RE: [Harp-L] Charlie Musselwhite

["Tom McGovern" <tmcg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Rupert,
Thanks for sharing your Charlie Musselwhite experience, and thoughtful
comments, with us.  Man, it must have been a real pleasure!  Those of us
that have had the pleasure of hearing you play or jamming with you
certainly know that you have got some great chops, but to play on stage
with the legendary 2008 Harmonica Player of the Year really is something
to drink in and enjoy for a looong time.  Bet that Rupert smile ain't
leaving your face any time soon!

Tom McGovern
Richmond, MI

-----Original Message-----
From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Rupert Oysler
Sent: Monday, April 20, 2009 7:52 PM
To: harp-l
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Charlie Musselwhite

Man, we were so, so lucky to have Charlie in NC!!  It was an "add-on" 
date to his current tour, as he was driving from the Northeast to get to

Mississippi (as he says : "you have to stay busy... or the road will eat

you up...")...and what a thrill, an honor, and a dream-come-true that he

invited me to play a song with him. It has been amazing to get to know 
Charlie, but to actually stand next to him on stage and trade licks is 
just beyond description for me.

I also want to thank the generous builders of Megatone amps 
(http://www.megatoneamps.com/) for bringing, setting-up and dialing-in 
their terrific amp for me to play through.

Charlie was off down the road early this morning, headed for the Delta 
Blues Museum in Clarksdale, MS, where he will be honored (and playing!) 
at his reception as "Charlie Musselwhite: Citizen of the World", and the

opening of a new permanent exhibit about his life and music: 
http://www.deltabluesmuseum.org/high/news-charlie_musselwhite.asp

...and then on to Kosciusko where the will unveil his Blues Trail 
Marker: http://www.highway61radio.com/?p=1652

I have often thought how wonderful it is that Charlie is with us, still 
rolling down that highway, he and his road-tired bandmates hoisting 
their amps out of the back of that simple van, setting up to "kick these

blues around" yet another time...still here in the present: living, 
breathing, giving us such a gift of his presence, while also being a 
storehouse of information and relationships in the very creation of 
modern blues.

In a world so rife with dissipation and early self destruction Charlie 
stands as a beacon, an example, and a friend to all of us who love the 
harmonica, and the music it makes.

Rupert Oysler
www.seydelusa.com