[Harp-L] Re: Sonny Terry

[tom ball <havaball@xxxxxxx>]

Hi Gary,

Nice to hear from you and glad that all is well!

You are truly a lucky man to have worked so closely with Son for all 
those years -- I'm envious.  The only words he ever said to me were, 
"This whiskey tastes like sh*t!" one night when I poured him a shot 
of (an admittedly lousy) bourbon at the Ash Grove. <g>

Thanks for reconfirming his non-use of TB per se, and for also 
pointing out once again his exceptional talent and showmanship... the 
man was an American treasure, and there's a reason he's the only 
harpist (or at least the only one I can think of?) ever to have been 
immortalized on a US Postage Stamp.

Best of luck to you and don't be such a stranger to the list?  Your 
input is always valued,

TB


> Hi Tom and the rest, I usually stay out of this, but I am still alive and
> lived two years and played 6 harp duets with Sonny Terry every night 
> in the late 70's, even at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach. While he 
> incorporated one
> dominant note when playing two notes instead of a single note, in his later
> years when I was with him he did not teach me any TB, however in his 
> very  early recordings, like with Blind Boy Fuller, there are some 
> phrasings where he was chording, but not tongue blocking per say. 
> Nicholas, just because the man is not alive doesn't mean you pass 
> him over like he never existed. He left an indelible mark and 
> created history, and to play his music correctly is one of the most 
> challenging styles ever, Tom will attest to that. I saw a 65 year 
> old man with terrible arthritis come alive every night and take an 
> audience in his hands no matter how bad he felt. When it was 
> showtime, he lit up.  Nicholas, I believe you know my friend Guy in 
> Belgium, good luck over there.  Sonny took me under his wing when I 
> was 21 years old, and was the greatest  person in my life, he did 
> everything he said he would do job wise, teaching  wise, he was just 
> a great man. Ornery as hell, but you try living blind and  being 
> black in the 30's on up.