You know how to whistle don't you...

Gord Cole · From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

I wonder if anyone likes to whistle tunes anymore???
I remember my dad was a good whistler .I often heard guys warbling out a tune --not these days! As kids we all could and did whistle. I still do but not as often nor as good as I used to. When you are older I think your teeth get gappy. My wife says I'm too loud and too piercing. (not unlike my psg playing). You may remember expert whistling on 78 rpm recordings...I think it was (Somebody) Smith who whistled Hora Stacatto (sp?)??? Matter of fact I'm whistling that tune as I type this letter. You like it ???
Regards. Gord

Joe Smith · From: Charlotte, NC, USA

Well Gord, there were these seven dwarfs that always whistled while they worked.

Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

I do "What a Day for a Daydream" with the whistling solo.
'Trick is getting the whislte wind to go past the mic and not into it.

R. L. Jones · From: Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA

Gord;; Marvin Rainwater Gonna Buy Me A Bluebird. Now that guy could Whistle.

I still whistle a little , mostly to myself.
Never was very good at it .

R. L.

David Cobb · From: Chanute, Kansas, USA

How many women do you know who whistle? (hold the lady skydiver jokes till later OK?) I met a 65ish aged couple coming out of the discount store and it was the wife who was whistling. I run into all kinds of old men who'll whistle for no reason at all, but a woman.....?

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

What about the guy that whistled, among other tunes, "NOLA".........with a really BIG BAND? Had throat injury and had to whistle with his mouth "open"....no less.
He was the best I EVER HEARD. And what about the guys on the "Colonel Bogy March"?
And, George Morgan 'Whistle My Love'?

Jim Smith · From: Midlothian, TX, USA

Here's a link from this week's Parade magazine: http://www.stevethewhistler.com/

Smiley Roberts · From: Hendersonville,Tn. 37075

If I recall rightly,Al Jolson wasn't too shabby a whistler either.

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  ©¿©  It don't mean a thang,   


  mm   if it ain't got that twang.


       www.ntsga.com

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

The late Ron McCroby was a master musican. It was only incidental that his instrument was his lips. Here's an interview ...
http://wkhr.org/interviews_2001.html#Ron_McCroby_Jan_2001

Al Marcus · From: Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)

Hi Gordy-Good to see you on the Forum. Elmo Tanner with Ted Weems Orchestra, Whistled "Heartaches" in 1947 and sold a mIllion records.

I was playing in the Green Room of the Howe Hotel right next to the Palace theatre , in Akron , Ohio, where they were appearing for a week. They used to drop in on us during intermissions.

I used to whistle and sing "Heartaches" because it was popular and requested at the time. Played my guitar and D8 console steel.

I still have the "Nitelife" magazine showing Ted Weems on the cover, then next week they had our trio, Ed DiFiore on Accordian, Max Balog on stand up bass, and me on Guiter and steel. These were very good musicians and I learned a lot playing with them.

I got my used Electra-Harp about then and finally got it set up and played it on our last night of our contract. Everyone liked it, but then I headed for Northern Michigan , where my Wifes Mother lived.

Eddie has about the largest music store in Cleveland, Ohio now. He does a great internet mail order business. I don't know Where all the whistlers went, must be like me, too old to whistle anymore.LOL...al

Gord Cole · From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Al, I'm sure it was that Elmo Tanner recording with "Heartaches and "Hora Stacatto" that was in dad's collection. (don't know where I got the name "Smith " from). Jim and Andy, those sites are great! Wow, there still are whistlers... gees, these guys have a convention too!!!
David you're right about women not whistling.I've known few who could (that I heard) period, never mind do a song. Although my wife can do a two-finger, cab-hailing blast way better than I can! Thanks for the fun and informative replies. I'm gonna go work on my bird calls.

Happy New Year!
Gord

Joe Delaronde · From: Selkirk, Manitoba, Canada

My mother used to whistle while spinning wool and doing other duties of the times. She could whistle and sing like a canary.

I whistle when I'm working on something and my wife asks, "Where did you learn to whistle. How can you play steel and whistle so out of tune." Funny, what I hear isn't out of tune, that is until one day I heard a recording she slyly done of me. But that don't stop me. "Its OK folks, he's just deep in thought, close your ears."

Roger Whittiker???SP
Joe

Harry Dietrich · From: Robesonia, Pennsylvania, USA, R.I.P.

Women aren't supposed to whistle, because it makes the Angels cry. Didn't you guys ever hear that old wives tale? LOL!!

Harry

[This message was edited by Harry Dietrich on 30 December 2002 at 11:57 AM.]

John Steele · From: Renfrew, Ontario, Canada

When I was in high school, I got heavily into jazz clarinetist Buddy DeFranco. One day while going down the hall whistling Buddy's solo from My Blue Heaven, an enraged science teacher shot out of his open-doored classroom and gave me a detention.
He later said "I wouldn't mind the whistling... if you'd just whistle something that made sense."

I guess he was more of an Andy Of Mayberry kinda guy.
-John

Smiley Roberts · From: Hendersonville,Tn. 37075

Speaking of "Andy Of Mayberry",I have heard, that it was "Toots" Thielemans,(master harmonica,guitar,& piano player) that did the whistling theme song on the Andy Griffith Show. Anybody know this for a fact? The song was written by Earl Hagen,of "Harlem Nocturne" fame.

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  ©¿©  It don't mean a thang,   


  mm   if it ain't got that twang.


       www.ntsga.com

[This message was edited by Smiley Roberts on 31 December 2002 at 01:40 AM.]

Marc Friedland · From: Fort Collins, CO

My wife, Lorilee, can whistle just about any melody of any song she has ever heard, and the intonation will be close to perfect and probably in the original key. Even unusual intervals will sound smooth and pleasing. Now that I think of it, I wish I could play melodies on the pedal steel as effortlessly, with such exact intonation as her whistling. She sings quite well also, but that's off this particular topic. I can play psg better than I can whistle, but that's not saying much, as I have less than an octave range with my whistling, and even within that range, it doesn't sound very good. -- Marc

Jason Stillwell · From: Caddo, OK, USA

Hey, Smiley. Earl Hagen confirmed on "Inside TV Land" that it was he himself who whistled the theme to The Andy Griffith Show. Anybody (else) know the words?

BTW, Gord--"You just put your lips together and blow."

[This message was edited by Jason Stillwell on 31 December 2002 at 04:30 PM.]

Smiley Roberts · From: Hendersonville,Tn. 37075

Great Jason.Thanx for the info. You know how rumors abound.

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  ~ ~


  ©¿©  It don't mean a thang,   


  mm   if it ain't got that twang.


       www.ntsga.com

VERNON PRIDDY · From: ELIZABETHTOWN; KY. USA

When I Was Yonger I Could Whistle Any Tune But My Plate Took Care Of That. SONNY.

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SONNYPRIDDY

Leonard G. Robertson · From: Ozark, Mo. USA

I hear Billy Walker on the Opry whisteling an intro himself each time he sings Charlie's Shoes.