Another Sad Sign Of The Times.

[tpbiii]

Before it was the ERNEST TUBBS RECORD STORE it was something else -- THE OLD TIME PICKIN PARLOR.  This was founded and owned by legendary lutherer RANDY WOOD, TUT TAYLOR and GRANT BOATRIGHT.  Prior to that, Randy and Tut had been part of GTR -- GEORGE, TUT, RANDY -- the initial version of George Gruhn's instrument store.  It was a combination lutherie,  vintage instrument store, bar, restaurant, and performance venue.  Starting in the 1970s, Randy did most to the guitar work for all the legends of the Grande Ole Opry -- one block over from the Ryman. 

Well Randy Wood's OLD TIME PICKING PARLOR still exists and is going strong.  After he left Nashville, Randy reopened it near Savannah -- all the same components as the Nashville operation except the bar.  Randy and I are the same age now -- 78 -- but he is still ongoing strong.  His venue is still a gathering place for many of the music legends he has served over the years.  For the last 20+ years he has cared for my vintage guitars and banjos.

Once a year, many legends and muggles gather at his establishment for a picking party.  I have not gone for a couple of years, but I am going with many friends this year. 

https://www.randywoodmusic.com/

Here is me and some of my instruments (39 D-28, 36 AJ, and 30 Gibson built Studio King) picking with a couple of Bluegrass legends -- **** Smith (County Gentlemen and many more) and Brian Aldridge (Dry Branch Fire Squad).

Now you know the rest of the story.😉

This year I am going to pick up a custom open back version of one of these.

Mostly to be played by my (mostly online jamulus for the last couple of years) picking buddy Dr. Kelly Moore.

Best,

-Tom

Edited March 14, 2022 by tpbiii

[Murph]

Wow!

Thanks for that story, Tom.

[QuestionMark]

6 hours ago, Murph said:

My 2016 Ram doesn't have a cd player, and it's a loaded Bighorn. I have music on my phone, but still wish I had a cd player from time to time. It has a jack, but I where do you find a cd player for that? Do they still make walkmans?

I listen to the majority of my music from YouTube.  I pretty much have always found every song I was looking for at any given time on it.  Plus, I listen to Sirius XM, and the radio.  My 2016 Equinox has a CD player, but I seldom, if ever, use it.  I have tons of old CDs, but no longer have a workable CD player in the house.   Tons of my od vinyl albums, too, but no turntable since about the mid-80s.  I also have a dual cassette boom box and gazillions of cassettes in boxes or cases, but I really never use it.  Oh…and I personally play a whole lot of music on my guitar!😊 can’t forget that!  That’s the best source of music!

QM aka “Jazzman” Jeff

[Sgt. Pepper]

I think Prince did an album called Sign 'O' The Times.

[Sevendaymelee]

I will keep buying vinyl records, tapes and CDs until they do not exist anymore. And then, when they don't, I'll quit listening to music all together outside of terrestrial radio. Streaming is souless for me. It's like getting to smell a really good meal, but never getting to eat it. No thanks! 

[BluesKing777]

11 hours ago, Murph said:

My 2016 Ram doesn't have a cd player, and it's a loaded Bighorn. I have music on my phone, but still wish I had a cd player from time to time. It has a jack, but I where do you find a cd player for that? Do they still make walkmans?

 

I didn't mention that the cd player in the old car (1989 BMW 318i) doesn't work, just the radio. The speakers were full of dog hair from over the years and rattled and buzzed so I went to the car stereo shop...Ha ha......years back, a helpful boffin would come out to your car and measure and give you a few car stereo ideas to buy and then they would install it!

Now, the shop is some kind of retail cage where the boffins are NOT allowed out, and will not help you with your speakers in any shape or form. Just a girl at the cash register that points to a speakers display. So you need to research the speakers you want before you get there and then.....they were out of stock...Ha, we are in a comedy.

So I told them to jump hoops and went home grumpy. One day when picking up a repair to my old car, I asked the mechanic if he could get some new speakers for me and install ...NOPE. What if I went and bought them and he installed them? 'Suppose'. (a big waste of his great mechanical skill but now I have speakers and listen to the radio everywhere I go...to hide the sound of the whining diff that he can't get parts for!)

I have a newer car as well (2010 BMW 1 series convertible.) and so far everything works and ...it has cd player. No working CD player in my house or anyone I knows house anymore!

 

BluesKing777.

 

Edited March 14, 2022 by BluesKing777

[J-1854Me]

[fortyearspickn]

8 hours ago, J-1854Me said:

I thought that was funny 40 years ago. Now I find it strangely offensive.   (Sarcasm) 

[zombywoof]

A few years back I caught Steve Earle on the Guy Tour. Afterwards he was out in the lobby hawking stuff.   The only format of the recording the tour was supporting that he was selling was a two LP vinyl set which Steve, of course, signed for you. 

But by the time you got into the 1990s, it was a hard row to hoe just to get a preamp or receiver which had a phono stage.  At most it was offered as an option on high end audio gear,  To get around this, these days because of the renewed popularity of vinyl, turntable manufacturers like VPI are offering tables with phono preamps built in.  

The only digital  devices I have listened to music on is my old Cary CD player and an iPod my brother gave me.  I do rely on the iPod when going to the dentist as it is a great companion for nitrous oxide.  

Edited March 15, 2022 by zombywoof

[Sgt. Pepper]

9 hours ago, fortyearspickn said:

I thought that was funny 40 years ago. Now I find it strangely offensive.   (Sarcasm) 

A while back when Disney re-released The Muppet Show on DVD or aired it on the Disney channel they added this. Pigs and frogs cohabitating. Whats next transgender swimmers? Its anarchy.

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-56153016

Edited March 15, 2022 by Sgt. Pepper

[fretplay]

On 3/13/2022 at 11:40 AM, Murph said:

This.

They haven't made any money with that property in decades. You'd have to be a wealthy heir to keep it as it was.

It's still sad, and Gillian saw this coming long ago.

 

 

Thanks Murph I like it.  I think Joni Mitchell had a go at this theme with Furry Sings the Blues.