Friday, March 25, 2011

Who Says You Can't Go Home?

I found an old friend by doing an internet search, so the innerwebz really is good for something.  You know you're a true musician when you look up fiddle players you've known and not old girlfriends.  It was with excitement tinged by trepidation that I went to see him.  He's almost 80 years old now, and it's true, you can never go home again.  Time marches on and things are not as you remember them.

We played together in a band back when I was single, but I got the most enjoyment from simply sitting down at his house or wherever and just the two of us playing.  We'd go into these dark dusty taverns in Southern New Mexico and unplug the jukebox and play.  Bob Seger, Bob Wills, Fiddle Tunes, Motley Crue, whatever.  Bikers, cowboys, Indians and Mexicans would eat it up, throw money in the hat and buy us drinks.

I took the family down to meet him, and we played all afternoon just like the good old days.  Words cannot express how happy I was to be playing with Valentino again, if only for a few hours.  I was out of practice, country music was never my forte, but it was awesome.

Valentino is a Pueblo Indian, born in Taos Pueblo, New Mexico.  Blind from birth, his family sent him to the Blind School in Alamogordo where he learned to play the violin.  He is the best damned fiddle player I've ever had the pleasure of knowing.
 
Here's a little montage...

12 comments:

Lisa said...

that was very enjoyable,thank you for sharing.
Beautiful girls.

Christopher - Conservative Perspective said...

Silver, I have to agree with every word Lisa said,,Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Curt, How wonderful! I would have loved to have been there. You are absolutelely right - he is magnificent. And who is the beautiful, dark-eyed senorita standing and watching? God bless you and your family.

Phil

Watch for my blog coming soon with 50 or 60 of my songs, including four that I wrote.

Trekkie4Ever said...

That was fantastic! What a wonderful talent. He is truly amazing, I didn't want the music to end, and I am not a country music fan at all, lol!

You were both incredible. Great duo. Thank you for sharing with us.

You have lovely girls.

Finntann said...

Great video and story to kick off the weekend.

Jersey McJones said...

Silver, that was just great! I wish I could've been there with you guys. That's the kind of jam I enjoy nowadays on my days off with my friends. I may be a city boy from New Jersey, but I just love American music, and I love playing it.

JMJ

Silverfiddle said...

Jersey: Music is good for the soul. Combine it with friendship and you get as close to heaven on earth as you can get.

Have a good weekend!

Anonymous said...

Outstanding! I thoroughly enjoyed that video ... thank you for posting it.

Les Carpenter said...

Silver - Truly enjoyable! You are right, he is a magnificent fiddle player.

Listening to you guys jam brings back many old memories of my gone by days before I gave up music for a more structured and mundane life of actually making money.

Thanks for posting!

Always On Watch said...

I'm listening now. Very nice.

Thanks for posting this.

Silverfiddle said...

Thanks everybody for the nice comments. Valentino has barely even heard of the internet, so it will delight him to know that people all over the US have seen and heard him play.

Anonymous said...

I am glad you could visit your friend Valentino and yes you do need practice. Thankfully I didn't have to here you trying to practice it up during your visit. Good to see and your family again. The next get together is on my nickel. RedneckRon