Welcome Paradoxers!
This blogspot will be our new home to share updates on everyone's new cd's, links to music venues, and other activities.
You can also post remembrances, photos, and any other memorabilia you would like to share. It would be great if this could become like an archive for the Paradox -- then and now.
More information to follow as I figure this out. In the meantime, please add your comments and keep the site alive and growing.
I can't get email out. Got six letters stalled in the queue, including this one, so I'll just post it publicly
Bob, I just found out that you share a birthday with my biggest hero, Pete Seeger. I'm not sure if you realize what a hero you are to a lot of us, but the enthusiasm surrounding the reunions should give you a clue.
In 1962, fascinated with this folk music thing, I wandered into McCabes, in Santa Monica, spent the afternoon browsing and wondering if I could learn to play, too. I left with the only thing I could afford at the time. Pete Seeger's "How To Play The Five-String Banjo".
It changed my life for the better. It exposed me to all kinds of wonderful music I'd never heard before, got me reading "Sing Out", and made me aware of the need for peace and social justice, and of all the forces arrayed against them.
Never could afford a banjo, but I settled for a $40 guitar and got busy. And four years later, I walked into the Paradox for a hoot and had another major change of life. It was the first time in my life that I'd ever been accepted for who I was. You, Hank, Helen, and Connie made something wonderful happen in the lives of a bunch of kids who were looking for something, anything, to make sense of things, and gave us an outlet for our talents, and hope that there was more to life than suburbia, and what you can buy.
Put simply, you made a huge difference for the better in our lives. I realize that wasn't your intention, but that's what you did simply in living your lives as best you could. Happy 75th, Bob. I'm forever in your debt.
Rik
PS does Bill Cunningham play 3-finger or clawhammer (frailing)? Each style needs a different setup, so I have a Fender FB58 set up for bluegrass (low action, resonator, plastic head) and Tex's banjo set up for clawhammer ( high action, open back, and a calfskin head) but I'm stretched for room, and since I can only bring one, it should be the one he'd have the most fun on.
Well said Rik. Sometimes I wonder if they fully realize the profound effect this Paradox experience has had on all our lives. So yes, a big thank you to all those who made this amazing thing happen. Happy Birthday Uncle Bob.
Hank pretty much ran the business, Helen and Connie did most the work, I just kinda hung our and wanted to be one of you guys, and I always had a day job. It was the greatest experience of my life....thank you all... love, Bob
Bob has been working really hard to clean up the place to make a good impression for the month of June, plus needs to be done for fire season. Helen planted veggies, lets hope we don't have another freeze. Been really lovely and warm. Just can't stay inside. We are having Pine pollen, that time of year, yellow dust on everything. This to shall come to pass......
8 comments:
Oh no Mr.Bill not another candle.
Hapy B'day Uncle Bob!
Gosh, Shucks........
Bob
I can't get email out. Got six letters stalled in the queue, including this one, so I'll just post it publicly
Bob, I just found out that you share a birthday with my biggest hero, Pete Seeger. I'm not sure if you realize what a hero you are to a lot of us, but the enthusiasm surrounding the reunions should give you a clue.
In 1962, fascinated with this folk music thing, I wandered into McCabes, in Santa Monica, spent the afternoon browsing and wondering if I could learn to play, too. I left with the only thing I could afford at the time. Pete Seeger's "How To Play The Five-String Banjo".
It changed my life for the better. It exposed me to all kinds of wonderful music I'd never heard before, got me reading "Sing Out", and made me aware of the need for peace and social justice, and of all the forces arrayed against them.
Never could afford a banjo, but I settled for a $40 guitar and got busy. And four years later, I walked into the Paradox for a hoot and had another major change of life. It was the first time in my life that I'd ever been accepted for who I was. You, Hank, Helen, and Connie made something wonderful happen in the lives of a bunch of kids who were looking for something, anything, to make sense of things, and gave us an outlet for our talents, and hope that there was more to life than suburbia, and what you can buy.
Put simply, you made a huge difference for the better in our lives. I realize that wasn't your intention, but that's what you did simply in living your lives as best you could. Happy 75th, Bob. I'm forever in your debt.
Rik
PS does Bill Cunningham play 3-finger or clawhammer (frailing)? Each style needs a different setup, so I have a Fender FB58 set up for bluegrass (low action, resonator, plastic head) and Tex's banjo set up for clawhammer ( high action, open back, and a calfskin head) but I'm stretched for room, and since I can only bring one, it should be the one he'd have the most fun on.
Many thanks. 3/4 of a century.
And what a century it has been!
Nice tribute, Rik! I think Bob and Helen had that effect on many of our lives.
Well said Rik. Sometimes I wonder if they fully realize the profound effect this Paradox experience has had on all our lives. So yes, a big thank you to all those who made this amazing thing happen.
Happy Birthday Uncle Bob.
Hank pretty much ran the business, Helen and Connie did most the work, I just kinda hung our and wanted to be one of you guys, and I always had a day job. It was the greatest experience of my life....thank you all...
love, Bob
Bob has been working really hard to clean up the place to make a good impression for the month of June, plus needs to be done for fire season.
Helen planted veggies, lets hope we don't have another freeze. Been really lovely and warm. Just can't stay inside. We are having Pine pollen, that time of year, yellow dust on everything. This to shall come to pass......
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