WEST POINT — When Tim Gartland first picked up a harmonica at 13 years old, he started out just like any amateur: one song at a time.
“My first song I learned that first day was ‘Oh! Susanna,’” Gartland said. “And I remember going to bed with that song in my head. And that was it. I was hooked.”
After playing folk songs on the harmonica for a while, Gartland learned about the blues and immediately gravitated toward it.
More than 50 years later, the Nashville-based musician has released five solo blues albums. Gartland still plays the blues, writes the blues, and teaches the blues online across the country. He even wrote an instructional manual on the subject, “The Talking Harmonica.”
Next month, the harmonica will be bringing Gartland to the Black Prairie Blues Museum to lead a workshop on “Your Blues Harmonica Journey,” to inspire other people to pick up the instrument he loves.
“If you’re a pretty good player, I want you to be inspired to be a better player and I hope to share a few things to help you,” Gartland said. “If you’re a brand new one, that’s easy. I’ll teach you the fundamentals. … And I want people to participate and play whatever they know how to play.”
Participants will gather at the blues museum from 1-4 p.m. Sept. 7 to learn from Gartland and from each other, he said, as he hopes the workshop can become a positive environment where players can encourage each other, forming a harmonica community in West Point.
Gartland said the only thing required to attend the workshop is for participants to purchase a quality harmonica, around $40, in the key of C.
After that, he hopes to work with participants where they are.
“I’ll teach you from how to choose the right one, to maintain the harmonica, to how to hold the harmonica in your hands, to learn how to play one note versus four or five notes, to learn scales, to learn songs, and then really advanced playing techniques,” Gartland said.
Deborah Mansfield, director for the Black Prairie Blues Museum, said she is excited to bring Gartland to the museum for the workshop, bringing his expertise as a musician and teacher to the event. She said she hopes the workshop encourages a lot of people to come out and play blues at the museum.
“We’re excited to have him host this,” Mansfield said. “He’s a professional. He knows what he’s doing, and I think he’ll make it a fun session. There will be a backup guitar player assisting him, and people will get to get up on stage and actually play a song at the end. That’s what I’m told. And I think a good time will be had by all.”
Mansfield said the workshop also continues the museum’s mission of spreading blues education in the area by encouraging new players.
“Our mission is to spread word about the blues and where it came from and to continue the blues for the future, too,” Mansfield said. “We want to get young people involved and let them know where most all of our music has come from – the blues.”
To participate, there is a $40 fee. Copies of Gartland’s book will also be available for $20 at the workshop. For an application form and more information, participants should text (662) 275-7819 to reserve a spot.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 38 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
