My Life and This Old Piano

Now I can see so much clearer how God had my life planned.They say hindsight is 20/20,and of course it is.This piano has been following me for 34 years.I was delivering a new Mason Hamlin six foot grand to this high scool and noticed this old piano on the stage floor.The legs were broke off and it just layed on the floor.The principal told me to take it with me if I wanted it.So I took it to my studio and set it up,repaired the legs and lyre.To my surprise I saw the whole insides(really what matters for sound quality,) was totally restored,pin block,pins,strings,hammer,and key action.I customized the action and hammer voicing next.

After performing a fine tuning on this baby I discovered a whole new world of inspiration.I have written most of my songs on this instrument.Being a studio piano over 200 gospel songs and years of recording sessions were performed on it also.Just last week we recorded some tracks for a movie score we are working on.God continues to use this piano for his glory.Last month we moved it to the church sanctuary where it will stay beside my Hammond B-3.It will now inspire hundreds more to worship.

Remember the old story about the old violin at the auction?God uses the foolishness of the world to confound the wise.No telling how many people have been blessed by this piano considering records and airplay an television and all.The old piano the school system thought was trash!

Pearl of Great Price

I got this title to a song long time ago”Pearl Of Great Price.”After all these years I finally wrote the song.It turned out to be a minor key blues tune with a few good punchy chord changes.With my graveley voice it reminds me of kinda Stevie Ray or BB King.

The lyrics are inspired by the parables Jesus spoke of in Matthew 13:44 and 45,the hidden treasure and the pearl.The man that bought the field to have the treasure represents the believer that discovers the kingdom of heaven and realizing it’s incomparable worth sells all that he has to buy the field and own the treasure.I thought in the next parable( verse 45 ,)the merchant was also the believer.

The first lyrics are,”Pearl of Great Price,in the carpenters field/Gave all that he had to know it for real”.In my excitement(remember I have tried to write this tune for years,)I called the bass player Darrell Thompson.Now Darrell is a analytical sorta guy.He gets out his study bible and looks up the verses.

In his study bible the comments are researched back to the original Greek and Hebrew meanings of the words.The comment on the man who found the treasure in the field said “the man represents the believer finding the kingdom of Heaven”.The comment on verse 45 says the merchant finding the pearl of great price is God himself.This blew Darrell and I away.God sold all he had to buy the pearl of great price.That is you and me brothers and sisters(For God so loved the world,he gave his only son).

I had to change the lyrics a little.Now it is “Pearl of great price,in the carpenters field/gave all that he had,to know us for real”.I have asked many theologians who they think the merchant is and so far they all think he is the believer.Just thank the merchant he thinks of you as a “Pearl of Great Price”.

The Hammond B3 organ and the Blues #2

Got request to explain how the organ works.Fist of all the Hammond is not really an “electronic” instrument.It works more like an old electric guitar.I just love things you have to crank up,like my Harley.On the old Hammond you have a start switch.You can hear it whine a few seconds and then you turn the on switch.The leslie speaker(more on that later),also begins to spin.Now when the tubes warm up it’s ready to rock,no it does’t shake or anything.

The reason the organ is more like an electric guitar is it works off all these wheels turning.The wheels have metal bumps on them that pass through an electro magnet.As it spins the more the bumps the higher the pitch of that tone.The result is like a flute tone.All these turn together and with the drawbars you can increase and decrease the harmonics.It has millions of slight variations.The best part is the percussion,allowing you to choose a third or second harmonic to “pop” off the note.

Now the leslie speaker is phenominal.On slow speed it is like a celestial sound and on fast it’s like totally excited and thrashing.All in all people just love the real thing the “Hammond B3.”This sound is as famous as the sound of the electric guitar.There is one in every real recording studio all over the US.Next time you hear a Gospel or old Yes tune with Rick Wakeman on organ or Need to Breathe or Allman Brothers ect.,Know that the Hammond helped put them on the charts.