Reward Music

LEADBELLY(PRAXIS)V

This is (PRAXIS) V: LEADBELLY

I’d never really seen myself as a harmonica player-I still struggle with that today, but as a matter of fact, I do remember having it along with me (Junior Wells did say, “If you ain’t got a harmonica on you, you ain’t a harmonica player” so…) as a pocket pal (featuring it on live performances, singing with birds over bridges, etcetera.) I had it on me, but I don’t remember IDENTIFYING myself with it like it was my main thing…until one evening-after a recording session for “Blonde”, my first album with my producers dad, him and I believe a friend of his.

We got packed into a car and drove on down the 110 North to a “Juke Joint” in South Central, Los Angeles called “Bells Workshop”(at least I think that’s what it was called). The joint was a make-shift venue made out of a decently sized garage-packed with people; listeners and players a like-blues memorabilia, mood lighting and smiles all a-glow.

A feature of Bell’s, was that an MC would host the night, play their set and if anybody else wanted to join em’ they could come along and jam! That night I just happened to have my F “harp” along with me. I was a little shy, but I stepped on up, played back-up, somethin’ of my own and sang a bit (a song called “It Aint’ You.”From what I can remember, I don’t think it was finished yet.) and if I remember right, the crowd dug it (or maybe I just wasn’t looking at the crowd correctly. There could have been someone
booing).

Someone enjoyed it so much that they came up to me and asked if I’d like to sing and play at their church! (Now that is a fine story, and I did attend.The musical director didn’t show up so the only one that ended up singin’ that night was me-singin’ Amazing Grace for that matter- and only the lines I could remember. After that rush the singers prayed for me, gave me a hymnal and the pianist told me I was a tenor-not a baritone which helped me on my singin’ journey, but this is not where I was intending for us to go so let’s climb back up this rabbit trail! )-upon writing this, I believe I was approached by someone else-I just don’t remember how (maybe after I sang my song, through my producers dad, Facebook,) who knows-probably Rhonda, (I should call her) because she asked me if I would like to join her husbands band, “The Leadbelly Blues Band”. Now I didn’t know this at the time, but the band leader, was (and is) related to “Thee” “Leadbelly” (if it wasn’t for him, by the providence of God, we would not have had as good of a historical record of music folks were playing and listenin’ to in the early 20th century-watch the movie and his documentary on Amazon Prime, you’ll dig it-if he wasn’t around Kurt Cobain probably wouldn’t have been either. Take that for significance. I-Rene, Good-nigh-ight.) Thing was, like I said before, “I was not a harmonica player”.

I wanted to join a band and I thought it’d be cool not to be the lead for for a change-and I “could
“play” harmonica so, I faked it. This was my chance after all! So I spent every night, studying and playing so I could keep up with the group, comprised of Lou (Bass), Rick (Drums), Bear (Guitar-once eliminated from the finals, Eric who played with Walter Trout-he was good.) Funny thing about Walter Trout…(Quick Story!) So I took a silkscreen-printing class in high-school. It was an awesome class held at SCROC; an occupational center where I could make up credits for my graduation. I took auto-mechanics shop & t-shirt printing (I didn’t walk, but thank God for summer school-it was so easy. Man, public school really sucks if you don’t want to conform to brainwashing) I had a rad instructor (and coolest of all, I met my wife there, my dream girl-mysterious-heart-throb, but back to the sub-plot) and his name was, “Mr. Trout”. Now, Mr. trout was a character and if I wanted to, I could spend an hour or so writing about him, but to keep my word, I’ll be brief-he told me his brother was, “Walter Trout”. So later in life, when I wanted to contact Mr. Trout (my instructor, not the famous blues musician) I contacted Walter through Facebook, looking for his brother. Now, I said earlier Mr. Trout was a character, I figured his brother would be the same so when Walter denied having a brother I wouldn’t be fooled! I pressed him, and instead of getting a joke out of him like (“ I was only kidding, here’s his number” kind of thing), all I got was a whimper and this story. Hehe, sounds like somethin’ Trout would do!
Anyway…

I was brought in alongside another musician-a guitar player. We had to work to earn our spots. It felt like we were on American Idol or something, but in a backyard under the sky, grass at our feet, and birds singing behind chicken wire. Only by the grace of God I outlasted him-Bear (in my humble opinion, I thought he was much better than me anyway). He got replaced by Eric, who played with Walter Trout (hehe).So through two guitarist, a couple months, many miles (it was a long drive) and my inability (I think that was it-Their could be a plethora more of reasons why I was dissatisfactory I’m sure-I think Eric might of had it in for me too), I was finally let go from the group. Leadbelly said (his grandson of course), “once you get better, come on back and we’ll play somethin’”. Well I haven’t been back since, but you know what? Since that time I spent learnin’ harp, under “Leadbelly’s” grandson Louis, I really got to playing it (thank God for Jason Ricci-taught me almost everything I know). Not only that, but I began to acquire teaching opportunities for harmonica as well(and constantly growing because of the mistakes I got to make and the students I’ve taught. If anything, they were and still are one of the main reasons I’m any better today-looking back If I only knew 3rd position and tongue blocking I probably coulda stayed in the group; minor blues n’ all, but meh, I like what I play now, God bless ‘em dearly) and interesting enough, the artist that has most recently influenced me musically (it’s probably gonna be a third album-Lord willing!)is, well you guessed it, LEADBELLY.

It’s funny how God tells His stories through time for His purposes. For the longest time I’d been playin’ & singin’ and taking all the credit like,”I did that”. I think this time-with the harmonica, God wanted to show me it was always Him who gave
me the gift to play; I just needed to see it-and its His gift he’s given so, all the credit goes to Him (if anything is lame about my playing, I’ll happily take the blame.) David had a harp with ten strings, we have harps with ten reeds. With these holes and our souls, we have at our grasp a small stone giant killer. If His stone won’t kill your pride, I know I’ll be surprised. It sure killed mine (and is still to this day). I hope this work and my mistakes are of good use to you. I know they were (and are) for me. God bless you. Thanks for listening.
Soli Deo Gloria

-Ronnie These recordings were taken from October 19th,2017-November 19th 2017
(It was like a Blues-Bootcamp-that’s what it was!)

Track Listing

1.The Hunter
2.Black Betty
3.Blam-a-lamb
4.Fever
5.Who is He?
6. She Moves me (Slow)
7.She Moves Me (Faster) 8.Foolin’ Around
9. Work Out
(UNEDITED TRACKS)
10. The Hunter
11. Fever
12. Who is He?/She Moves Me/Foolin’ Around
13. Work Out