Don't you love that word "hootenanny"? I first heard it in Chicago when I started taking guitar classes at the Old Town School of Folk Music. My favorite of the experience was when all of the students and teachers would gather together in a big room and sing and play together. I loved how the most advanced players would be sitting along side a beginner. We were all unified by our love for music and learning the guitar. Before finding the folk music scene, I was into rock and roll music (in the 70s). The sing alongs were so appealing to me because it brought us all together. Such a different thing than going to a huge stadium and hearing some loud music where the band would play so far away.
I was reminded today of these times when I went to sing at a nursing home in Crozet. I go there each month but today was especially good. It is rare that everyone in the group sings but today that happened. All of us from our varied backgrounds, beliefs, world views singing old songs together.
It seems so many systems in our lives such as families and jobs, clubs, there is some kind of social hierarchy going on. Bosses and subordinates, parents and children, rich and poor, rural and city folk, etc. With music, none of these differences come up. This is one reason I believe it is so important to keep group sing alongs going.
Do we have any song requests? A woman who joined us later asks for, "You Are My Sunshine". Though we already sang it, we sing it again and everyone joined in as if it were the first go round.
Anybody have a birthday coming up? We sing it for those I won't see until next time.
Now we have time for one more song...I choose, "Buffalo Gals"
"Buffalo Gals won't you come out tonight
come out tonight, come out tonight
and dance by the light of the moon."
see you next time.
How fun! Too bad we don't all sing together more often. You shouldn't have to be old and in a nursing home to have that pleasure!
ReplyDeleteHi Evelyn,
ReplyDeleteYes maybe we can have a virtual sing along1 ha ha!