Hello Troubadourians! Do you ever wonder, “What if I couldn’t play anymore?” Or “What if I had to significantly change the way I play?” Those thoughts have always been on the periphery of my consciousness, usually invading the dark, quiet night when I’m trying to fall asleep. I’ve thought about contingency plans for many situations, some mild and some disturbing, all dismissed with an, “I don’t want to think about that right now.” Well, I’ve been presented with a real-world scenario that I hadn’t actually thought of…
Two weeks ago, my friend and bandmate, Mark C. Jackson, suffered a stroke. If there is such a thing that could be considered “good’ about it, it is that the stroke was mild and caught early. He was under the care of EMTs within three minutes, and in the hospital under the care of a physician by the seven-minute mark. Super-fast response time certainly helped minimize the effects of the stroke. Mark’s speech and cognition are very good, but he initially had very little use of his right side.
The Saturday before, the Outliers had played a gig that we felt was our best performance to date. The following Thursday at our regular rehearsal, we essentially gave a private concert for Mark’s daughter and her friend. They hadn’t heard us perform before, so we ran down our set and then took requests from his daughter for back catalog songs recalled from her childhood. It was a very special moment… The next evening, Mark had the stroke.
A couple of months ago I wrote my column about some trouble I’d been having with my hand and mused about the possibility that if the condition eventually made it impossible for me to play the guitar to my standards, I thought I’d still be able to play the bass.
(https://sandiegotroubadour.com/bass-ically-speaking/)
I actually think I’d enjoy being a bass player. There are probably more gigs available… at least that used to be the case. Boy, if I could sing and play bass at the same time, I could be quite popular (he he…). But there are darker thoughts that occupy my private moments…
What if I couldn’t use one of my hands? Lacking dexterity in my left hand could definitely push me in the direction of the steel guitar. Lap steel or pedal steel, I believe could make some seriously awesome music on either one. I’m fairly proficient with a slide on regular guitar, so the transition to lap steel would be essentially just a matter of reorientation.
Pedal steel adds the extra dimension of being able to play complex chords, which is something I enjoy on a standard guitar. Rock, and even jazz, is possible on pedal steel, along with the usual country and Americana. I could be very happy with the process of learning to play and eventually become proficient on pedal steel. The price of entry and my reluctance to be a beginner have prevented me from exploring the instrument. But if it became a necessity, I could surely get deeply into it.
On the acoustic side of the steel guitar equation is the Dobro, or resonator guitar. I’ve played bluegrass since I started playing the guitar and while I was in Folding Mr. Lincoln, I developed the ability to convincingly mimic a Dobro on standard acoustic guitar. Playing the real thing could take it to the next level. Thinking about it now, I just might explore this option…
Conversely, losing dexterity in my right hand is a bit more complicated. If I can hold a pick, I could probably manage simple strumming. However, even though I’d still be playing guitar, I think I would find the simplicity to be frustrating. Better than not playing at all, but still… However, I could possibly learn how to use a bow and play the violin. Years ago, I tried it for a while and hated it. With no other option, I think I could eventually get it together. Actually, I think I’d prefer the deeper sound of the viola as opposed to the violin… Hmmm.
But what if I could barely use either hand? There are plenty of percussion instruments that I could flail upon. I’ve always enjoyed the rhythmic parts of many genres of music, particularly Latin music, so there’s that. If I can hold the sticks, I’d surely consider playing the drums. Coordinating all four limbs, each doing something different—different rhythms and syncopations—seems daunting, but again, I’d be up for the challenge. The hardest part might living down all of the drummer jokes… Or, I could really lean into all of the classic drummer memes and stereotypes… I do know really nasty guitar player jokes…
Or I could just sing. I never pictured myself as the lead singer type, but maybe I could get used to the idea of wanting to die in my own arms… Sorry, I couldn’t resist…
At only two weeks removed from the stroke, Mark is making excellent progress toward a full recovery. Just yesterday, he tried playing his mandolin. He was fingering the chords with his left hand while his son strummed the strings for him, and the Pphysical therapist held the mandolin steady. Three adults ganged up on a mandolin… it never had a chance. Music was made in spite of the obvious obstacles.
I have made some excellent music with Mark over the years and I’m looking forward to doing so again when he is ready. He is an inspiration to me and a very good friend. May we all be so inspired…
Need to know? Just ask… Charlie (ask.charlie@hotmail.com)
