Re: [Harp-L] My Rick Dempster story

[Rick Dempster <rickdempster33@xxxxxxxxx>]

My ears are burning, Tony!
Cheers cobber!
RD


On 23 March 2014 11:35, Tony Eyers <tony@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> In the late '70s I was in the USA. I knew Jim Fitting, he started me on
> harmonica. Early 80's I was back in Adelaide, Australia. An over confident
> youngster, I  though myself much better than I was.
>
> Then I met Rick Dempster.
>
> It was on the ramp at Adelaide train station. An ideal busking spot. Rick
> was there with a fellow band member, in town for some gigs. We got talking.
> He played me a fiddle tune, Eighth of January. I'd never heard anything
> like it, and remember it to this day.
>
> Rick went back to Melbourne, a few years later I moved to Sydney. I'd
> tried fiddle tunes about the time I met RIck, perhaps inspired by him. Too
> hard. I gave up and played blues.
>
> Forward to the mid 90's. I had kids, couldn't run a blues band any more.
> Wasn't playing, wasn't happy. Then I went to a bluegrass festival.
> Different scene. You jam all day, without fussing about gigs, bar managers.
> I loved it. Still do.
>
> I began a mission to learn the bluegrass fiddle tunes, and play them well.
> Wasn't sure it could be done. Then I heard Brendan Power play "Drunken
> Landlady", via a scratchy, low fi, circa '90s mp3 download. Fired up, I
> kept at it.
>
> I never forgot Rick though.
>
> Early 2000's, I was getting the hand of it. Went done to Melbourne for a
> job. Found Rick online, emailed him. He had a group harmonica class,
> invited me along. At the end I introduced myself, explained how we had met
> 20 years earlier, asked if he would play Eighth of January with me. He did.
> One of my great music moments.
>
> Living in different cities, I see Rick every year of so, at a gig or
> festival. He's a traditional player, and has closely studied pre war
> styles. A true enthusiast, full of insight. Also a fine steel guitar
> player. I've seen his blues band a couple of times, The Brunswick Straight
> Shooters (I think). Don't know if they're still going. Not flashy, great to
> listen to.
>
> Rick is a regular on harp-l. A modest guy, I suspect many don't know how
> good he is. His recent YouTubes will change that. It would be great if he
> made it to SPAH one day. Even better if he met Trip Henderson...
>
> Tony Eyers
> Australia
> www.HarmonicaAcademy.com
> ...everyone plays
>