My Dad Was A Drummer
Bodi-wan
October 8, 2021
Unlike my mom, I had the opportunity to see my dad (Jim Hodge, 1950-2014) play some live shows and practices. He played until about 1980. I was around 6 when he played his last show. Although he was often invited on stage to play a song or two from time to time when we were there.
He played in an old fashion country/bluegrass band. The name was brilliant for that style—“Cousin Arkie and Stump Jumpers”. Who could forget that?!?!
They played a mix of covers and originals from the early 1970s. It consisted of Dee Holder (Cousin Arkie) on vocals and guitars/banjo with Junior Fanshier playing guitar and some banjo. Finally, the band was complete with Merle Wolfe on bass.
I remember when my dad played in Meredosia, IL (“Dōsh”) at a big town wide pork roast. We supplied the pigs for the roast from our farm. Watching my dad in the big machine shed (Holder's Country Hoedown) and old fashioned stages was like being at the Old Ryman Auditorium listening to the Grand Ole Opry live (which I’ve been to by the way).
I don’t remember this next part, but it was related to me—whether true or a tall tale—I simply don’t know. Apparently, the band tried to do a show where they loosened the outer bass drum head so that it would fall off as soon as the drums kicked it at the onset of a concert.
But there was more! They put a live chicken in the bass drum so that when the concert started, the drum head would fall open and the chicken would come bursting out. I’ll give them credit for originality! The concert began and the bass drum head came right off—but that chicken had no intention of going anywhere!
That chook was perfectly content staying in that bass drum while it was being played! The crowd was awed that they had trained a chicken to sit in a bass drum for a concert. Different affect, and definitely not what they expected.
I’m not sure if a chicken in a bass drum has ever been duplicated by any other band on the planet! And just for the record, I don’t recommend doing it either! I guess it gives a new meaning to the term “drumstick”.
Either way, I’ve had interesting memories from those early years of mine watching my dad play some live shows and practice at Dee Holder’s place west of Versailles, IL.
Blessings in Christ,
Bodi-wan
