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Post subject: LIFE LESSON FROM BLUESMAN SONNY BOY KING
Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2013 5:34 pm
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“As for my advice to kids today, they are worried too much about what kind of guitar they have. I tell them, as long as it got the strings on it, play it. The guitar does not play itself. You got to play it. But the most important thing is you have to treat people right, to get treated right.” -Sonny Boy King

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(Willie "Sonny Boy" King performs in the one-man blues band musical tradition. He was born July 14th, 1930 in Lyons County, Alabama. Willie began playing the guitar as a teenager and has earned his living as a musician his entire life. He performed at house parties, fish fries, clubs, wherever folks gathered to have a good time. He went to Detroit for a while but most of his life has been spent in Alabama where he fathered and raised 33 children. Not a typo, 33 children. He still actively gigs. He has to. With the help of The Musicmaker Relief Foundation based in Hillsborough, NC Sonny Boy King recently obtained a passport for his first international tour gig in Australia and recorded a new album.

I thought that was a VERY cool quote. You can learn a lot from old musicians. My new favorite charity is The Musicmaker Relief Foundation. They are doing incredible work with roots musicians, not just in blues but in many genres of folk music.)


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Post subject: Re: LIFE LESSON FROM BLUESMAN SONNY BOY KING
Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2013 7:03 pm
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brotherdave wrote:
“As for my advice to kids today, they are worried too much about what kind of guitar they have. I tell them, as long as it got the strings on it, play it. The guitar does not play itself. You got to play it. But the most important thing is you have to treat people right, to get treated right.” -Sonny Boy King

Words to live by!


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Post subject: Re: LIFE LESSON FROM BLUESMAN SONNY BOY KING
Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2013 7:50 am
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33 youngsters eh?

Hmmm...I'd be still gigging just get out of the house!!!


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Post subject: Re: LIFE LESSON FROM BLUESMAN SONNY BOY KING
Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2013 9:32 am
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Blinkers wrote:
Hmmm...I'd be still gigging just get out of the house!!!

And probably have lots of material for new blues tunes!


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Post subject: Re: LIFE LESSON FROM BLUESMAN SONNY BOY KING
Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2013 12:03 pm
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"Stop try'in to sound like me.... sound like YOU!" .....................John Lee Hooker.

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Post subject: Re: LIFE LESSON FROM BLUESMAN SONNY BOY KING
Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2013 12:13 pm
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I'm starting to agree with this wholeheartedly. I spent ages adding effects in the efforts to sound like my favourite guitarists. However recently I've stripped them all out and been using a clean channel and the last couple of days a touch of overdrive from my stomp box.

Now I may not sound close to them but just from practising playing rather than effects the playing I do sounds much better.

So in fact maybe I am actually starting to sound a little bit more like them after all!

My GAS has taken a backseat too, the urge to have guitars like the greats has passed, to me I'd rather have a guitar that's mine, and take my own path with it.


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Post subject: Re: LIFE LESSON FROM BLUESMAN SONNY BOY KING
Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2013 12:35 pm
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brotherdave wrote:
“...But the most important thing is you have to treat people right, to get treated right.” -Sonny Boy King

...most of his life has been spent in Alabama where he fathered and raised 33 children. Not a typo, 33 children.

The Musicmaker Relief Foundation sounds like an organization worthy of support, thanks for letting us know about it.

But I have to say, Brother Dave, the Australian women had best beware if they run into Sonny Boy and he says he wants to treat them "right."

I wonder if Sonny Boy and Roy Head know each other?

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Tomorrow would be Christmas Day..."


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Post subject: Re: LIFE LESSON FROM BLUESMAN SONNY BOY KING
Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2013 12:46 pm
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Snowjoe wrote:
So in fact maybe I am actually starting to sound a little bit more like them after all!

Pursue a tone someone else discovered when it moves you as well. Make a guitar your own if it works best in your hands, even if it started out as someone else's brainchild.

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Post subject: Re: LIFE LESSON FROM BLUESMAN SONNY BOY KING
Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2013 1:03 pm
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ZZDoc wrote:
Snowjoe wrote:
So in fact maybe I am actually starting to sound a little bit more like them after all!

Pursue a tone someone else discovered when it moves you as well. Make a guitar your own if it works best in your hands, even if it started out as someone else's brainchild.


I've started to think in terms of not so much sounding exactly like them, but making a sound which tries to capture the emotion they are trying to put across. I think by doing that you will probably do more justice to what they were doing than getting it spot on.


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Post subject: Re: LIFE LESSON FROM BLUESMAN SONNY BOY KING
Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2013 1:59 pm
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ZZDoc wrote:
"Stop try'in to sound like me.... sound like YOU!" .....................John Lee Hooker.


THAT might be the secret to being a Blues genius.


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