The Sunday Musician

You don't pass up a chance to play slide guitar, especially if you hardly every do it.  The Other Ed and I were sitting at The 8th Street Grill on Thursday, and Ed said, "Saturday night?  Slide guitar?  Brandon's bringing his banjo, Jim's going through a mandolin phase, and Thomas says he's up for fiddle.  Everything's in G, I promise." 

Friday I bought two new slides.  At my age, it's a cheap indulgence.  (There's my new band name--'Cheap Indulgence')  Saturday afternoon I spent an hour fiddling around with retuning the guitar and finding some chords and licks. 

We were pretty much just a bunch of fairly good musicians playing all the wrong instruments (some of us).  It worked out pretty good.  In fact, there were some really nice moments.  We didn't start rehearsing until 5:30, and the service started at 6:00, but seriously--you either know the licks in G, or you don't.  Fortunately, our little crowd is up for anything, and we all had a great time.  The songs featured impromptu solos, which mostly went well.  Ed would just point, and we did our best.  I muffed what I thought was the last solo I'd get, but in an act of Christian mercy, The Other Ed gave me another shot.  This is why you should be friends with the music director. 

I'll Fly Away

When The Saints Go Marching In (very lazy and moody--I liked it.)

Pass Me Not O Gentle Savior (The lyrics on this one got mis-typed, so we actually sang Pass Me Not O 'Gentile' Savior.  Not kidding.)

And one more I can't remember. 

So now I'm all jacked up about slide guitar, and thinking about getting a cheap lap steel.  I'm sure I can learn. 

(This post is part of Fred McKinnon's 'Sunday Set Lists')