Bad Gigs prompted me to pass on this unbelievable but very true tale told my
Mary Lou Orthey, a very special lady on the Autoharp List.
She started by saying another list had been running a HORROR STORIES thread
and because
we've all been there and done that AND remember it, thought this particular
"Horror" of interest to all musicians -- am passing it on.
I quote her message (without her permission because she's on vacation, but
giving her full credit)..
Quote
Heck, we've had several - Give you just one here -
A lady called us when we lived in San Antonio (we at that time had a small
group we called The Appalachian Chamber Music Society. - I played autoharp,
banjer, psaltery; two friends played guitar; George played hammered
dulcimer; and all four of us played (Appalachian) dulcimer.) We used to jam
at craft
shows at our booth. Well, lady phoned - would we play for a party? G. (her
husband) was
gone at the time, and I said no, we're not good enuf for such. She said yes,
and I said no. A few days later, same lady. Please? NO! A week later, same
pushy lady again - George there? Yep. G. comes away from phone saying we're
gonna play for a party! It was in a month, and so the 4 of us got together
and practiced our pitiful few songs. About 2 1/2 weeks later, pushy lady
called again. said thought you might like to know where it is, how much, and
who the party's for. I said would be a good idea, so's we'd know where to
go. Lady said "It'll be in Houston at the top of (some) bank building. It's
Linda Bird Johnson and Chuch Robb's engagement party. There will be 30
guests. Dress formal. Dinner and dance. You'll be guests like everyone else,
except will be the music between the dance sets. You have reservations at
(some very fancy) hotel in Houston." (If George had been informed of this
when he accepted, he'd have been dead meat!) But couldn't back out so close
to the event. (Think she had that well planned.) We all went into deep shock
.
But it was, and we did.
We practiced every waking minute from then until the "party," you'd better
believe. You can imagine the guest list, with the then president's daughter
being feted. It was spectacular. There we were in full formal regalia,
eating real fancy with real fancy folks we still can't believe, and during
the dance breaks, we played "Grandfather's Clock" and such. That was a real
comeuppance for the Appalachian Chamber Music Society! After that we were an
"item" on the social register. Everyone wanted us - from Bar Mitsvahs to
mall openings to parties for the San Antonio Symphony - (who were thrilled,
if you can imagine, but one of the members said "Thank God! A folk group in
tune!" which was a compliment to me, since I tuned >all< the instruments
with the aid of a sort of in-tune piano and my ear. never heard of
electronic tuners at that time.)- to the Presidential Press Corps. No joke.
When you're a spriggins, you'll tackle anything -
ML
End of Quote
Note: Mary Lou (autoharp@pa.net) is editor of
"Autoharp Quarterly" and hosts the Mountain Laurel Autoharp Gathering
Her husband, George, is buider of custom Orthey instruments.
Sharon Skaryd
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John & Sharon Skaryd
skaryd@cris.com http://www.cris.com/~Skaryd
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