Wayne Benson has me working on a Bach piece right now, “Prelude From Suite 1.” When you get up with the early birds and sit on the back porch and play a tune like this, you can’t help but feel like you are part of something bigger than just your little self. As I struggle to get the piece under my fingers, I realize nothing good every came easy to most of us. My mind wanders. Maybe it did to Bach, but I bet he put in his time too. The wind whistles through the trees. I think Bach could hear the ancient tones just like Monroe. As Wayne says, “it’s all music.”
At the turn of the last century, as Mike Marshall says, “mandolin orchestras roamed the earth.” I think my friend Butch Baldassari might have made it happen again if he had not died so young. Maybe Mike will see mandolins rule again. I do know this; I believe our kids would be better off in the orchestras than to watch reality television. T.V. is all instant gratification. For me, the best of life came from long years of commitment, be it to family, friends, doctor books, or cello suites.
Maybe it’s just what they call “cognitive dissonance” where you have to believe in your cause for your existence to have meaning, but I feel like so far I’ve used my time on earth the best I could, and I’m gonna continue in my quest until the end. My talents are humble but I’m gonna do my best with ’em every day.
Dr. B
Dr. Tom Bibey: Stories of the Bluegrass Music Road 