LittleJoeSamson
374 posts
Jul 27, 2010
11:56 PM
|
I have this long time student...a very bright boy, but limited with a muscular disorder. He is restricted to a wheelchair and has very little mobility.
I have been the only person to listen to him. He is extremely shy, and had not played for anyone else, including his parents, for years now.
They have taken on faith when I have told them of his progress.
Last week, the family showed up...and Aaron was reticent to play in front of others.
He did not know that his sister had brought along his harps. My sax man ( who is a pediatric burn specialist ) got him to come up. [ Thanks again, Lorenzo ].
Aaron got up and was nervous as all get out, but played on
"Why Don't We Do It In the Road".
His parent were overjoyed.
They showed up again this week, and this time I called Aaron up fairly early. He played thru my rig and we first did a version of "Help Me", which we had never practiced before.
I sang, and the band helped out.
Then, Jimmy, My best friend and the front man started in with a Butterfield riff of "Mellow Down Easy" . I picked up on vocals, and Aaron started comping and gussing.
We threw him a solo , and he WAILED !
His Mom was literally crying, and I could see that Dad was justifiably proud. Even older sister was beaming.
I am not a parent, but this young man is special to me.
He teaches me more every lesson .
|
Greg Heumann
688 posts
Jul 28, 2010
12:25 AM
|
What a great story!
----------
/Greg
|
jbone
369 posts
Jul 28, 2010
3:54 AM
|
that's what i love about true musicians, the willingness to reach a hand out and bring someone fully into the light that music shines for us.
you have done more than you can know for that young guy and his family.
|
hvyj
496 posts
Jul 28, 2010
4:46 AM
|
Music is about expressing things that can't be said in words but that other people can understand. I suspect that your young student, with all of his misfortunes, has a lot more to express than most. That's deep blues at its most fundamental level.
Last Edited by on Jul 28, 2010 4:47 AM
|
toddlgreene
1602 posts
Jul 28, 2010
4:59 AM
|
Great story! You say you're not a parent, but that nurturing instinct that a parent has is being exhibited in you. That right there is the 'good stuff' in life. You're speaking the universal language of music and apparently communicating quite well with someone you might otherwise never had crossed paths with. That's a blessing in itself, and the boy's parents surely think you are a blessing, too.
----------
Crescent City Harmonica Club
Todd L Greene, Co-Founder
Last Edited by on Jul 28, 2010 6:24 AM
|
ness
270 posts
Jul 28, 2010
5:43 AM
|
Great story -- good on you, Joe. I'm hoping it continues, and the confidence he gains helps him in other facets of his life as well.
----------
John
|
Joch230
255 posts
Jul 28, 2010
6:34 AM
|
You ARE a wonderful blessing to that boy and his family.
Blessings to you as well....
-John
|
GermanHarpist
1655 posts
Jul 28, 2010
6:47 AM
|
Congrats!
|
Big Nancy
75 posts
Jul 28, 2010
12:17 PM
|
Aha Little Joe... this is what it is all about! In the end we find that it is so much bigger than us! I am glad to see that you are involved in such a positive mission and that you recognize it with such clarity. It really doesn't matter how good we get, how great our tone is, or how much we know... if we take it with us when we die! Good work!
Spread the love, people!
----------
|
Kingley
1348 posts
Jul 28, 2010
12:33 PM
|
Great story Joe and also a good reminder of why people should always give back. Good Karma points for you for this one Joe.
----------
Paul "Kingley" Routledge
My YouTube Page
|
Hobostubs Ashlock
936 posts
Jul 28, 2010
12:49 PM
|
i bet that makes teaching worth it all:-)
|
LittleJoeSamson
375 posts
Jul 28, 2010
1:30 PM
|
Thanks, everyone. Yes, this was very gratifying. I knew it would come, and then further advancement would come easy.
|
AC
15 posts
Jul 28, 2010
1:37 PM
|
Joe, thanks for posting this. What a great story!
|
snakes
555 posts
Jul 28, 2010
1:37 PM
|
This is why we live. You have graced me with a feel good moment for my day. Big Nancy is so right when she said that we essentially get most from what we give away. Blessings to you LittleJoeSamson.
|
waltertore
793 posts
Jul 28, 2010
1:43 PM
|
That is what makes for world peace and harmony! Walter
----------
walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year.
" life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
2,000 of my songs
continuous streaming - 200 most current songs
my videos
|
Joe_L
497 posts
Jul 28, 2010
2:23 PM
|
Joe - you are a very generous person. I wish there were more people in the world like you.
|
eharp
728 posts
Jul 28, 2010
2:57 PM
|
damn you! that even started to choke me and my cold heart!
well done, little joe.
that reflects well on what a good person and teacher you are.
|
beltone
40 posts
Jul 28, 2010
4:44 PM
|
Blues Therapy, it don't get no better than that. @LittleJoe way to go!!
@eHarp, if it didn't you are made of stone :)
----------
-- BTMF --
|
Big Nancy
77 posts
Jul 30, 2010
9:48 AM
|
Little Joe is quite an accomplished artist for anyone who has not visited his web site! Good political satire....!
Joe, I enjoyed visiting your site!
----------
|
LittleJoeSamson
384 posts
Jul 30, 2010
10:51 AM
|
Thanx BigNancy. I looked up your site as well. Quite a litany of players you've shared stage with !
|
jawbone
331 posts
Jul 30, 2010
1:12 PM
|
Way to go LJS and Aaron - his Mom wasn't the only one that teared up.
----------
If it ain't got harp - it ain't really blues!!!!
|
Big Nancy
78 posts
Jul 30, 2010
9:53 PM
|
I have been very fortunate...
If you looked at the photos you have seen that I started a very long time ago. I tried to keep my nose clean and play well with others, tried to replicate as many scenes like the you mentioned at the start of this thread as often as I could and, ran into a hell of a lot of really good people. Any kindness I ever extended was paid back to me a thousand fold in great hangs and cool sits. It keeps me going through the rough times!
The first guy I played with paraphrased a great quote, "If you can't make money, make friends...!" A great adage for bluesicians...!
----------
|
Elwood
497 posts
Jul 31, 2010
6:18 AM
|
Awesome.
----------
|
