What Kind of Music?

John Ummel · From: Arlington, WA.

What kind of music did you grow up hearing? What's your favorite today? And is there some kind of music that you really don't care for?
I grew up in Seattle, grad from HS 1970, so of course I heard JImi Hendrix, lots of rock from that era. But my Mom was from Texas and a big Bob Wills fan so I heard lots of that, Chet Atkins, Eddie Arnold, Sons of the Pioneers. My Dad, more of an uptown kinda guy listened to Benny Goodman, the Ink Spots, Tony Bennett. I learned to love ALL the above. I like all kinds of country, bluegrass, Nashville, Texas, to me its all good. My wife is a classically trained pianist who can dazzle ya with Liszt, Tchaikowsky, Rachmanioff, man, till you hear that you ain't heard nothin. BUT... I can't take OPERA singing!! When I hear that bravado, exaggerated vibrato...all in some "fern" langugae..Its like fingernails on the blackboard to me. Its the only music I simply cannot listen to.
My favorite music of all time to this day though is classic Western Swing from the 30's and 40's. Man I love to hear that.
Hows 'bout you??

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johnny
GFI Ultra S-10 3&4, G&L ASAT, Jackson Dinky Hardtail, homemade solid body electric violin w/ Zeta pickup, homemade 100W amp w/ 12" Jensen. As Bill Monroe once told me: "Don't never give up"

Nic du Toit · From: Milnerton, Cape, South Africa

An interesting question. Here in South Africa I grew up hearing a lot of Afrikaans folk type music. During the 50's I started to buy some 78s of big band, as wel as Classical, stuff. At the time the sales lady learned that I was a wannabe guitarist, and showed me an album by Chet Atkins. Well, one thing led to another and here we are.

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Nic du Toit
1970 Rosewood P/P Emmons D10 Fatback 8x4
1980 Basket Weave P/P Emmons SD10 3x5
Peavey Session 500 unmodfied
My CD "Nightmare on Emmons Steel"
Click here to E-mail us.

Charlie McDonald · From: out of the blue

I like hi life and all African music as well, including King Sunny Ade, and especially his steel player.
I listen to a lot of pedal steel these days.

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

This exact same question was on the "Music" section of the forum a couple of months ago.

John Ummel · From: Arlington, WA.

I apologize for not searching this topic first.
I also want to apologize to anyone I may have offended with my comments about opera singing.
To anyone who performs or simply enjoys this art form it was a very rude comment. It was not meant to be. My wife loves opera and we joke about it. I do apologize. Best to say what you like and let the rest ride.
johnny

Charlie McDonald · From: out of the blue

I wasn't offended, but then I'm not a fan of opera either.
My old piano guild judge once said it was 'bad music and bad acting.'

Nic du Toit · From: Milnerton, Cape, South Africa

John,
We have been so conditioned to speak 'politically correct', that we can never convey what we reaaly meant to say. I believe that on this forum one should be able to say what's on your mind without fear of reprisal, or treading on someone's toes. You've said it, and that's that.

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Nic du Toit
1970 Rosewood P/P Emmons D10 Fatback 8x4
1980 Basket Weave P/P Emmons SD10 3x5
Peavey Session 500 unmodfied
My CD "Nightmare on Emmons Steel"
Click here to E-mail us.

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

John, don't worry about it, saying you don't like something,
and that it strikes you as X,
is not the same as insulting someone who DOES like it.
You didn't say [example ( anyone who likes opera is a moron) ]
Now THAT would be something to apologize for.

I have played a bit of Puccini, but generally am not a huge opera fan.
But can appreciate it more having played some.
Puccini charts are REAL hard, 4-5 time signature changes in 64 measures mostly rests, and then hit an single 8th note with 4 basses.
Counting till your mind numbs.

I grew up listening to :
Burl Ives, E Power Biggs, Modern Jazz quartet, Benny Goodman Sextet, Ink Spots, Caramina Burana, Rachmaninoff, Mahler, Beethoven etc.
Edith Piaf, Jaques Brell, honky tonk stride piano like Fats Waller, Frank Zappa, lots of broadway cast albums, Roy Rogers, and a bit of Bob Wills too. And of course some Maria Calas and Beverly Sills.
Lots of reel to reel stuff too, like massive Wurlitzer silent theater era organs now in private basments, with ALL the bells and wistles.... and paper tape sequenced drums.

Dad was quite eclectic, and had Klipschorns and an Ampex 351 recorder, in the living room back in 1963,
so he was into high fidelity before Hi Fi was coined.

[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 05 August 2005 at 05:08 AM.]

[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 05 August 2005 at 05:09 AM.]

Charlie McDonald · From: out of the blue

Wow, Klipschorns! (Say, I saw a pair of Altec A7's on eBay the other day....)
I grew up listening to the same stuff as you!
As far as opera goes, I love Wagner, but don't think I could sit thru The Ring.

John Ummel · From: Arlington, WA.

Thanks you guys.
Actually I saw a movie called "Faranini"..(not sure I spelled that right) about a young Italian opera singer in 17th(?) century who with the 'help' of his composer brother became considered one of the greatest singers ever. Incredible technique. The vast diversity in music is one thing that makes it so great. Hey Charlie, my Mom grew up in Lubbock, I visited my grandparents there many times when I was a kid. My grandad Jesse Bynum played fiddle for square dances. He gave me my first fiddle. I still have it, and I have the fiddle he played too.

Terry Sneed · From: Arkansas,

I grew up listenin to the Hag, and the possume. The two greatest country singers ever. IMO

I also grew up listening to southern Gospel/country Gospel. The Hinsons and Happy Goodmans were my two favorite groups.

Brett Day · From: Pickens, SC

I grew up loving country music and I've always loved it. I was a guitar fan in the eighties because anytime I saw a guitar on tv, I would get close to the tv so I could watch the guitarist. By 1989, my interest changed from guitar to pedal steel guitar. So, country music's always been playing around my house. Brett, Emmons S-10, Morrell lapsteel, GFI Ultra D-10

CrowBear Schmitt · From: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France

i grew up in NYC without a TV at home

my dad had a hip hifi fer those days & we listened to all kinds of stuff
Classical Musik which i kinda dug but was'nt heads over heels about.
Greek (bouzouki) Musik which i found to be happy stuff
French Musik : Brassens, Yves Montand, Ray Ventura, Boris Vian, Henry Salvador, Trenet, no Brel mais le Jazz Hot

Jazz : Mingus, Monk, Ella, Duke & the Count Billie, & Jimmy Smith (he really did me in)
as a teen, i listened to the Beach Boys, Beatles, Stones, Crazy legs Berry, Yardbirds, Dylan & de Byrds
that's when i got a guitbox !

Lil' Richard, Fats D, Motown, RxB, Black Gospel from Joysy, Jimi , Jeff B , Cream & all them Blues cats who we're still around.

at 17 i got lucky & took off as a roadie
i discovered the wild woild of Musik w; the likes of the Who, Johnny Winter , Traffic, Blues Magoos, Crazy World of Arthur Brown, the Brooklyn Bridge, & Rhinocerous
it was quite an education
i discovered Country & Western in Truckstops & got closer to it when we was down Home
i was mostly into Blues tho' & discovered that Blues on a lap steel was just too good
i had just found my first steel in a pawn shop : Gibson BR6
never would have thought i was predestined to play steel
must have been Buddy's black lp i copped at a steel shop on Bway in Nashville round 69/70
( he was as heavy as Jimmy Smith
add Wes Montgomery & Ray Charles
& i'm gone

)

the only Musik i really have a hard time diggin' is Opera !
Bring on African, Carribean, Arab Musik & Sacred Steel

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

Like John, I was a 1970 HS grad.

I listened to Hendrix, The Doors, Cream, The Stones...plus a lot of Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa stuff (I as into big band jazz drummers, although I don't play drums). My first band was a surf band - another huge influence, growing up in Beach Boys territory. Surf music I could have on all day.

I couldn't...and still can't...stand the Beatles or any of the "pop" groups.

Got really into The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, The Dead, etc...later Frank Zappa and then Progressive Rock - Yes, Gentle Giant, King Crimson etc.

Got into bluegrass by way of the Byrds, and also into my only country influences - The Flying Burrito Brothers, New Riders, Emmylou Harris (and friends) and the "swingier" stuff like Asleep at the wheel, leading me backwards to Bob Wills. Other than that, I have never listened to country. The Nashville stuff I never listen to and am totally unfamiliar with (the little I hear I don't like - I grew up a surfer, not a country kid) - the early Bakersfield sound (Buck Owens) I'm a little familiar with, but don't listen to.

My CD player usually has Yes, Byrds, Burritos, Clapton, Booker T. & the MG's, The Meters, Mike Bloomfield, David Grisman, Jerry Douglas and lately various steel players in a wide variety of styles.

John Rickard · From: Phoenix (It's A Dry Heave) AZ

Both Kinds, Country & Western!
JR

Charles Davidson · From: Phenix City Alabama, USA

It was great to see the Green man on the Opera last night,only not enough of him.Tommy was great as he always is also.I think the highlight of the show was mr. Gene Watson.It was so refreshing to see the REAL DEAL for a few minutes instead of the absolute trash that the Nashville establishment tries to force on the public.I also grew up with all kinds of music.I love bigband,jazz,old country,bluegrass,and classical.No I dont particular like opera,but I have the utmost respect for those artists.Guys like me can get away with flying by the seat of your pants and improvising. Opera singers and classical pickers have to hit the nail on the head every time,or they won't last long.If I[and most of you I,m sure]had the determination,dedication,and fortitude that these artist have ,we would be much better than we are.Case in point,THE BIG E ,He had all the qualities mentioned above,That why he is the BIG E He did'nt conform[which is a word I hate,it means to give up,give in,and follow the trend,DONT BE A LEMMING!!!]He did it his way!!!Getting back to the styles of music,I had rather be forced to listen to six hours of metropolitan opera,than six seconds of Tim' or Cowboy Troy's rap. If this sounds like politcal incorrectness and you disagree,that wonderful,If we were all politcal CORRECT you would'nt have the right to disagree.

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