A promise kept…

Music is a major part of the Ramsey household.  There’s 6 basses at home (3 slabs and 3 real basses, you know the ones that take up space) 4 guitars, ONE banjo, 2 mandolins, a fiddle, 2 dobros, a keyboard, well you get the picture.

It’s been that way for years, even before we had young’uns, though there were fewer instruments then.  Aaron, the oldest, plays 5 instruments pretty well.  Mandolin, guitar, banjo, bass (both electric and upright) and dobro.  He played bass in band at school from the 6th grade through 12th.  In his junior year he won the mando contest at MerleFest.  Oh yeah, he also runs a digital recording studio in the cobwebs of our basement.

Katie is just as fluent.  She plays clarinet, tenor sax, bass (both), guitar and keyboards/piano.  She sings, writes songs and plays the radio and an iPod really well.  She auditioned and got into the Haynes School of Music at Appalachain State in Boone, NC playing upright bass.  She was 5th or 6th chair and had no proper lessons prior to doing so.  There were 12 basses in that orchestra.  She also like to do videography with her school buddies.

My children were never forced to play anything at our home.  If they showed interest, there was access.  They both love music.

Aaron was afforded the opportunity to play music in a band setting (bluegrass) from the time he was about 14.  That’s when he began playing music with us in a gospel group called Damascus Road.  Later he played mandolin (first) and then guitar with us in The Linville Ridge Band.  He’s playing guitar on the cuts on our profile page except The Door Is Always Open.  From there he played bass (first) and then mandolin with Randy Kohrs.  This was a golden opportunity form Aaron to travel, be exposed to recording on a different level and really get his feet wet in the music industry.

Since then, he has filled in a couple times with Mountain Heart.  Adam Steffey has been a dear friend and almost an uncle figure to Aaron, as well as Aaron’s largest musical mandolin inspiration.  These opportunities (filling in) have helped Aaron to realize a dream of his and ours.

Me and Janee’ (my wife, pronounced JUH-nay) vowed that if Aaron ever got to play on the Opry (the Grand Ole one) we would be there.  Last Tuesday night (11-27), Aaron called and asked what I was doing on Saturday night (12-1).  I said I had nothing planned and he wanted to know if I wanted to go listen to some music.  I figured it was a jam of sorts, maybe a show somewhere close by.  He then said it was in Nashville and I said “WHO?”  He then reminded me of the promise I mentioned earlier in this paragraph.  I’m glad I was sitting.

I could have had to be playing a BBQ gig (like this Friday night) which I would have had to honor.  Mike Ramsey is the type that if I say I’m going to do something, it will have to be some pretty dire circumstances for me to cancel (keep that in mind when you book us).  As it worked out, we were able to go.

This was Aaron’s 2nd time attending the Opry.  And he gets to play ON the Opry!  Seeing him finally walk across that stage seemed so surreal.  Dream-like.  I had imagined I would be able to experience this event, but when it actually happened I was sort of numb.  Maybe it was thinking about fooling with a 35mm camera that I hadn’t used in years that helped me to be a bit distant.  That helped me to stay in control.

Big Mike D is a big ole boy, but at times, he’s a complete push over when it comes to emotional events or times.  There were a few tears that welled up, but none ran down.  I wouldn’t have cared if they had.

I kept my promise.  Now, I hope to get to experience it sometime again..  I feel sure it will happen in the future, but on that FIRST time, I was there.  Aaron did his part, through hard work, to get there and I did mine to be there.

These children are like the new butterflies.  They sit, perched on the twig, waiting for their wings to dry.  The flight time is almost here.  It’s exciting, sad and wonderful all in the same instant.