just had my best musical occurance. I feel so great right now.

[kevbuch]

I'm a painfully shy person and I live at a campground. I introduced myself to a family of campers next to my campsite and they've heard me playing my mandolin. They asked me to come play for them an they loved it. They have a little girl and she asked to play it but her parents wouldn't let her. I could tell she was almost on the verge of crying. Then I remembered how I have my ukulele that I don't play anymore. I've been planning on taking it to a bluegrass festival to give to a kid, but this seemed like a perfect opportunity. I got it and gave it to her. She was soooo happy ^-^ best thing about it is that the girl(couldn't be older than 5) seems to be a natural. I gave her a chord sheet with it and she immediately understood how to read it. In about 20 minutes she was better at the uke than I was after a couple days. She played very simple backup for my mandolin for a few songs. She gave me a hug and my heart just melted. I feel just plain amazing. Warm and fuzzy feeling inside. I'm just so happy that I had to share. I know what I want to do now. I want to play for children! I've never feel this way before.

[Michael Bridges]

Awesome story! Good for you. You not only made that little girl happy, you felt the power of that joy being returned to you. This story made what had been a lousy day for me turn around, I now have a grin on my face! Thanks for sharing.

[belbein]

Kudos, Kevbuch. What a nice gesture on your part. You may just have changed that girl's life.

[Dougtron 3030]

Great story! Thanks for sharing

[kevbuch]

They're going to be camping here for a month. I'm hoping they will let me give her some simple lessons. I was considering giving her my mandolin when I get my new one, but I think she like the uke more. Maybe I will donate my mandolin to an older child or maybe give it to my old school. I know I should keep it as a backup, but still...

[kevbuch]

They invited me over for barbeque. Never been invited over for a meal before by somebody who wasn't family. I am going to give the mom some lessons so she can teach her daughter. She offered to pay me but I refused. They want to keep in touch even after they're done camping ^o^

[Dave Weiss]

Life is good...

[kevbuch]

Life is good...

So true :)

[Eric Hanson]

Life is a beautiful thing when we find the value of sharing what we find important.

It is so great to hear that you were able to have this wonderful experience.

May it be the first of a long stream of experiences that give you great joy!

[Ivan Kelsall]

A lovely story Kev & an even more lovely gesture. The Uke is definitely a far better instrument for a young child.It's easier to fret the strings,it's a more simple instrument to learn,just to strum chords on it,& the progress that she'll make quite quickly should give her the confidence to maybe take up 'another' instrument when she's a bit older. It was learning how to 'strum' chords on a Uke back when i was 17 years old,that gave me the confidence to take up banjo. As Belbein says,you just might have changed her life,& in a great way too,
Ivan;)

[Dagger Gordon]

Kudos, Kevbuch. What a nice gesture on your part. You may just have changed that girl's life.

And I think you might have changed your own.

[Paul Busman]

Wonderful story! That girl will remember you for the rest of her life. If by chance you're going to stay in touch with these people, be sure to get a picture of you and the girl playing together.

[Bertram Henze]

Kudos, Kevbuch. What a nice gesture on your part. You may just have changed that girl's life.
And I think you might have changed your own.

Yes. Can't do one without the other.

[hank]

I don't know, it all sounded pretty wonderful until Ivan pointed out that youthful strumming on a ukulele can later lead to a life of banjo playing. :whistling:

[Randi Gormley]

I noticed that, too about Ivan's post! However, good on ya, Kev.

[Pasha Alden]

That's fantastic Kev. Music can be such a platform and it is powerful that it changes the lives of so many. Life is great.

[Rodney Riley]

:) Beautiful. Hard to tell which is the angel in this chance encounter....

[Dan Margolis]

Nice!

[Caleb]

This is the kind of stuff that should be on the nightly news. If so I would start watching it.

[AlanN]

I think you made everybody's day (and not just the camper family's), but ours...

[Steve Ostrander]

That was a really nice thing to do. That's the magic and the power of music and she'll have it for the rest of her life.

[Denny Gies]

Way to pay it forward. She may grow up to be the next Rhonda Vincent.

[DataNick]

Welll done Kev!

[Mike Steadfast-Ward]

Brilliant well done KeV.

[Bill Baldridge]

Great story, and also great to read the warm responses. Sometimes, life is good.

[Bill Clements]

Good for you, Kev!
You've gotten back far more than the value of the uke.

[Gary Ivory]

Great story. Wow! Thanks for sharing.
Gary

[Pasha Alden]

At Rodney Rily: and the angels instrument?

[Traveling Tracks]

Very nice of you.....great story.

[TheBlindBard]

Kev, man, I've gotta say, I'm just waking up, and that made my day reading that. Definately keep in touch with the family. Making friends is always something awesome and playing music with other people is beautiful. Sharing something you love and find beauty in with other people is amazing.
Darn it:P my heart. That is bringing tears of happyness and a big grin to my face. Good job, man, good job.
You're a good man.

[johnmarkva]

So far people at campgrounds have been very "supportive" of hearing me playing mandolin even in the days when I was a rank beginner. I'm sure some people can't wait for me to put the thing away, but many go out of their way to stop by and say something kind. Also a great thing when you have someone else nearby that plays an instrument and you can jam a bit. I also have hung out at our local farmers market and played. I keep a kid friendly percussion egg shaker with me and invite them to play along on a song. Most are game and it really lights up their faces and their parents. Hard to not make you feel really good inside as well. In some cases you can give them the shaker for a bonus feel good for all.

[James Rankine]

It's a great thing to have an experience like this which could change someone's life through the power of music. I was playing with the ceilidh band one night, warming up running through a tune after we had set up and before things began. A little girl of about 4 walked all the way across the dance floor and stood in front of the stage staring up at us transfixed. When we had finished she said "that's beautiful". We Brits don't do outward shows of emotion so we jokingly wiped our eyes to cover the embarrassment of our real tears. It struck me this was probably her first exposure to live music and I was glad it was a happy one.

[David Rambo]

Kev, this story has just made my day! We talk about how to get kids interested in music and musical instruments, and you have lead us by example. The best time to start a child is when they show a real interest. Luckily, you had an instrument available to share. If we only could somehow see that youngster 25 years down the road. Because of you, a star may have been born. Thank you.

[Rodney Riley]

At Rodney Rily: and the angels instrument?
Well Psalms 33:2-3. Says; "Praise the Lord with the harp;
make music to him on the ten- stringed lyre.
Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully, and shout for joy."

Looks like angel instruments are the harp and 10 stringed lyre.
So when we get to heaven, may have to add some strings :•)

[Elliot Luber]

The greatest rewards are not monetary. Thanks for 'playing' it forward.

[Bertram Henze]

10 stringed lyre.

It's called "cittern" ;)

[Skip Kelley]

Kev, what a great act of kindness and compassion! The world would be a better place if there were more people like you! Thanks for making my day!!!

[kevbuch]

Hehehe. :redface: so many compliments. An angel? Really embarrassed. Thanks guys ^-^ I visited them again today. Being careful to not wear out my welcome. I got my grandpa to make them his famous bread pudding. They're from Alaska. Is their any good, beginner songs about Alaska?

[kevbuch]

What do the stars next to my topic mean? :confused:

[Rodney Riley]

North to Alaska by Johnny Horton is the only Alaska song I know :))

[Dave Weiss]

look up Hobo Jim on you tube...

[kevbuch]

North to Alaska by Johnny Horton is the only Alaska song I know :))

I love that song. Do you know the tabs? :grin:

[OU1]

You paid it forward, nice job! I hope you hang on to that feeling and do it again someday......

[Michael Bridges]

Kev, you said you'd like to get into playing music for kids. During the recent ice storm here in the deep south, particularly in Ga. and Alabama, there were hundreds of kids who had to spend the night stuck at school. There is a gentleman in this area who performs for kids, does concerts, CD's, etc. To help keep these trapped school children entertained, he set up Skype concerts to the schools. All the teachers there said it was a huge help! Bet if you google "Skype concert for school kids in ice storm" or similar, you could find his website. Might be a good source for ideas. Good luck to ya, hope it works out in a big way! Anything you do to help a kid is a double blessing. Edit: I found his FB page:https://www.facebook.com/RogerDayMusic