Re: [Harp-L] Reminder: Musselwhite & Ben Harper on Tonite Show tonite (1/22)

[tacopescado@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Charlie Musselwhite turns 69 a week from tomorrow and still has the  
the chops. One of my heroes! In the 70's, among several other harp  
players including our own Madcat, he was an inspiration and a mentor  
via his early LP's (especially the Arhoolie's with Robin Ford et. al.  
-  still have them). I had the fortune of meeting him in the late 80's  
at a gig of his in Cedar Rancid, Iowa when I was on break as the  
onstage, in-costume harmonica player for the National tour of the  
musical Big River that Roger Miller wrote all of the music to. The  
late Don Brooks played in the original Broadway show (I believe he was  
a friend of Rob P's). Big River was an eye opener for me both as a  
musician and a harmonica player.

I digress, so back to Charlie - it seemed at the time, there were  
problems with his intonation on the Arhoolie's. Due to his appearance  
on Lettermen, I'm guessing he's now playing custom harps ala Filisko,  
Sleigh or ??? I recently received some Joe Spiers harps and they are  
the sh*t. Things I've been trying to do for decades are effortless. It  
hasn't been my technique, it's been the harps that I've been playing.  
You can invest in the "best" amp and the "best" mic but if the harp  
ain't right, it "Just Ain't Right."