Guitar pick story #105: last song for grandpa
 

I had a middle aged man that said he did play guitar. I asked him if he had any stories. Did he inherits grandpa’s guitar or anything interesting ?
He said his grandpa was always wanting to teach him gospel guitar, but he wanted to rock and roll. One day he told his grandpa that he bet the old man couldn’t play rock or blues if he tried. The old man didn’t say anything. Instead he just rolled off the most spectacular blues riff he had ever heard. It was long and sweet. The kid begged him to teach him, but his grandpa just went back to gospel and would not budge from that.
Years later when his grandpa was dying the boy was watching with family around his bed. The old said “boy, get out on the porch and play my guitar”. The grandson was about to play some gospel when the old man coughed out, “ go ahead, and play rock and roll.”
So the boy was playing rock when his grandpa passed a little later. I asked if that meant he was finally ok with rock and roll!?
My patient said no…his grandpa was thinking of him, and did not want his last memory to be of his grandpa gagging and dying.
Sounds like the grandpa cared more about the boy than the music. What a special memory for a grandson.

That's one of the best stories you've unearthed.

+1 on this. I love reading your stories and this one "rocks".

Good story... Thank you. :)

- Glenn

Great story! Thanks for sharing! :up: Keep the guitar stories coming... ;)

Have to agree, excellent story, thanks for posting.

john

These stories are some of my favourite things on this forum. This is one of the best. Thank you.

Agree, thanks.

I have to agree. These stories are so cool.
Thank you for sharing them with us.

Great story, well told.

Thank you.

Thanks guys. The stories are fun to collect, and I really appreciate hearing back from you! Thanks again.

That's a particularly powerful story, considering that many older Christian southerners, at least back in the day, thought of rock'n'roll and other secular music as 'sinful.'

Even the great Little Richard renounced rock'n'roll for a few years in the early '60s and became a preacher.

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/94cAA...i~F/s-l640.jpg

Great story.
As always, thanks.

I always get excited when I see that you've got a new story posted, and as others have said, this one has to be at or very near the top. Thank you for sharing.

Great story, quite possibly the best yet!