Corie caught a cold at the beach during our recent vacation. She was over it in no time and so was Woodrow once she shared it with him. But when they shared it with me the cold turned into a full fledge sinus infection. I’m finally beginning to feel better I think.
I’ve been taking a lot of naps during the heat of the day and one day when I was feeling miserable I was reminded of an old song Pap and Paul used to sing called “Gonna Lay Down My Old Guitar.” It was written by The Delmore Brothers.
The Delmore Brothers were among Pap’s all time favorite groups. He enjoyed their playing and singing, but as a songwriter himself, he was totally blown away by their song writing skills.
The duo were farm boys from Alabama. Their heyday was in the 1930s and 40s but their songs are still popular today especially in bluegrass and old time circles.
They played radio shows, were members of the Grand Ole Opry, and were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
You’ve likely heard some of their most famous songs:
“Blow Your Whistle,” “Freight Train Boogie,” “Browns Ferry Blues,” “Midnight Special,” “Southern Moon Shine Down Again,” “When It’s Time For The Whippoorwill to Sing,” “I Won’t Be Worried Long,” “Sandmountain Blues,” “She Left Me Standing On The Mountain,” “Happy On The Mississippi Shore,” “Put Me On The Trail To Carolina,” “I’ve Got The Big River Blues,” and more.
Like many of the songs we do “Gonna Lay Down My Ole Guitar” is a mournful tune. After hearing Pap and Paul do the song one of my aunts said ” Well that sure is a sad song to be singing.” Her point was valid, but somehow I’ve always been drawn to the sad songs and I guess Pap was too.
Might sound a little weird but my sinus infection has made me feel very thankful. I’ve felt miserable. In fact it’s the worst one I’ve ever had.
But my short bit of suffering has had me counting my blessings. Having a sinus infection is short lived and trivial when compared to the many folks who deal with chronic health conditions with no end in sight. I’m beyond blessed to be healthy.
Hope you enjoyed the old song! We uploaded it to YouTube 17 years ago. I love the way Pap and Paul are facing each other, the harmony, and Paul’s guitar licks.
Tipper
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