Re: [Harp-L] Bob Dylan Signature Harmonica Gripe

[Joe and Cass Leone <leone@xxxxxxxx>]

On Sep 8, 2008, at 5:49 PM, Cara Cooke wrote:

> FYI: Like Andy Griffith, Steve Martin and Jack Benny actually play/ 
> played.
> It is/was the perception they create(d) as comedians that would  
> make it
> ludicrous to market a special instrument with their name attached  
> -- unless,
> of course, the instrument itself was ludicrous.
I have to agree with Cara on this. When I was 10 (1952), the only  
harmonica players I knew about were:
1... The Harmonica Rascals of Borrah Minevitch.  Because of the short  
subjects that one would see at the cinema.
2... Blackie Schackner.  Whom I saw at a stage show at New York's  
Roxy theater.

By age 20 (1962) I added:
1... The Harmonicats
2... Rice Miller
3... Lazy Lester
4... Wilhelmina Mae Thornton
5... L'il Walt
6... Sonny Terry
7... Paul Butterfield
8... Stevie Wonder

By age 30 (1972) I added
1... Charley McCoy (T.V.s Hee Haw)
2... Richard Hayman
3... Toots Thielemans (kids watched Sesame St.)
4... Jr. Wells

By age 40 (1982) I added
?
By age 50 (1992) I added
Most of the people we talk about today.

What's my point? Well, I think I am like most people in that I hadn't  
heard about most harmonica players till I was already too old to  
care. I think the general public wouldn't be able to name a half  
dozen players if they tried, BUT names like Dylan, Lewis, Popper,  
Young, and like that WILL occasionally pop up.

As for naming a harp after a particular player. I (personally) think  
it's silly. What the manufacturers SHOULD have done (all along) was  
to make a 'Premium' models. That way, there would be a market for  
them. You could say "I just bought a Suzuki model #3  
Excelsior...ain't she a beauty?"

smo-joe