First Tears At Forty

http://www.FirstTearsAtForty.com

My Uncle Hud played right wing and lead banjo for the Woodville Mudcats Hockey Team and Dixieland Jazz Band. He didn't have much of a slapshot, but he played a mean version of 'Bye Bye Blackbird'. Three more beers and he would launch into 'Barkin' At The Hole' and 'Who're In The Peapatch?'

In my early teens, he loaned me his tenor banjo and gave me my first lesson. "Bob, I'm gonna teach you 'Laura'. Laura C-Chord, that is. Stick with her, Bob, she made a mint!"

I played through high school in a Kingston Trio type of group called the Peddlers, with a few gigs at political rallies and the occasional radio show. During that time, I picked up a cheap Stella nylon string guitar and a Grey Five String banjo from my mother as a reward for quitting smoking!

My hero was Pete Seeger. I spent hours learning tunes from his book "How To Play The 5-String Banjo", bought a Gibson Long Neck with money from my paper route, and had a leather carrying bag made for it by our town cobbler, just like Pete suggested. If anyone out there knows where I left that bag, please let me know. Thanks.

At University, I played coffee houses and parties, picked up a Harmony Sovereign guitar and a no name Mexican 12 String guitar. If anyone out there knows where I left that 12 string, please let me know. Thanks.

I traveled to England in 1969 at the height of the British Folk Revival. I had an introduction to Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger, and immediately got a part in Ewan's Festival of Fools - not because of my acting or singing ability, but because I sounded like an American.

Over the next three years, I worked regularly with Ewan and Peggy at The Singers Club, traveled and played with fellow Canadian Vera Johnson in clubs all over the UK, recorded a small session at the BBC, played a gig at The Troubadour, and worked mainly at the West London Folk Club, singing traditional Canadian, American, and British folk songs and ballads.

Appalachian dulcimers were popular with British musicians for their droning sound, and I had one made for me by Peter Abnett, a luthier living south of London, more famous for the instruments he made than I ever became on the ones I played!

Soon after returning to Canada, I traded my long neck banjo for an Epiphone Five String (a Gibson Mastertone copy), put together an autoharp from pieces found in the back room of a bankrupt music store, and found a really good deal on a brand new Martin D28. If anyone out there has that long neck, please let me know. Thanks.

I met a good friend and an amazing musician Stan Gadziola, aka Doc Warsaw aka Muddy Walter. Together we played clubs and festivals for over ten years, and it was Stan who encouraged me to submit two of my own songs, 'First Tears at Forty' and 'It's Over', to a contest held by our local radio station CFOS. I was surprised to win a bunch of hours of recording time, and that's what led to this album. If anyone out there knows where I left Stan, please let me know. Thanks.

FIRST TEARS AT FORTY uses a Double Drop D tuning I learned from Buffy Saint Marie's 'Codine' for the drone. Stan and I play guitar, and Rasta Steve Auld is on the bass. I was working through a lot of personal changes when I wrote this, but managed to cheer myself up by plagiarizing Robert Bly, Bob Dylan and Van Morrison. I like the optimistic last line.

Thanks, Uncle Hud, for getting me started, and thanks to all who helped along the way!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Woody Guthrie
• Bob Dylan
• Huddy Ledbetter aka Leadbelly
• Howlin' Wolf
• Muddy Waters
• The Weavers
• Joan Baez
• Peter Paul and Mary
• Joni Mitchell
• Kingston Trio
• Simon and Garfunkel
• The Byrds
• Neil Young
• Johnny Winter
• Phil Ochs
• Everly Brothers
• Jimmy Rodgers
• John Fahey
• Arlo Guthrie
• Buddy Guy
• Leonard Cohen
• The New Lost City Ramblers

[bobandanna]

Thanks for the kind words and the support, FolkMusicGirl! You can hear the rest of the album at our link in the video. We've used our version of 'You Are My Flower' in our tribute to Tara The Wonderbeastie.  Thanks again for the lift today!

[TheGregWoodBand]

Nice work- Great pickin!

[bobandanna]

Thanks, Greg!

We read your list of influences, and are proud to have you enjoy our tune!

Bob and Anna

[justmusicandme]

Gret video, song, and background info. Five star favorite!

[bobandanna]

Thanks, Just!

We just visited and subscribed to your site. We love all your choices of tunes, which makes us doubly thankful for your praise! Much appreciated.

Bob and Anna

[princessinadump]

I enjoyed the video a lot. The description was funny to read. I'd love to hear more of your music.

[bobandanna]

Hi Princess! Thanks to you and everyone for the kind words and encouragement! I'll be posting more tunes soon, but in the meantime, you can hear the other nine songs at the First Tears site in the info section. Thanks again!

[folkmusicgirl]

Hi: I looked at your channel but could not find other videos with the group that is on this video singing.

Just other things (other videos) but searched through the various videos but none found like your folk group that sings on this video. Is this the only one?

Do you have a CD wth this song on it?? Who are the members of this group? I love this song!

[folkmusicgirl]

I came upon your video for the first time tonight and just love this song! The vocals, harmonies, musicians are really outstanding! Are your other songs like this in vocal style an arrangement? Do you have a CD with this song on it? Thank you.

[rodron1]

This is nice! I like the genre and style!

[dcrodwell]

Top drawer ....great work all way round....Blues Approved!!!

[justmusicandme]

If I say 'Great minds think alike' does it sound egotistical? LOL!!! Loretta