Ralph was 13 or 14 years old when he received his first harmonica at Christmas. "And before the day was over, my lips were real fat because I played and played!" By the end of the day, he had mastered playing Silent Night!
The one he was given as a young teenager was a small one, with 8 or 12 holes. It was in the key of C, which was pretty standard, and cost about 3 1/2 or 4 dollars.
The one he was given as a young teenager was a small one, with 8 or 12 holes. It was in the key of C, which was pretty standard, and cost about 3 1/2 or 4 dollars.
He's had 8-10 harmonicas over the years, in various sizes and styles, but the Hohner Chromonica 64 Chromatic Harmonica, which he purchased as an adult (maybe 20-25 years ago), is his favorite. It has 16 holes, can cover 4 octaves, and plays in the key of C. (It's apparently what Stevie Wonder likes to play as well.)
Ralph's stepfather, Lester Johnson, also played harmonica. His harmonica had two sides to it that you could roll and change keys. In fact, he would have his harmonica attached to a wire frame that wrapped around his neck so he could play "hands free," or rather use his hands to simultaneously play the guitar and sing too! (Like the ad below.) Lester was a great entertainer!
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He'll pull it out to entertain us sometimes at family gatherings, and I have fond memories of him playing harmonica with GS in Shetland on our trip there in September 2014. He said he still pulls it out to play sometimes, late at night, as it's a great release or way to decompress.
Let's take this show on the road!
- Video filmed on 22 November 2018.
- Additional information from phone conversations on 13 January 2020 and 15 January 2020.
