Hey Ozzie – My girlfriend dislikes bluegrass. What should I do?
Ozzie: Wow! First damn question and this one lobs. But it does go to the heart of things, and could be fundamental to your passion for the music. If she really doesn’t like it, then you probably won’t even be able to play it in the house, or the car, or have your friends over for a jam. Festivals? Forget it. It’s not a good start. If you really can’t do without her, then something’s got to give. Because if your relationship with her gets any more serious, it will only get worse.
If you don’t want to have to cash in your instrument, tuner, picks and tickets at the next festival, then change girlfriends. Don’t wait until the bluegrass divorce, five years later and the big financial settlement. It may help you write better lonesome bluegrass songs, but it will hurt the bank account more. This is actually dinkum. I have seen a number of divorces based on a couple’s acute mismatch over favourite hobbies. Picking and grinning is no different.
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This column is dedicated to every Australian bluegrass musician who wants to improve his or her craft – and live to play another day. Ozzie J Picker is an Australian who has enjoyed more than 50 years of playing and singing bluegrass, as well as studying the long history of its roots. Ask him anything…
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