Adventures in Uke-ry - First Time Leading a Song

Steveperrywriter

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So, I went to an open acoustic jam at a local pub. (Second time there, but the first round, I didn't take a solo, nor lead a song, nor did I strum too loudly.)

My wife sat nearby, drank a beer, and knitted. "You should sing," she said.

Maybe, I told her. I'll go with the flow, see if there's a moment to give it a go. I hadn't ever led with my uke in a public house before, and was passing nervous about it.

I had worked all week on an old Sam Cooke song, "Bring It on Home," an easy three-chord blues number, and I thought I'd wait until the ale kicked in and see could I work up my courage ...

The harp player was running things, and it turned out two of the usual song leaders weren't there yet. Car trouble, other engagement, like that, so he looked at the group come start up time: Four guitarists, a bass, keyboard, flute player, and me. "Anybody sing? Willing to lead?"

Nobody jumped up.

Half a stout along, I said, "Well, I got one ..."

So I wrote the chords on a white board, did an intro, and we were off.

As it turned out, the real singers didn't get there for a while, so I wound up leading three more songs: "St. James Infirmary," "House of the Risin' Sun," and "Woke Up Dead Blues." Sang, played, allow room for anybody who wanted to take a solo, and it was just fine.

Didn't screw up too bad ...

And all that worry, for like, forever, about playing and singing in public just blew right past, no big deal ...

You thinking about doing this? Go for it. I can do it, anybody can do it ...
 
Uh, oh, you're hooked, now! :) 'Bout fifteen years ago I had never sung in public but once or twice backing my wife in church. I knew a couple of members of this little bluegrass gospel combo that did church gatherings, nursing homes, and the like. When the guy who played guitar and did most of the singing moved they asked me if I'd play rhythm for them on the acoustic because there other guitarist could pick runs like nobody's business but had never learned chords. First rehearsal I show up and they're like, "oh, and can you sing?" I'm like, "no, can barely play guitar..." They're all, "just for a few weeks at rehearsals, because (mandolin player) will be back when baseball season is over (he coached little-league) and he's going to do the lead singing."

To make a long story a little shorter, mandolin player never came back, I got suckered into singing lead, loved it, and you can't shut me up now. LOL

John
 
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