(Late) Hi to all...

[Jimmer]

I'm a charter member, but have been away for awhile - really glad to see how much this place has filled out!

I'm a 53-year-old self-taught geetar player who *should* be a lot better than he is. Glad I found Neil so he could show me what I've been doing wrong all these years.

My musical tastes are very much like Neil's - not surprising, since we're (close to) the same generation. Listening to James Taylor, Harry Chapin, and Jim Croce taught me how to play... and sappy bands like 'Bread' taught me that sappy songs can get girls...

My (one and only) brush with greatness? I was stationed in England in the early 80's and made a little 'walkin around money' (sometimes just a few free pints) by playing pubs in my spare time. One night in a pub in Bedfordshire, I was playing, and in walked a very well-known 'local'. It was Ralph McTell, who made a hit with the song, 'Streets of London'. As you can imagine, I had no problem relinquishing the mike... and was rewarded by having Ralph ask me to stay and accompany him on a few songs. I didn't wash my guitar playing hand for months after that... lol

Glad to see so many rabid enthusiasts here - hope to make a lot of friends!


> Jimmer

[Chasplaya]

HI JIm,

Welcome to TG even though you've obviously been a member for a while its good to see you on the forums, man what a story jammin with McTell!!

regards

Chas

[wrench]

It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance Jimmer.

And since you jammed with Ralph McTell, you know we can hardly wait to see your first TG video.

wrench

[neverfoundthetime]

Ralf McTell? Cool Jimmer! Did he recognise you? Nice story.

[haoli25]

That is a very cool story. The first fingerpicking song I learned -- and still play parts of most every day -- was Streets of London. Great song.

[jayswett]

fjvdb wrote:

That is a very cool story. The first fingerpicking song I learned -- and still play parts of most every day -- was Streets of London. Great song.

I agree on the beauty of that song. I'd like to learn it. I'm curious, though, what was Ralph McTell like? I'd imagine he's a likeable, humble, down to earth kind of guy, despite being a semi-star as a result of that song.

[Music Junkie]

Welcome from Ventura, CA Jimmer! Must have been both fun and nerve racking to jam with Ralph. Very cool that you got to do that. I would have been a chicken to be sure. Look forward to your posts, as you bring some experience to the game. Thanks for formally introducing yourself.

Cheers!

MJ

[tovo]

Ahh Jimmer...surely your meeting with McTell is a sign that "Streets of London" should appear as a target lesson!?

Thanks for telling us about yourself. Hope to see you on the forum.

Cheers,

Tony

[Jimmer]

Thanks for the welcome, everybody. As far as questions about what Ralph was like, remember that it was one night, more than 30 years ago, but here goes...

I, of course, had heard the song, and heard of McTell, but had to be told who he was when he walked in. I had just made a bad joke when finishing one of my own songs - I think I had just played Arlo Guthrie's 'City of New Orleans' and in a kind of patter to talk to the audience between songs, I mentioned, "You can probably tell by the way I talk that I'm not from around here... I'm actually from Liverpool". A Liverpudlian accent is strange, even to Brits... and that got a cheap laugh.

Anyway, Ralph walked in, there was a big buzz and he made a comment about being from northern England himself and I didn't sound a BIT like any of his mates... The bar tender told me who Ralph was and I joined in the welcome and the call for him to do a few songs. As I was stepping off, Ralph asked me to sit in and play along if I cared to. I WAS very nervous, but wasn't going to forego THIS opportunity. He had his guitar and we shared a mike for just a few songs. We did Streets of London and another song I didn't recognize. I didn't know 'Streets...' very well, but after playing quietly through the first stanza, I saw that it was a fairly simple C-G-Am pattern, with a D thrown in for good measure. I helped with some descending bass transitions between C and G and fingerpicked around the rest. I excused myself a few songs later and he played a few more before begging off to have a pint with friends. I did get a smile and a nod from him... and that was the highlight of this (at the time) 22-year-old kid's guitar universe.

I don't know if opportunities like this come up as much anymore - there seems to be much more of a 'bubble' around celebrities these days, but Ralph was a very humble, down-to-earth guy who obviously loved music, was in a very informal atmosphere where he was obviously among friends, and I was the lucky kid who got to play along.

Won't ever forget it...

[Jimmer]

I think 'Streets' would make a very good TARGET lesson, the chords/fingerpicking patterns are fairly basic. But then, Neil has to like it, and feel that it offers something, right...?