Eddie,

Quote:

I have to ask this question so I have a sense of perspective about the other major contributors to this discussion. How many of you were at all privileged growing up



Well, as far as privileged, I was almost 8 before we had running water and indoor plumbing. My parents bought the house across the street for $3,500.00. Indoor plumbing and all! Dad was a coal miner and mom was a housekeeper for the funeral home, which paid $5 a day.

My mom bought my first guitar for $52.00 at the sporting goods store, or over two weeks of her salary after tax. Dad’s left hand was crushed in a coal mining accident, but he could still play Wildwood Flower in quarter notes, but nothing else. That was my first guitar lesson. I was 11. My best friends cousin was in high school and played in a garage band. The cousin would teach songs to my friend, and then my friend would teach them to me. We were doing pretty good until his cousin got ran over and killed by a drunk driver. We then had to start figuring out songs on our own.

I got a job at 16 and bought my next guitar, a 12 string Terada, which I converted to a 6 string. I taught myself from there. I won’t bore you with the rest.

Me learning to play had nothing to do with school, because we couldn’t afford an instrument for me to play in the band. I learned to play the hard way, …… because I wanted to play.

But I was privileged to have 2 hard working parents who loved me and my sisters, and always made sure there was a roof over our heads and food on the table. I was pretty lucky indeed.

Bob
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http://soundcloud.com/bobcflatpicke/music-in-the-mountains