- Acoustic Guitar Strings
- Electric Guitar Strings
- Bass Guitar Strings
- Classical Guitar Strings
- 12 String Acoustic Guitar Strings
- Banjo Strings
- Mandolin
- Fiddle Violin Strings
- Bajo Sexto Strings
- Resonator Resophonic Guitar Strings
- Jazz Guitar
- Bouzouki
- Bajo Sexto Strings
- Cavaquinho
- Cuatro
- Oud
- Tenor Guitar
- Ukelele
Guitarology #7
| All Things Come to Those Who Wait. Being one of those who’s been continually knocking at the door for a long time with no one answering, I sometimes find myself wallowing in a morass of self despair. However, being one who survives on hope I take great solace in the success stories of others. Recently I heard a couple of tales which I’d like to pass on to those of you who might need them too. Dave Curtis, one of the writers of “Ray Of Light”, recorded by Madonna and the title track to her 1998 album, recently appeared on a British television talk show with Mike Batt and others discussing songwriting. Previous to the release of this song he had very little claim to notoriety. He’d played with a minor British pop band in the early 70’s and became an electrician shortly thereafter. He told the story that this song was originally written in 1971 and, as the band had a publisher, he sent it in to the office and promptly forgot about it. Twenty-something years later while searching for new material one of Madonna’s “people” brought her the song because they thought the title suited her. The song was rewritten and the rest is history, as they say. Dave Curtis is now, ”The guy who co-wrote ‘Ray of Light with Maddona.“ Although Dave Curtis is credited as only one of five writers including the lady herself, he was able to give up the day job and is now a full time songwriter. There is a guy in Holland named Woody Bieneman. He’s had a bar band for many years called Woody and The Sidemen. He likes to write songs based on different instruments. He wrote a song for accordion about 1984 and as a lark sent it to Flaco Jimenez. One day in the summer of the year 2000 he got a call from Buma/Stemra, the Dutch version of ASCAP, asking if he was the writer of this particular song. Turns out was being released on Flaco’s next album! And finally a slightly different tale, there is a blues guitar player known as Model T Ford. He’s not exactly in Buddy Guy territory but he makes his living. Hard to tell exactly how old he is, but he must be pushing 70. He got his first guitar at age 58! His wife bought it for him because she was tired of him doing nothing. He said, “What you go and do that for? I can’t play no instrument.” She’d paid the money and he was going to learn come hell or high water. Well he now makes a living of sorts doing the bars and fish frys around Mississippi. He’s also done an album for Rhino Records and a couple of European tours. If that ain’t proof it’s never too late I don’t know what is! Courage ©2005 Steve Power |
