I became friends with a fellow worker when we were both doing contract work for G.E. Nuclear in Wilmington, N.C. He was related to a famous folk singer, one who was considered to be the godfather of the 50's folk revival movement, Woody Guthrie. Probably his most famous recording was "This Land Is Your Land".
Why did I think about him today? Well, it was on October 3rd in 1967 that Woody past away. My friend, Mike, used to come to my place and while he was there, he loved to play my guitar. You see, I had an Ovation and he just loved to play it.
BTW, I still have that old guitar and it still sounds great. Of course it sounded a lot better when Mike played it. Not only that, since it has an aluminum neck, the neck is just as straight as it was when it was made in 1960. You used to see a lot of singing stars playing Ovation guitars on TV. Mine, the ultra deep dish, was made for only one year, as far as my research shows.
If anybody out there, after reading this blog, knows the whereabouts of Mike Guthrie let me know or tell him to get in touch with me. I sure would enjoy getting to talk to him again. BTW, I did mention Mike in a previous blog back on Valentines Day in 2011. In case you are interested, here is a link to that blog posting: http://dizzydick.blogspot.com/2011/02/fretting-over-guitar-stands.html
Since then, I have learned to play it as it is and I don't have any problems with it. I do have another guitar which I posted about here:
http://dizzydick.blogspot.com/2014/08/wondering-about-guitar.html
OK, enjoy whatever music you like and just make sure that you all have a great day, you hear?
Woody put out some great ones. That's a fine guitar you have there Dizzy. Good luck finding your friend.
ReplyDeleteI like both of my guitars and play both. I always try to do a little picking each day, even if it is only for a couple of minutes.
DeleteNeither Bill nor I are musically talented... we do good to tune in the radio, But I do have several Chet Atkins CDs... as well as Carlos Montoya and other classical guitar music. Hope you get in touch with your friend... sounds like it would be a great reunion.
ReplyDeleteI never took a lesson and to become a classical guitarist you would have to go to a conservatory for quite awhile. I just pick good old county and hill-bily music.
DeleteDon't get me wrong - I love Woody Guthrie and his son Arlo Guthrie, but something makes me cringe when I hear "This land is Your Land..." I actually believe the land belonged to the natives we found here and treated in a criminal manner. I could never sing this song myself.
ReplyDeleteHistory is a long line of one people displacing another. Usually they were killed off or enslaved & later assimilated.
DeleteGypsy, I had heard of them and I assume that I have heard some of their recordings, but I don't remember any of their songs except "This Land". I was friends with Mike Guthrie.
DeleteRob, Ever since man walked this world he has been displacing floral and fauna and other humans.
DeleteThat doesn't make it right.
DeleteNo it doesn't, Gypsy.
DeleteI had to have the neck of my last guitar straightened due to storing it while it was tuned. Now, I keep the strings loose. I always preferred to listen to Arlo Guthrie, probably due to watching the movie ALICE'S RESTAURANT. I recently had the chance to watch it again, and after 1 minutes, gagged and turned it off. SO silly. And I used to think (in the 60's) that it was groovy. lol Good luck finding your friend. Have you tried Facebook?
ReplyDeleteSince I pick mine almost every day, I keep them strung and in tune. They are ready to go, waiting for me to reach over and pick one of them up.
DeleteLoved a lot of Arlo.
ReplyDeleteLike I said above, I am sure I have heard their recordings but don't remember much of them.
DeleteThere is a Mike Guthrie that is an Engineer at Valspar in High Point, North Carolina (Greensboro/Winston-Salem, North Carolina Area). He is too young to be your friend but could be a son.
ReplyDeleteYes, I found that fellow when I was searching the Internet for the Mike I knew. It has been so long I probably wouldn't recognize him if he knocked on my door.
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