The article I wrote the other day about The Discords spawned a lot of memories, comments, emails, phone calls and laughs. Seems like most everybody who grew up in the Beatles era was in a rock n roll band at some point during their formative years.
Watching Mickey Mantle every Saturday on the Game of the Week caused boys growing up in the sixties to grab a ball and a bat and head to the baseball field every chance they got.
And when the Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show on Sunday February 9, 1964 with all those girls watching and screaming and fainting, most every boy in the United States wanted a Beatle haircut and an electric guitar.
I think I have mentioned here (or maybe in my book) the day my friend Eddie Ayers was ahead of me at the Sanitary Barber Shop in Reynolds. I was watching Eddie when he got in Jim Brewer’s chair. Jim’s normal question was, “How you want it?” Eddie calmly responded, “I want a Beatle haircut.” I still laugh about that because Eddie had a crew cut which meant his hairdo was similar to a Marine when he starts boot camp. I was wondering how Mr. Jim could get a Beatle haircut out of that.
But bands started popping up in towns all over America. Some could play. Most could not. Our band was part of the latter group. The Beatles changed music forever. They got criticized when they said they were more popular than Jesus Christ.
The sad thing is they probably were.
Most everybody who grew up in that era knows most of the words to the songs of the sixties. I can still pick up a guitar today and play “Last Kiss” and sing every word. I’m not bashful about singing it either although I can’t carry a tune in a bucket. And yes there are other songs that I know all the words.
When you get to be my age, the memories of those times and that great music get more and more important. The music today doesn’t even compare to the music we grew up singing and dancing to.
The older I get the more I realize that I grew up at a perfect time in the perfect place surrounded by the perfect group of people. And who I was and what I did 40 years ago did a whole lot to make me whoever or whatever I am today.
For someone who is not musically inclined, I sure have got a lot of music in me.
And I hope I still have it in me when I take my last breath.
3 comments:
I can't carry a tune either, but my Bible tells me to make a joyful noise and believe me that's what I do. I love music of all kinds and could dance pretty good in my younger days, but sing, forget it. I sing to my grandbabies and they do seem to mind that Grammy can't carry a tune. Are kids Great??
I read Chuck's comment about bands that played the middle GA. area-The Caliente's were actually a pretty good garage band-Buster Byrd on Fender lead and vocals-Tommy Byrd on Acetone organ and Gibson guitar-Donald Hartley on rhythm guitar and vocals-Wyman Hartley on bass and Benny Crook on drums-We played all over middle GA. and opened for another band at a homecoming dance at GA Southern-I think some of us may have stayed with Bobby Bell that night-Does anyone remember the Rocket Room in FT.Valley?Myself,Ricky Parks and Gary Payne heard a great band called the Bushmen over there one night--I think they were from Douglas,GA.--The Tip Tops,the Strange Bedfellows from Americus were really good groups--Great memories--Tommy Byrd
Re Tommy Byrd's comment on the Bushmen. I think they were famous for a song Georgia Pine and they later hooked with Dennis Yost and became the Classic Four ( Stormy, Spooky etc.). I would hate to know how many times I went to the Rocket Room.
Somebody get me Tommy Byrd's phone and email. I haven't talked to him in 35 years.
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