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I was AFRAID some people might think I'm some kind of non-musical "brute" who aspires to the uke gig with Kiss or Def Leppard.  Nah, when I said I was a hard hitter, I meant in the Liberty DeVitto (Billy Joel) sense. 

I don't use my ukes to tenderize eggplant or anything; I just like the freedom of knowing that, if the moment calls for a little bending backwards of the neck for tremelo effect, I can do so without seeing dollar signs.

Carry On Wayward Son, by Kansas

>>>...(if I remember right) that I was playing "Keep it loose, Keep it tight" by Amos Lee<<<

Wow, what an unexpected surprise.  I've become so desensitized to "real" music in this American Idolicious world that I forgot there might still be kids out there writing actual songs.  Thanks, Guitarpix, for introducing me to Amos Lee, however unintentional it was.  I think I'm going to go shake out my penny jar and drop a few buck twenty nines on his music! 

See the great thing you've done, Mekidsmom_son? 

>>>Hi there - I don't feel it's "confrontational" when you defend yourself after a public statement has been made that is wrong.<<<<

'Just saying that you can defend yourself without attacking the integrity of the other person.  Now I'm out of this conversation.

>>>PapaTom - Don't even think about it. <<<

Thanks.  But anyway, this post was about mekidsmom_son.  Thanks for inspiring this thread, "son!"

In a documentary about the making of The Seeger Sessions, Bruce Springsteen (whom you may be too young to know) talks about how "folk" music was made to be played on acoustic instruments that people could carry anyplace they went and how this could lead to a magical, impromptu jam session at any time.  It sounds like you and your Mom created that same kind of magic on the beach, regardless of who seemed to be listening.  Oddly, people are much less uptight about watching a dancer or an acrobat than they are about watching someone sing or play an instrument.  You probably touched more people that day than you know.

Last summer, I had a night to myself (my wife was away) and I wanted to do something atypical, so I packed a sandwich and took my junker uke and a sand chair to the local beach just around dusk. 

I'm good enough at the instrument now that I can noodle around with some "pretty" chord changes and produce a pleasant effect.  The beach was fairly empty, but there were a few people scattered about.  I made sure I was far enough away from them all so I wouldn't intrude on their peaceful sunset.  Then, I began to play, softly.

My fantasy, as I drove to the beach, was to attract a little crowd, light a campfire, and have a singalong until the Public Safety people chased us away.  Instead, people just sat and stared at the water - never even acknowledging that there was live music playing.  Eventually, I sensed that it was time to pack it in and let them all have their peace.

To my surprise, the minute I stopped playing and there was a period of silence, heads started popping up from blankets and voices came out of the dunes saying "Don't stop!" "Ahhh, that was so soothing I was just falling asleep" and "Thank you, that was beautiful!"  Suddenly, I didn't feel like the annoying jerk on the beach with his instrument anymore.  I decided to stay and play for the seagulls and the waning tide until about an hour after sunset.  As people left the beach, they all thanked me for a calming end to their day.  One Asian man, obviously new to America, saw my empty iced tea cup and put a dollar in it!  I gave it back and told him I stopped getting paid to play music many years ago.  He smiled and translated for his wife and children and they all laughed.

That night, by the beach with my $40 ukulele, I  remembered why I started playing music in the first place.

>>>Stairway is one of those songs that defines what a good band is.<<<<

But like The Beatles' "Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End," it isn't necessarily the best song the band ever recorded.

"I Saw Her Standing There" by the Fab Four

Thanks, Guitarpix.  I just ordered two sets from Dr. Clucks and my total shipping was about 89 cents.  The other guys wanted more than a dollar more per set AND were charging $6.50 for shipping.  You saved me more than the cost of a third set!

Now, if the guy doesn't come through, I'm gonna come lookin' for ya... 

Good time to start a thread about misheard lyrics, like ""Scuse me while I kiss this guy."

The first time I heard Let It Be, I'd swear McCartney sang "Although the baby farted, there is still a chance that they will see."

This is one of those posts that makes me wonder if I've been intruding on a private party all this time.  Is this some kind of "insider's group?"  If so, forgive me for trespassing.

And happy birthday, Marcalan!

>>>A downside to tribute bands is when they peter out so does your money.<<<<

Even more tragic, in my opinion, is that, when being someone else stops being profitable, you've also lost several years of your life that could have been spent being yourself.  If just ONE of the guys who spent the last 35 years milking their short stints in the cast of BEATLEMANIA had been successful at creating NEW music in the spirit of The Beatles, perhaps we wouldn't all be missing The Beatles so much!