Ernest Cawby
From:
Lake City, Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 13 Jan 2010 10:16 pm |
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I have played some kind of music all my life.When in the first grade in school in Lake city in 1937, you could play in the band from the first grade, I went to the band hall all thrilled and ready to see my dream come true to be another TOMMY DORSEY on trombone. The band director gave me a horn aand said hit the 7th position, mu litle arm was not long enough, he asked what other one I wished to play, none I want to play trombone, you can't reach out far enough. My heart was set on trombone, so I left devestated,. I would wait till I was big enough. That band director never told me I could play the rest of my life and never have to play the 7th position it is like a cromatic note you can play almost anything without hitting the 7th position, shame on him.
After this tragidy I begin hearing Eddie Arnold, there was a sound that was so good, Little Roy wiggins. While waiting to be big enough for my dream I cound still make music, never knowing where this Trombone would eventually take, me, A new route would take me. 3 years high school Band, 7 yrars Military Band, 15 years playing in a 50 peice band in church in Lake city Fl.
But this trombone thing would have to take a back seat for a while.
I bugged my Dad, and even tho money was very tight he found a way to buy me a Harmony Flat top guitar we put a bridge under the nut, and I had one I could play.
Nan entered the picture, at school one day they called us to go to the autotourium, there was a bunch of kids on the stage with guitars in their laps and thing around their necks, they put on a show. I did not know Nan was one of them till years later.
Marion Chaffin owner of the American Guitar studio
where Nan had been taking lessons a year before I started, called on me and asked if I wanted to take lessons? we found enough money for me to start.
Some of my lesson pages were printed in the 1930's. they are now yellow and crumblie.After taking for about 8 weeks I could join the Saturday groupe where all the students came together and all play. I only had learned abut 6 songs by then and that was all I could play, after that I would just sit and listen.
June that year it SNOWED 1" in downtown Montgomery,
we were on the second floor, looking out the window yuou could see the roof of the building next door, another mean boy and I went out the window and made snow balls, well after making them we had nothing to do with them, Lolita Clark, that married Hank williams lead guitar player, and NAN came looked out the window, NOW we had something to do with the snow balls, NAN had very Pretty long red hair she looked even prittier with snow in it, you guessed it i hit here square with the snow balls, this was how we met, I had never noticed her before she had snow in her hair.
ahe forgave me for we spent the entire Saturday together, with Lolitta trying to get between us. After this we were never seperated, I was at her house ever weekend, If her dad needed something done I was Johnny on the spot, Her brother was lazy about working at home this left a opening for me to move in, I cut the grass, help him drill a well by hand, "thats work", his yard was 3 acres with 21 pecan trees,yes I helped pick up pecans. And cut the grass for 2 years with a push mower, that is love.
All of this was brought about because I started playing a steel guitar, it also took me years to get as good as NAN. she went thru all the music they had and had to put her in the Ouwhu Courses, she tokk 2 years of that, between the 2 of us we have a lot of old music that I cannot play today. A lot of patriot songs, jazz tunes. I can't touch them today, but played them back than. When we were at the Alabama show last year accross the street where we went to the Ball, it dawned on me that NAN had been part of the group that played the opening act for Hank williams when he came to town and also other country acts.
At dnces I did Smoke Gets I Your Eyes, Sunny Side Of the Street, Coco Nut Grove,
We bought an accordian before Becky was born, and she tought herself that by knowing music, when Becky got to big and NAN could not reach the keyboard any more she had to put it down. With 3 chrildren no more time for music. Not long ago I move a family for free and she gave me a fiddle, NAN carried it to a professional in Gainsville and found out it was worth $2,000.00, so she took fiddle lessons, and now can play a fiddle when she wants to.
Becky our youngest played piano in chuirch, and I bought her a Professional clarinet in high school, Belinda can play several instruments, Wade her oldest son Plays trumpet in church,Kethen plays Sax in church, Vanessa had a Schoolership at 2 colledges before her death, MY son Ernie 3rd, played Trombone in school, his wife Plays keyboard for Quartets in Pensacola, their son Jason played trombone, His brother plays, Drums , guitar, fiddle all very well.
Poor Becky will never have any off springs she adopted a Toy Poodle. My baby waited till she was over 40 to get hitched.
MUSIC HAS BEEN OUR LIFE, and still is, they support my humble efforts with sll they have, I am very fortunate to have the family I have I think God every day, for family and friends.
This forum means so much to us and the people we have met thru it and playing music, we all love you all dearly, even some we have not met yet. |
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