I think it was around 1974 when I first heard Sonny Terry sing that lyric. And it struck me like a bell clapper and I actually took his words to heart. I believed him. Crossharp harmonica was rightfully his (i.e., black), not mine (i.e., white). So instead of continuing to take myself and my playing all so seriously, I started viewing it as something to play with in a “nothin’ special” sort of way; as something OK for me not to “chain” my identity to.
As the years went by I continued to play off and on; and I also moved on. I got a job; got married; finished school. Had kids. Bought a house, then another. The whole 9 yards. I think that’s the difference between me and a lot of other harmonica players who crossharp got its hooks into. They had no choice. But I did. Thanks, Mr. Terry, for giving me that.
I actually think my rather contrarian perspective on the harmonica is why I felt free to “feel” the idea for my patented FlashHarp® when it hit me. What did that feel like? It felt like I’d just found a way to put the harmonica back on a plane everyone could relate to again instead of putting up on a pedestal (like those dudes in mirror sunglasses and biker garb do). It also felt like I might be setting other new harmonica players free from feeling like they had to take themselves and their harmonica-playing too seriously, too.
In sum, FlashHarp nicely expresses my personal belief that We, The People—and "It, The Harmonica"—are all better off when our “nothin' special" status is restored. I further believe that way of interacting with the harmonica is the right way for opening up new minds to the instrument; i.e., innovative people who might get musically hooked on playing, one day, too.
Hear me play the FlashHarp here. www.etsy.com/shop/BackyardBrand/About
Demo a couple of my play-along song videos here (“straight”harp) www.etsy.com/shop/HarmonicaUSB/about and here (“cross”harp): www.etsy.com/shop/USBHarmonica/about
Buy a FlashHarp here: www.etsy.com/listing/62488686
As the years went by I continued to play off and on; and I also moved on. I got a job; got married; finished school. Had kids. Bought a house, then another. The whole 9 yards. I think that’s the difference between me and a lot of other harmonica players who crossharp got its hooks into. They had no choice. But I did. Thanks, Mr. Terry, for giving me that.
I actually think my rather contrarian perspective on the harmonica is why I felt free to “feel” the idea for my patented FlashHarp® when it hit me. What did that feel like? It felt like I’d just found a way to put the harmonica back on a plane everyone could relate to again instead of putting up on a pedestal (like those dudes in mirror sunglasses and biker garb do). It also felt like I might be setting other new harmonica players free from feeling like they had to take themselves and their harmonica-playing too seriously, too.
In sum, FlashHarp nicely expresses my personal belief that We, The People—and "It, The Harmonica"—are all better off when our “nothin' special" status is restored. I further believe that way of interacting with the harmonica is the right way for opening up new minds to the instrument; i.e., innovative people who might get musically hooked on playing, one day, too.
Hear me play the FlashHarp here. www.etsy.com/shop/BackyardBrand/About
Demo a couple of my play-along song videos here (“straight”harp) www.etsy.com/shop/HarmonicaUSB/about and here (“cross”harp): www.etsy.com/shop/USBHarmonica/about
Buy a FlashHarp here: www.etsy.com/listing/62488686
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