Re: [ARSCLIST] Rosemary Brown

["Steven C. Barr(x)" <stevenc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Karl Miller" <karl.miller@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Perhaps a most appropriate comparison. I am also reminded of Mrs. Miller (no
relation). A different friend knew her before she became famous. As that story
goes, this friend of mine was working for a Christian Publishing company. Mrs.
Miller was friends with the head of the company. She had been recording her
singing at home and wanted to have it sound more professional. So my friend's
boss decided that Mrs. Miller should go to a professional studio and hire some
musicians, etc. My friend's boss invited him one of the rehearsals, held in a
local church. As she started singing...well my friend said he had to crouch down
behind a pew and hold his moulth to keep from laughing. As the story goes, Mrs.
Miller knew people found her funny, but she didn't really care, she just felt
she was doing popular music a favor. While Nancy Sinatra had the hit with "These
Boots are Made for Walking," for me, it is Mrs. Miller's recording that I'll
always remember.
>
Having participated in...and in some cases hosted...approximately one
gazillion (give or take) open-stage all-comers jam sessions over the
last .25-century , I can personally that there is a surprisingly large
gap between the number of people who THINK they have musical talent
and the much smaller number of people who actually DO!

My personal "worst-case scenario" was this poor chap who wanted
desperately to be a blues artist...but who had absolutely NO
understanding of chord changes (even among the three chords that
make up 12-bar blues...?!). As well, I recall a poor (apt description!)
female singer-wannabe whose performance was literally that of "Johnny
One-Note"...she started the song more or less on key, but stayed on
that same note for the length of the song (or however many verses
of lyrics she knew...!).

Steven C. Barr