Re: Subject: [Harp-L] possible usefulness of natural minor harmonicas

["Cara Cooke" <cyberharp@xxxxxxxxx>]

If I knew Mr. McCoy better, I might be able to, but I have only met him a
few times.  He seems like a nice fellow and is certainly a fine
multi-instrumentalist, but I doubt he even remembers who I am.

This question is best put to Tulsa Read.  He and Charlie McCoy are friends.
Tulsa is why Charlie joined us at SPAH last year.

We will have someone with us at SPAH who has a lot of similar experience to
Charlie McCoy -- a former Nashville player named Lonnie Joe Howell.  Lonnie
is now running several operations out of the little Texas town of Levelland,
where the school that runs Camp Bluegrass and the
Country and Bluegrass Music Degree program is located.  Lonnie is a friend
of mine and I am looking forward to enjoying him and his talents at SPAH for
a week.  I expect that you will enjoy him, too.  He is also a very fine
fellow and a fine multi-instrumentalist.

Again, thanks to Tulsa Read for putting all of this together every year.

Cara

On 6/28/06, EGS1217@xxxxxxx <EGS1217@xxxxxxx> wrote:
>      Cara Cooke writes: (excerpted)
>
> "Ashokan Farewell:  Plays fine in 1st position on a C major diatonic with
> one
> bend on hole 3 to get an A, but has an important Bb in the second part
> that
> ends up being a 6 overblow.  On the Am (natural) harmonica, the Bb is
> available as a bend.  Hmmm… So if I play this tune in C major on an Am
> (natural) harmonica in 6th position (to get the C major scale), I can play
> the tune with a bend on 2 to get a G, a bend on 3 to get a B, and a bend
> on
> 6 to get the Bb.  Now I don't need an overblow to play all the notes in
> the
> song.  I just need a natural harmonica that can produce the correct major
> key.  (Since this tune is most often played in D major, a Bm (natural)
> harmonica would produce the correct major key.)"
>
> ......wow, Cara.  Thank you!  I'm nuts about this tune...and have wanted
> to figure it out for so long....I have it on a compilation CD and just
> couldn't get the key.  I love the way you explain and lay everything
> out....you're an incredibly calm and patient teacher.  I'm so happy you'll
> be at SPAH.  Looking forward to meeting up with you again...y'think maybe
> you could persuade Mr. McCoy to hitch a ride with you?   - That'd sure be
> the icing on the cake.   <G>
>
> Elizabeth