You know, I’ve never considered this before, and it’s not even really in my heritage, but I’m starting to wonder if a set of bagpipes might be more acceptable to my wife. She has yet to soften on her banjo stance, which remains: no, absolutely not, and not even if Hell froze over in mid-August. Which we’ve missed already anyway…

So, maybe she’s just embarrassed at what she deems a “hillbilly” instrument, and she’s holding out for something a little more exotic, like bagpipes. We always get a little misty-eyed when we see a bagpiper at funerals, playing “Amazing Grapes”.

I couldn’t disagree more about the bad rap the banjo seems to get. Many people play them, and most have all their teeth. Just think about that AM radio classic from the 70’s, “Dueling Banjos”. Which by the way was a duel between a banjo and a freakin’ acoustic guitar, what the heck was that all about??

Granted, not many banjo classics reach the inspirational grandeur of “Scotland The Brave”. I could wake her up every morning with that one, and she’d start her day REALLY motivated!!

OK, so I’ll pick up a cd of bagpipe hits today, and start playing it around the house. If she bites, this may be just the spot to come back to, and keep track of my challenges with becoming an exemplary wind instrument artist.

Although, I wonder if I could get away with using one of those portable air mattress pumps…that way I could still smoke my pipe while I’m playing them…

Chow for now!!