Re: One-time harp students

["James Thurgood" <thurgood@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2003 16:41:29 -0000
> From: "Winslow Yerxa" <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Fwd:  RE: One-time harp students
>
> I've heard that story, but it was Little Walter. Little Walter was
> the scrappy one - that's what got him killed. Big Walter, from
> Madcat's account (included in his interview in HIP No. 5), was a
> mysterious and diffident teacher. He'd demonstrate something, Madcat
> would attempt to play it back, and Walter would day, "Not like that!"
> and show him again. But he never explained anything. The lesson ended
> when Walter finished the fifth of whiskey that Madcat brought him.
>
> Winslow

A "fifth" must have been the going rate.  I read an interview with Jr Wells
(which I mentioned on one of these lists a while back, in relation to cheap
harps)
in which he describes his one-time lesson from SBWII.  According to Jr
Wells,
after Sonny Boy stomped on Jr's "American Ace", he sent Jr to buy a fifth as
the price
of a lesson.  Jr was just a little kid at this time.  When Jr returned with
the fifth,
Sonny Boy whipped off a lick on the harp, then told Jr to try it.  Jr
couldn't get it,
and Sonny Boy told him he'd never be able to play the harp because he was
"too
dumb".  Then Sonny Boy took out a knife and threatened to cut Jr's throat if
he didn't
get out of his sight.  End of lesson.  (I guess not everybody's cut out to
be a teacher!)

- - thurg