puff the Magic Dragon. She has a pretty voice. My dad sang in choirs. I love him dearly but man, if there was an international treaty on music he'd be banned. My aunt (by marriage) and Uncle (dad's brother) in Boston both sang in the Tanglewood Choir for years. My other aunt (my Dad's sister) has a nice voice and has participated in choral groups.
Not sure about any other musicians in the family. Some pretty handy people. The family still has a set of mission oak dining furniture my great grandfather made. (My grandfather on one side was an engineer, and on the other my grandfather was a machinist.)
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Thievin' Heathen
537 posts
Jun 05, 2015
7:58 PM
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Check that picture again Danny, according to the text, I think that may be one of your great uncles playing the triangle.
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Danny Starwars
210 posts
Jun 05, 2015
8:08 PM
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Oh, there's a couple more Stowers in the pic, but in village life, you end up with cousins everywhere.
Granddad ended up having 14 kids and then adopted one; when my dad passed away, that left only my Uncle Joe, Last Man Standing of a family of 17.
It means I am surrounded by cousins over here in NZ too!
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Thievin' Heathen
539 posts
Jun 05, 2015
8:26 PM
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Ahh Yes!!! I see more of y'all now.
That's a great picture, especially vintage 1892.
I am sorry you did not find it under happier circumstances.
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Danny Starwars
211 posts
Jun 05, 2015
8:35 PM
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Thanks man, appreciate that
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wolfkristiansen
361 posts
Jun 05, 2015
8:44 PM
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"Do you come from a family of musicians, or are you a musical aberration?"
Both. I come from a family of musicians, and am a musical aberration. My Danish father sang opera, my Danish mother played classical piano, my younger brother played rock guitar as a young man, but now plays nylon stringed classical guitar, playing the works of Albeniz, Tarrega, Sor, etc.
I, on the other hand, am the aberration-- I've been drawn to black music since I was a child. I play blues and, with the right band, funk or jazz.
Thanks for bringing this up, Danny Starwars. (Love the pictures of your family.)
Cheers,
wolf kristiansen
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Glass Harp Full
32 posts
Jun 05, 2015
10:09 PM
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My maternal grandmother played piano and there was always a piano in her house. One or two of my aunts learnt to play but not my mum, I'm not sure why.
I remember my mum telling me a few times "you don't have a musical bone in your body" and I was not really encouraged when I took up guitar and later harmonica in my late teens/early twenties. My younger brother took up guitar a few years later and was encouraged a lot more. He plays quite well now.
I've returned to harmonica recently and am encouraging my son to have a go too, although he seems more interested in the guitar and drums on Garage Band. It's all good.
Thanks also for sharing the pictures; I like seeing stuff that gives a sense of other times and places.
Last Edited by Glass Harp Full on Jun 05, 2015 10:14 PM
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A440
384 posts
Jun 05, 2015
11:10 PM
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My father and grandfather both played marine bands. Self-taught tongue-blockers, who never read a book on technique, knew nothing about music theory, and never heard of Sonny Boy or Little Walter. They played country bluegrass mixed with white gospel, most Sunday afternoons on the farm in beautiful Appalachia. My grandmother played the organ, one uncle played banjo, the other played guitar. They all sang. I have a cassette tape of them playing. They were pretty accomplished, but above all, you can hear the passion and enjoyment of playing.
As a kid in the 60s, I viewed their music as "old folks music". So when I was given my first Marine Band, I had little interest in playing it. When the Who released Tommy, I was blown away. I decided that I wanted to play drums like Keith Moon, and spent the next 5 years trying.
I started playing harp around 10-15 years ago. Like most players, I studied the blues of the 50s and 60s. However, I believe my musical heritage has an influence on my style. I absorbed that Appalachian country sound at a young age. This musical hertiage is with me when I play on stage in tiny blues bars across Europe. It's in my blood.
Last Edited by A440 on Jun 05, 2015 11:27 PM
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jbone
1959 posts
Jun 06, 2015
3:13 AM
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My Mom's father played harmonica, self taught. He was my first influence. An emigre from England as a child, he taught himself. He was in his 70's when I came along. I think I had one great aunt who had perfect pitch and taught herself piano. Other than that I know of no ancestors who were musical in any sense.
When I was but 4 years old, My dad died. Gramps was the only person who could get me feeling better, by playing and singing with me on his lap and the family all around in their living room. Marching songs, old English folk, even some Piedmont blues. That time was over and I never asked him to teach me and never got to see him play after age 4 or 5, I don't know why.
He had given my father a Marine Band the year I was born. Dad apparently never did anything with it, and some years after his passing the harp came to me. After a couple of years languishing in a box, that harp came out and I began trying to learn to play. A journey of many years began then and continues today.
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Harp Study
94 posts
Jun 06, 2015
6:33 AM
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Danny- That is a neat story and cool picture. I don't know of any musical heritage in my family (which could be why I'm not very good at it, but I still enjoy music and that is all that matters to me). Thanks for posting.
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Danny Starwars
212 posts
Jun 06, 2015
7:27 PM
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Thanks for the sharing and the nice comments guys.
@Harp Study - the nice thing about that is that one day, YOU will be part of someone's musical heritage. You can be the start of something new! Also - as I pointed out, I didn't find these photos until after my parents passed; who knows what might be in your genealogy that might surface later? :)
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http://tinyurl.com/muchtcc
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The Iceman
2493 posts
Jun 06, 2015
8:50 PM
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I am the only one in three generations of my family that has musical talent.
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The Iceman
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Diggsblues
1841 posts
Jun 07, 2015
11:47 AM
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My Father was a graduate of the Royal Conservatory of Naples. He started working on his degree at the age of 14 having won a scholarship for a 10 year progam as an Italian American.
My Uncle was a famous sax player in Philadelphia. He first studied clarinet with a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra. He had the alto sax chair at the Latin Casino night club in New Jersey and serve on the Executive board of the Philadelphia Musicians Union. Tony "Sax" Di Enno.
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STME58
1317 posts
Jun 07, 2015
10:32 PM
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I am not aware of any of my ancestors that were musicians. I have one son who is playing alto sax in the youth symphony and is learning bassoon so perhaps this can be the start of a tradition.
My wife's side of the family has some musicians. My son is playing his grandfathers 1927 Buescher sax.
Last Edited by STME58 on Jun 07, 2015 10:34 PM
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nowmon
37 posts
Jun 08, 2015
11:15 AM
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We had a piano in the house growing up,no lessons,if you wanted to play it was all ears.My uncle John Lynch,played a tenor sax and sang in big bands in Philly in the 30`s,40`s and 50`s.Me ,I sang r&b,doo wop, we hung around the black Baptist church and learned harmony singing,they kicked..I started blowin` harp in 1968,in the army and guitar in 1970,have not stopped yet...also I played harp with Flamin` harry blues band in the 1970`s...
Last Edited by nowmon on Jun 08, 2015 11:16 AM
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WinslowYerxa
870 posts
Jun 08, 2015
11:37 AM
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My mother's side of the family seems to have been the most active musically - grandfather and aunt played church bells, mother, aunt, and grandmother played keyboards. And all sang (Granddad was an Anglican priest, so it comes with the territory).
Paternal grandmother played piano, but not my dad or aunts that I know of (though one aunt married a drummer/singer/dance hall owner). Cousins of my generation, though, were more inclined to play instruments - as do (did) my sister and brothers. No harmonica players, though, 'cept me.
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Last Edited by WinslowYerxa on Jun 08, 2015 11:38 AM
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isaacullah
3028 posts
Jun 08, 2015
12:07 PM
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Great thread! As far as I know, I'm the only one of my blood kin on either side who has really pursued music as a large part of their life. My dad has always "dabbled" in bamboo flute music of his home county (Bangladesh). My mom sorta played piano (but not really). My brother did trumpet in band as a kid, but I don't think he ever really liked it. As far as I know, none of my grandparents on either sided played any instruments. I have a feeling one or two of my cousins or aunts/uncles might "dabble", but not seriously. Two of my cousins on the Bengali side married into serious musical 'royalty' when it comes to Bangla music, however, which is pretty cool. Bengalis do pride themselves on being artistic. But Bengali parents also want you to become a doctor! Lol!
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jason campbell
29 posts
Jun 08, 2015
12:11 PM
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Got my first harmonica passed down to me when my Grandfather passed away, but he was never a serious player. My Mom was a concert pianist and singer, and later a piano teacher. Unfortunately I don't have her "perfect pitch".
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