Last year my wife talked me into bringing my acoustic guitar to a family-friend-neighbor gathering and I ended up playing by the fire for a while. I was asked to bring it to last Saturday get together again so I did. The sun started to set and a fire was built, the radio was turned off and I was called forth.

The bulk of the crowd was 50 to 65 years old and with a high amount of them being return family/friends/neighbors. Some songs were played all the way through others only until no one remembered the words; I would just play one more verse and chorus and stop.

Some of the songs I played:
Bring it on Home
Heart of Gold
House of the Rising Sun
Danny’s Song
Proud Mary
China Grove
Sweet Home Alabama
Free Bird
Turn the Page
Summer Breeze
Blue Letter

When I first learned: Bring it on Home, Heart of Gold, Proud Mary and Sweet Home Alabama I did not enjoy playing them and really still don’t.
I would not have learned them if the rest of the members of the band didn’t decide we were going to play them. But they are still brought out of the old bag of tricks because a lot of people at that age know those songs and enjoy singing along. That’s what it’s about right? A guitar player by the fire playing his guitar and the crowd singing along.

Open your mind to what you are willing to learn to play. If a song is played a lot on the radio, learn it even if you do not like it. Apparently there are enough other people who do, to get that much air time. You may be glad you know it someday.

Now I have to wait to see if my guitar is invited back next year. I know “I” will I’m family.