What was you first musical moment

[Rick Schmidlin]

Mine:

AM:Tell Laura I Love Her

FM: A complete Canned Heat record

LP. The Micky Mouse Club,(Love the song: Boys Of The Western Sea, now overlook the real Western Sea

First Live Show: Jerry Mendelson Organ Music at a resturaunt in N.J. (maybe 11th or 12th Birthday)

First 45: Time is On My Side,The Rolling Stones

First Concert:Johnny Cash: Boy Named Sue Tour

[Ken Olmstead]

My dad used to play Simon and Garfunky and Sly and the Family Stone on his stereo, which I thought was pretty cool. In my room I had a small record player and one 45: Wings "With a Little Luck," which I played a thousand times! Those are my earliest recollections of music that I connected with. Thanks for bringing back a few memories this am! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Dena Haselwander]

Stone's Rag

My grandfather would put me on his lap and play it for me on the fiddle.


Dena

[Jim MacDaniel]

My earliest memory of listening to music at home: Peter and the Wolf (I remembered being especially fascinated with the roles play by the reeds: the Duck, Cat, and Grandfather)

First memory of a live music experience: Swan Lake (instead of watching the dancers, I remember focusing on the Orchestra in the pit, the conductor, and their music)

My earliest memory of someone playing a specific tune at home: Little Brown Jug (on guitar)

First song I remember playing on an instrument: Little Brown Jug (on the uke)

The first LP I ever purchased: Mountain's "Mountain Climbing", with Mississippi Queen (1969)

The first song I played in my first garage band: Smoke on the Water (c.1975, on a cheapie no-name ear-fatiguing electric organ)

My first rock concert: The Eagles, with Dan Fogelberg (Indianapolis, 1976)

The first time the mandolin grabbed my attention: watching a late-night TV concert show one weekend in the late 70's, I saw a live performance by David Grisman and his group, and was totally transfixed for the entire hour (but being a 70's rocker/stoner, that was not enough to inspire me to quit playing keyboards and bass in garage bands, and #to switch to mandolin ;)...

...and jump forward to the tipping point: hearing Iain Macleod's mandolin work on Shooglenifty's "A Whisky Kiss", led me to ask for -- and receive -- my first mandolin for Xmas 2000, and a new obsession was born.

[Jack Roberts]

The first song I ever remember singing was "Home on the Range" #I was 4 and my father came down to our bedroom (we were 3 boys living in a basement bedroom) and he taught us this song. I remember the words "Where dear Auntie Cantolope play." #Still one of my favorites.

I loved the way the guy ended "The Boys of the Western Sea" singing lower and lower, but my first record was Benjamin Britten's Young Persons Guide to the Orchestra, on one side and Peter and the Wolf on the other. #I played the grooves off that one.

My first instrument was the kazoo, followed by the jaws harp and the slide whistle and a thing that you put over your mouth and nose, and blew through you nose but changed the shape of your mouth the make the notes. #Anybody else remember that?

[Nick Alberty]

Probably one that sticks out is.........having an 8-track tape of "Stars Of The Grand Ole Opry". I used to wear that tape out listening to Granpa Jones, Stringbean, Bill Monroe, etc. Of course you had to listen to pretty much the whole tape back then with 8-tracks.

Another memory is going to square dances with my parents and sometimes they had a live band........great stuff.

Then of course were the trips to Silver Dollar City and hearing bluegrass there alot.

[Mike Snyder]

The theme to "The Woody Woodpecker Show" on TV. And now I can't get it out of my head, thank you very much.

[Keith Erickson]

Johnny Cash- Live from Folsom Prison...

...and Dad Thank you so much for giving me your album that we listened together 35+ years ago. It brings back so many memories http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/coffee.gif

[Jim MacDaniel]

The theme to "The Woody Woodpecker Show" on TV. And now I can't get it out of my head, thank you very much.
Nor I, thanks to your post! #(Which is now competing with another highly infectious ear-worm for control of my mind and soul: It's a Small World After All...)

[Elliot Luber]

I can say with some certainty that it must have been the late Freddie Tavarez's opening glissando on slide guitar in the Bugs Bunny theme song. Freddie went on the design the stratocaster with Leo.

[mandopluker]

...when I learned my ABC's http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif ...maybe it was Happy Birthday while washing my hands http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Dena Haselwander]

The theme to "The Woody Woodpecker Show" on TV. And now I can't get it out of my head, thank you very much.
Nor I, thanks to your post! #(Which is now competing with another highly infectious ear-worm for control of my mind and soul: It's a Small World After All...
I'll save us all:


Come listen to a story 'bout a man named Jed..."


Dena

[tree]

my first record was Benjamin Britten's Young Persons Guide to the Orchestra, on one side and Peter and the Wolf on the other. #I played the grooves off that one.
Hey, I think we had that one at our house, too!

I grew up with 3 older sisters, so even as a preschooler in 1964 I remember the Beatles on Ed Sullivan. #My mom was choir director in the small church where I grew up, and she played lots of different kinds of music in our house, from hymns and anthems on the piano to jazz and show tunes on the record player. #As a result, I grew to love lots of different kinds of music.

The moment I knew I had to learn to play some instrument with strings on it occurred when I saw John Hartford playing banjo on the Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour. #I wanted to know how to do what he did. (When I get it figured out I'll let you know.)

[Mattg]

It's hard to remember 1st because music was always around when I was young. I thought that singing "this land is your land.." in the 2nd grade had quite an impact. (Thanks Pete!)

I also remember goofing on the electric organ when I was about 4. I was having trouble improvising then too.

There were dozens of things though, my older sister's record collection, He Haw, Porter Wagner, Glen Campbell, Snoopy and the Red Baron.

In contrast though, I think of how fortunate my kids are. With all things like my playing songs at home, our CD collection (played on road trips), MTV, and the internet (ITunes, Youtube, Rhapsody, etc.) my kids have heard 100 times the songs that I had at the same age. They have probably heard 10 times as many genres that I had as well.

[Jack Roberts]

... a thing that you put over your mouth and nose, and blew through you nose but changed the shape of your mouth the make the notes. #Anybody else remember that?
O.K., I've got to get back to work now. The thingy is called a nose flute, and I had so much fun with it.

I remembered the other song my father taught me after "Home on the Range" It was "Deep in the Heart of Texas". He was born in Berekely and raised in Seattle, and we were living in Fullerton at the time, so I don't know why he liked those old cowboy tunes. But the day he taught me those songs still remains in my mind after 50 years as one of the happiest days in my life.

[Gutbucket]

My dad playing his old silver trumpet for us kids. He was heavily into Louie Armstrong and Dizzy Gilespie. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[chordbanger]

My mother playing the Beer Barrel Polka on the piano in the living room.

[fatt-dad]

I think it was Burl Ives playing the Itsey Bitsy Spider or some other such tune. I can remember being no more then 3 years old and having that vinyl and dropping the needle on the record. I think I could pick out the song I was looking for. We also had some other 45-sized kid records of Disney music. All that said, the first tune I likely ever sang was likely Jesus Loves Me.

f-d

[Rick Schmidlin]

I think it was Burl Ives playing the Itsey Bitsy Spider or some other such tune. I can remember being no more then 3 years old and having that vinyl and dropping the needle on the record. I think I could pick out the song I was looking for. We also had some other 45-sized kid records of Disney music. All that said, the first tune I likely ever sang was likely Jesus Loves Me.

f-d
I think Jesus Love Me was my first song too.

Another first was when I took drum lessons for a short time in 66 at Robbies Music on Main Street in Hackensack,NJ.Then switched to guitar and another shop in Hackensack in 67. By the end of that summer it was over untill Fall 2001. But now looking at my music books I was doing better then I thought and should have continued. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

[Mr. Loar]

The local radio station used to play "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" everyday at the same time. I used to love that song. I might have been seven or eight at the time.

[billkilpatrick]

"oh the lord is good to me" - from disney's 78rpm album of "johnny appleseed" (my grandparents were churchy.)

"i'm going to get you on a slow boat to china" - in checking wikipedia i see that kay kyser did that.

"down by the station" - sung by my parents at my request, over and over and over again ... "itsy bitzy spider" was a crib-biggie as well.

[Rick Crenshaw]

Not counting the songs my mother, dad, and grandfather sang to me (Old Dan Tucker, Who's My Turtledove, I Went to the Animal Fair, Ain't She Sweet, etc.) and beyond Capt. Kangaroo (There's a Hole in the Middle of the Ground, Itsy Bitsy Spider), I'd have to say that my first 'radio play' song that I can recall was the beginning of the British Invasion and the Beatles' "I Want To Hold Your Hand". #Wish I still had the Beatle wig I was given on my 7th or 8th birthday. #Wonder what that would go for now.:p

[Dave Harbst]

My dad playing his mandolin, harmonica, tenor banjo, guitar & the old upright piano we had at home. I was just old enough to be able to remember it, so I must have been 3 or 4, I guess. I was too young to know the names of the tunes, but later in life learned that they were tunes like "Golden Slippers", "Comin' 'Round The Mountain", "Pop Goes The Weasel", etc.(bunch of old-time fiddle tunes). He also played and sang familiar old hymns. What great seeds to be planted in my young brain! My dad has passed away(4 yrs ago), but I still hear the music, just like he's still here.

[Patrick Sylvest]

My Mom and Dad singing to me as a newborn.

[J.Albert]

I can remember hearing the Kingston Trio's "MTA" on the AM radio, I'm going to guess about 1960?

I also remember "My Fair Lady" on one of the first LP's my parents bought, again in the late 50's. And another with some cowboy music - "Cool Water" was on it.

My mom told me that I used to like to sing "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" as a kid, but I don't remember that.....

I can recall a time when stereo was first introduced. There was a TV show that had a demonstration of what this new-fangled concept of "stereo" music would be like. Of course there were no stereo tv's then (not even _color_ tv's!), but you had to turn on the AM radio, tune it to a certain station, and place it several feet from the television. The tv show played one "side", and the radio played the other!

- John

[Rick Schmidlin]

The local radio station used to play "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" everyday at the same time. I used to love that song. I might have been seven or eight at the time.
That is the song I am working on today, a fav Pete Seeger of mine since the summer of 68' http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Pheasant Plucker]

I remember my parents taking me to the movies "Paint your Wagon" and "The Sound of Music". My mom told me that she'd wake up in the middle of the night thinking the radio was on, only to find me in bed singing "Edelweiss". In third grade I wanted to play violin in the school orchestra, but the band director took one look at me and told my parents "He's too tall for the violin!" and handed me a viola. I didn't stick with it very long. I've learned that the viola crowd are a bunch of odd-balls. That band director must have known something...

[Seafood]

Does busting a cheap guitar over my brothers' head and saying "El-Ka-Bong" count?

[HddnKat]

I'll Fly Away - sung by mom, grandmom, aunt, and great grand-dad.

LPs - probably something by Chet Atkins - dad had all those.

TV - Hello, I'm Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues.

Concert - Eddie Arnold at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo probably around 1965 or so - he was doing the Cattle Call and I was yodeling right along with him (at about age 4).

[Rick Schmidlin]

[quote=Pheasant Plucker,July 23 2008, 14:34]I remember my parents taking me to the movies "Paint your Wagon" and "The Sound of Music". My mom told me that she'd wake up in the middle of the night thinking the radio was on, only to find me in bed singing "Edelweiss".


Again early music insprations from my generation http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Laurence Firth]

Very first music I can remember are the Christmas carols sung at church and in the neighborhood and the Christmas records by Nat King Cole, Perry Como, and Frank Sinatra that my Mom would play around the holidays.

The first music I remember on the radio is “The Twist” by Chubby Checker and Elvis songs. And then the Beatles and the Stones and all the other English bands of the 60’s.

The first rock concert I remember (and will never forget) is the Beatles at Shea Stadium in NYC that my father took me too. We could not hear the music at all but it was exciting to be there.

The next rock concerts were all at the old Fillmore East in NYC –great shows every weekend. Never got ticks in advance – just wait on line the night of the show. Those were the days.

I started listening to folk and blues in NYC in the 60’s via the folk revival activities going on in and around the city – I’d go to Washington Sq Park in the Village on Saturdays and listen to all the ad-hoc performances going on at every other bench and at the fountain. I had no idea what a historic happening that was going to turn out to be. To me it was just the hippies hanging out and playing music.

First time I really listened to a mandolin was when, in 1969, I was working in the Catskills NY as a waiter in an Italian Themed Resort – the owners father played a blow back Mandolin at dinner for the guests.

I really didn’t every consider the Mandolin as an instrument I wanted to play until a few years ago when I started listening to a local Los Angeles band, I see Hawks In LA, at my neighborhood bar once a week. The Mandolin player, Brantley Kerns ( http://music.aol.com/artist/brantley-kearns/biography/1074773 ), re-sparked my interested in country-roots music and got me listening to Bluegrass.

What long strange trip its been!

[fatt-dad]

O.K. I retract my earlier answer. It was my mom singing me some tune about roses. I must have been 3 or 4. She was quite the singer and could really play the piano too!

f-d

[Flowerpot]

My parents would have music playing in the house all of the time (God bless 'em), so it's hard to figure out when the first memory was.

But I remember clearly in church, everybody singing a long and tiresome version of "Beautiful Words of Life", and wandering out of the pew and trying to escape to the back room to explore... I made it as far as the back door but wasn't as quick as my mom. Had to be 3 or 4 at the time, as I couldn't see over the pews standing up. I still think that song is boring! But pretty.

I also remember singing hymns, the alto part, along with Mom, at age 5... I could pick out a second part to any melody after doing that every week.

And, I remember my brother and I dancing on the big oval living room rug while Mom played the "Boogie Woogie" on the piano... she was pretty good, too. The way we thrashed about, I bet we looked like we had leaned against an electric fence (in our defense, the only reference we had for good dancing was Snoopy and Pig Pen on the Charlie Brown Christmas special).

[terrierguy]

I have to go with the first record I ever purchased: Blue Suede Shoes by Carl Perkins (on 78rpms too)

[Dave Harbst]

Hey, terrierguy,
Though it wasn't my first musical experience, "Blue Suede Shoes" by Carl Perkins(also,78rpm) was also my first record purchase. I saved up my 78 cents and immediately bought it! My parents had an old Philco console radio, but the record player part of it didn't work(I found that out when I tried to play my new recdord for the first time. My dad ordered a Silvertone record changer out of a Sears & Roebuck catalog. We modified the console and set up the changer, just so we could play my new record. After that, I started buying 45's and, in time, bought my first LP--Elvis Presley's Golden Hits. Was that 1957 or '58? Can't remember!

[terrierguy]

Harpoon,

After Blue Suede Shoes, I followed up with Heart Break Hotel (also on 78) by Elvis of course closely followed by Don't Be Cruel with Hound Dog on the other side! Hmm,,,,,I must be getting old, don't remember the first LP. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[Dave Harbst]

Hey, Terrier Guy,
Yeah, definitely aging(went on Medicare this month). As for Elvis, I never get tired of listening to those first hits, probably up to about the time of "It's Now Or Never". In my opinion, the early stuff was his best.

[Dave Harbst]

Terrierguy,
Just googled "Carl Perkins Blue Suede Shoes". It was 1956. Seems like yesterday.

[Ken Feil]

Along about 1948, my grandmother banging out Amazing Grace on her old piano.

Ken

[F5G WIZ]

First song played on any instrument: "Camptown Races" on an Dad's old Hohner Harmonica when I was about 8 years old. I think that is where I first learned to play by ear.

[Bruce Evans]

It was before sister #2 came along, so I was under five years old. Mom played piano (still does) and Dad had a huge tenor voice. The songs were "Lucky Old Sun," "The Lord's Prayer," and "You Never Walk Alone."

I thought "Lucky Old Sun" was about me. Dad always called us boys "Son."

[JEStanek]

I really can't remember the first moment. My life has been infused by music since I was born. My dad singing harmony in the car with radio tunes in the early 70's after I was born, classical music on Sundays after hymns at church, singing those great songs on the school bus about blowing up the school or shooting teacher with a rubber band, symphonic and pops concerts as a grade schooler, playing French Horn in middle school, listening to my parents LPs, listening to my 10 and 11 year older brothers funk in the mid 70s.

The first 10 CDs I bought included The Doors - The Doors, Wynton Marsallis -J Mood, Coltrane's A Love Supreme, and INXS Listen Like Thieves! It's more difficult for me to remember a day with out music or singing to myself...

Jamie

[terrierguy]

Harpoon,

1956? Really-amazing; I was 10 years old then! Early into rock and roll I guess. I agree once Elvis got out of the army it was all down hill as far as my appreciation for his music was concerned. I think Heartbreat Hotel was his best. I am sure others will disagree but.......

[Jack Roberts]

My first concert: Andres Segovia. I was 16. It cost all the money I had in the world to go see him, but it was worth it. I have been to very few concerts after that.

[Trey Young]

riding in the back seat of a car with my grandmother singing Frog Went A Courtin, Hole in the Bottom of the Sea, and Pick a Bale of Cotton, probably at the age of 3 or 4.

[CES]

Tough one...

Very vividly remember singing "Just As I Am, "Softly and Tenderly," and "How Great thou Art" early in church.

Other than hymnals the first printed music I remember seeing was "Your Cheatin' Heart" on my grandmother's piano.

First albums: One year for Christmas we got Bruce Springsteen's Born in the USA and MJ's Thriller, the next year we got Survivor's album with Eye of the Tiger on it...everything after was tapes, then CDs.

Despite the pop albums above my folks tended to listen more to country and rock, and I remember being really drawn to some of Alabama's early stuff...Mountain Music, Dixieland Delight, Roll On, etc.

Was first drawn to mando primarily by Dan Tyminsky and Chris Thile, though I've certainly broadened the strokes since then...

[farmerjones]

My Grandma and i would sing, "Over the river and through the woods" or "How much is that doggy in the window." I was of the Captain Kangaroo generation. 5th grade Saxomophone lesson not withstanding, the first tune i actual learned to play was Cripple Creek on a B@njo, when i was 17. Blame it on Hot Rize.

[Rick Schmidlin]

"How Great thou Art" early in church.
I was able to meet George Berverly Shea who made this song so popular at Madison Square Garden in NYC in 1967.

[SGraham]

First musical experience was definitely in church singing the old hymns and the Lutheran liturgy. I learned to read music out of the hymnal. When I wasn't following the notes, I was pretending the hymnal was the whale and my brother's hand was Jonah.

First exposure to old-time music was in high school in the early 70's up at the Yosemite Institute. We had some music outside one day sitting around on stumps in the snow. This incredibly cute staff member (who could yodel into a certain valley and harmonize with her echo, by the way) pulled out a banjo and started to frail June Apple. I was a goner.

When I got back back home I found my big brother had just picked up a strange new album titled Will the Circle be Unbroken. Saw the Dirt Band that fall at UCLA's Royce Hall with Steve Martin and Byron Berline...

Then I met this kid in the next grade up from me named Evan Marshall. I don't think he picks any faster now than he did then. We did a Homer and Jethro tune (Don't Let the Stars Get In Your Eyeball Sockets) in the talent show (me on guitar, of course).

Steve

[Eddie Sheehy]

My mom crooning "Scarlet Ribbons" to me when I was an infant...
My dad's favorite was " A little bitty tear left me down.."
And now I'm going to learn those two tunes.
Thanks for the memories

[Steve Davis]

My parents used to listen to the Bing Crosby program on the radio every night. #I managed to climb out of the crib that they put me in and laid down on the floor with my ear to the crack at the bottom of the door so I could listen to it too. I still remember "Where the blue of the night meets the gold of the day someone waits for me." (Bing's theme song.) I fell asleep on the floor so when they opened the door to check on me i was blocking the door.

[Eddie Sheehy]

O.K. I retract my earlier answer. It was my mom singing me some tune about roses. I must have been 3 or 4. She was quite the singer and could really play the piano too!

f-d
Paper Roses?

[Dave Harbst]

Terrierguy,
One more reply about Carl Perkins, 1956 & Elvis, then I'll back out for a while. Anyway, yes, it was 1956 and I was 13 and, believe it or not, had begun to shave already, which was cool because I was able to grow sideburns(like Elvis and those other "cats" did). I also let my dark brown hair grow long enough to style it like Elvis did. I thought I was really cool. Of course, the teenage pimples didn't match with Elvis' beautiful complexion. Oh, how much fun it was growing up with early Rock 'n' Roll!

[Jim]

I certainly remember Peter and the Wolf from very early on and my parents were into Big Band stuff so I knew of Count Basie the Dorseys , Glen Miller ect. from as far back as I remember. My Father was an english professor and folklorist so I was also exposed to alot of that from before real memories kick in. The first record album I had was Dave Clark five to which I played along on Bongos. Then came the Monkees and my brother ( older ) doing what he could to teach me that the Paul Butterfield Blues band was acceptable listening ( and the Monkees weren't ) and finally I was given
Jefferson airplanes surrealistic pillow for my birthday in i think '66 or '67 also by my brother who had moved to SanFrancisco. That lead to the dead and that lead to the Mandolin. My mom gets some credit to because In 67 I wanted to go with friends to my first Rock concert Paul Revere and the Raiders. Mom said I was too young and would not let me but she must have felt bad because shortly after she bought me tickets to see BB King opening for the Fifth Demension. I heard BB and the sound just stuck in my head. Been there ever since.

[JiminRussia]

The first musical moment that I really remember is listening to an old RCA recording of "La Boheme" by Giacomo Puccini. I guess that I was about 10 or 12 yearsw old. I was so taken by that music that it just never let go of me. No, I don't play any opera on my mando, or much anything else anymore, but I do truly love to listen to Puccini.

[Mikey G]

I remember my mother taking me to see Boots Randolph, Chet Atkins, Fats Domino, and Jerry Lee Lewis together at the same concert. I was young, but remember Jerry Lee Lewis coming on after Fats Domino and he did a Jimi Hendrix on his piano and set the keyboard on fire, literally. Fats was bumping the piano with his leg, and his backup singers came down into the audience. He put on such a show that I guess Jerry Lee felt he had to "one up" him. I've seen a ton of concerts in my life, but Jerry Lee Lewis torching that piano was almost scary for a young child. I saw a movie about Jerry Lee Lewis where he did the same thing, so he must have had a stash of pianos. It absolutely blew me away, and I realized that besides being GREAT musicians, these guys were show stoppers. I didn't particularly care for any of them before the show, but soon realized why Jerry Lee was called "Killer."