Larry Gatlin's comment on stringed instruments

GinnyT11

GinnyT11

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I read that country singer Larry Gatlin appeared on Fox & Friends and played a Christmas song. During his visit, he made some folksy comments. One was: "Perfect pitch is when you throw a banjo in a Dumpster and it hits a ukulele."

Discuss.
 
I haven't paid no attention to Larry Gatlin since he drove that tractor trailer full of Coors across Texarkana in Smokey And The Bandit. And even then, I was eyeballin' Sally "Flying Nun" Fields most of the time.
 
Meh, sounds like a ripoff of old long standing saxophone jokes to me.

So he doesn't like banjos or ukes then. But that's ok, I don't think Fox and Friends would cater to the typical uke player anyway. Just dumb everything down. Revel in stupidity, take pride in not knowing musical terminology...
 
Ummm ... forgive my ignorance, but who is Larry Gatling? Is he in any way associated with the Kardasians?
 
Come on guys,....do a "little" research. When i was a bit younger, "The Gatlin Brothers" were one of my favorite vocalist groups. They had harmony down to a tear breaking level,...really. If the disparaging remark made regarding
ukuleles really happened, i don't agree with, of course. But during their prime they surely had talent!

A few recent links:

"Statues Without Hearts" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARTaH3RanF4&feature=related

"Broken Lady" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yJOcp32p9g

"I've Done Enough Dyin Today" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvBLtmdArVs&feature=related

"I Don't Wanna Cry" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7H6XnJSR5iI&feature=related
 
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There are probably people who would define "perfect pitch" as when you throw a banjo in a Dumpster and it hits a country singer, preferably while he's sleeping so he won't yowl when the banjo hits him. I say live and let live. All music is good.
 
I don't have a dog in this fight, just a few clarifications. Elvira was sung by the Oakridge Boys. Jerry Reed was in Smokey and the Bandit.

And Gatlin's comment was sure to rile this crowd. :)
 
Larry's just a likeable good 'ol boy making a joke. Saw it live, thought "FU" in passing and didn't take it seriously.

Give the poor guy a break, eh? I'm sure he didn't really mean anything by it.

Gotta admit though... wondered what the heck he was doing on that show in that capacity!
 
I'm serious. I don't know who he is, and I don't know whether I've ever heard any of his songs.

Either way, I don't give much of a wet slap what he thinks. As I'm sure he doesn't care what I think about country music.

It's all good
 
There are probably people who would define "perfect pitch" as when you throw a banjo in a Dumpster and it hits a country singer, preferably while he's sleeping so he won't yowl when the banjo hits him. I say live and let live. All music is good.
Click to expand...

That's pretty funny.

I generally give country music a pass, with a very few exceptions, such as Willie Nelson's work, and the "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," which is a virtuoso piece. However, some have deep philosophy that's hard to disagree with, such as "Cigareets and Whisky and Wild, Wild Women."
 
Larry Gatlin? No need to get fired up, even at the top of his game he was about as country as Donnie and Marie (albeit without the little bit rock and roll). Hasn't even headlined a fair since 1980...totally Branson bait. He probably said the same about the Steel Guitar.
Some great music taking a beating here though-you are all missing about 100 years of amazing music because the radio only played the Oak Ridge Boys...and Gatlin Brothers, when you were kids.
 
No idea who he is, and don't really care either. Live, let live, play my Ukes, doing it for me and my love of music, not for approval from strangers!

Have fun! Play loud! Make music! It's all good :D
 
From the "Ukulele Underground Rules" sticky in this forum section (which I just know every one of you has read and committed to memory, right?):

"No artist bashing"

I think we could honor that best by keeping the discussion focused on what Mr. Gatlin said, and maybe not so much on his relevance as a musician or the merits of country music in general.

As for me, I think he was just making a joke. I probably would've thought it was funny if I hadn't heard it before (about different instruments).

People make jokes about banjos and ukuleles all the time. Not to mention steel guitar, viola, trombone, and tons of others. Doesn't mean they don't like the instrument--they're just taking advantage of one of the reputations the instrument has as an easy target for jokes. Even the "cool" instruments get jokes made about the people who play them. No biggie.

Heck, I'll be the first to make an accordion joke, and I play and teach accordion! :)

JJ
 
JJ - With baited breath I await your accordion joke thread! g2


Ukulele JJ said:
From the "Ukulele Underground Rules" sticky in this forum section (which I just know every one of you has read and committed to memory, right?):

"No artist bashing"

I think we could honor that best by keeping the discussion focused on what Mr. Gatlin said, and maybe not so much on his relevance as a musician or the merits of country music in general.

As for me, I think he was just making a joke. I probably would've thought it was funny if I hadn't heard it before (about different instruments).

People make jokes about banjos and ukuleles all the time. Not to mention steel guitar, viola, trombone, and tons of others. Doesn't mean they don't like the instrument--they're just taking advantage of one of the reputations the instrument has as an easy target for jokes. Even the "cool" instruments get jokes made about the people who play them. No biggie.

Heck, I'll be the first to make an accordion joke, and I play and teach accordion! :)

JJ
Click to expand...
 
Oh how I have suffered from my friends when I took up the accordion.... Not nearly so much jabbing when I started playing the uke. I think it is "just" a joke.
 
It's a start, but a genre??? We need more for that. <g>.
 
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