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EE Taft

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I can't find the word to say about my Old Man without tearin' up........ This song always comes to mind.

 

 

Dad asked me to do this song for him when he leaves this world......I don't know if I can.

 

 

Love ya Dad,

~EE Taft~

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Thanks Guys

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now it's workin'

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EE, my Dad been gone since 90. He died of da "Big C".

 

He wanted his serice to be happy, not sad and tearfull. In his mind, he was goin' home.

 

And he asked ifin' I wood sing, "How beauitful Heaven must be."

 

I did, and I made a mess of it.

 

And I still tear up at da thought of him.

 

 

"How beauitful Heaven must be...

Sweet home of the happy and free...

Fair haven of rest for the weary...

How beauitful Heaven must be."

 

 

Dang screen is cloundin' up..................................

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I can't find the word to say about my Old Man without tearin' up........ This song always comes to mind.

 

 

Dad asked me to do this song for him when he leaves this world......I don't know if I can.

 

 

Love ya Dad,

~EE Taft~

 

Yep... seeing my father in me is one of my favorites too.. While I am a girl, so I am a bit of a sap... still I am so much like my father ... I look like him, I walk like him, and I am skinny like him.. lol.. One thing I don't have is his hawk nose.. thanks God.. lol. I am a gentler version of him... I hurt more than he does and much easier.. but he gave me traditions and morales, and I honesty, and right and wrong. Dad was my anchor in a sea of life.. he still is the one place I go to for security.. I know he feels I should have done some things differently, and yeah, that eats at me cuz he is right.. lol... But still I know he loves me no matter what.. Dads are so cool...

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I find it amazing at how certain songs can help heal. I would like to salute all song writers who have the ability to put to music the things that the rest of us can only feel in our hearts.

Some do simply touch you soul... that is a great idea.. they so deserve it..

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Smokey, Apache, Grizz.......

 

Y'all have weathered a storm that I have not yet. My Dad, while he is doing good, has chronic breathing problems due to years of smoking. I've been thinking alot of him and Mom getting older and failing in health..........I guess I just sorta miss them already. It stunded me when one day about 5 years ago (Before Dad got down in health) out of the blue......we were sitting around pickin' and Dad said "Listen to this Waylon song" as he put the record on the turntable. "I want you to play this at my funeral."

 

I learned the words and picked up on the chords in about 5 minutes, and I still play it just about every night when I pick up my guitar (the same guitar that my Dad made for me), but I have this feeling that when the time comes I'm gonna just choke.

 

I want to do him proud, and I'm sure he will be no matter how I sound, but I'd sure like to make it pretty for ol' Dad when the time comes.

 

Blessings and Prayers to you fellers,

 

~EE Taft~

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EE

 

My Dad never was much on any kind of music. So theres really no song that means that much to me. There are many that really make me think about Dad and always have. I am sure that when the time does come, that you will find the strength to do what you need to do.

 

My Dad always told me what an honor it was to be a pallbearer for someone, he and I both did that more times than I care to remember...so when the time came, I had to find the strength to be there with Dad "walking with him for his last steps on this Earth"

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I got a call from the dialisis place,they said your dad hasn't come in this morning,he had to go it wasn't a thing you miss.I ran to my truck and headed as fast as i could to get to his new apt.he was living in while calling 911 and my sister to tell her to meet me there,my heart was pounding harder than a stamp mill,he had not givin any of us a new key to the place yet.When i got there he had every dang window and door locked,i tried to break down the door with no success,i was just getting ready to throw a little chair through the back slider when the fire dept showed up,the apt owners were on the way but i told then to grab that door buster and give her hell!They did and i ran in and a fireman grabbed me and told me NO!i can't let you go in there,let me go please, the look in his eye kept me there..I'm glad he did it,i still remember my dad grinnin from ear to ear when i close my eyes,it's a GOOD memory :blush::wub::(

 

4 years ago this coming March..Him and his uncles built the runway at Edwards Air Base in Mojave,their hard hats are still there under the cement :FlagAm:

 

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y283/gunclickrick/pop002.jpg

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I got a call from the dialisis place,they said your dad hasn't come in this morning,he had to go it wasn't a thing you miss.I ran to my truck and headed as fast as i could to get to his new apt.he was living in while calling 911 and my sister to tell her to meet me there,my heart was pounding harder than a stamp mill,he had not givin any of us a new key to the place yet.When i got there he had every dang window and door locked,i tried to break down the door with no success,i was just getting ready to throw a little chair through the back slider when the fire dept showed up,the apt owners were on the way but i told then to grab that door buster and give her hell!They did and i ran in and a fireman grabbed me and told me NO!i can't let you go in there,let me go please, the look in his eye kept me there..I'm glad he did it,i still remember my dad grinnin from ear to ear when i close my eyes,it's a GOOD memory :blush::wub::(

 

4 years ago this coming March..Him and his uncles built the runway at Edwards Air Base in Mojave,their hard hats are still there under the cement :FlagAm:

 

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y283/gunclickrick/pop002.jpg

 

That's a good read, Rick.

 

Like all the Dads that we have talked about here, He is one to be proud of.

 

I'll have a guitar (like you have the memory of the runway and the hard hats) that every time I slide the strap over my head, I'll think of him.

 

I took the kids by last night and hung out for a bit. When we get back from St. Louis tomorrow I'm gonna stop by again.

 

I hope that I havn't touched on too sore of a subject for y'all. I know it's a hard lump to swallow.

 

To me he will be alive long after he leaves us.

 

I hope one day my children can feel the kind of love that our family's legacy is built on. Honor, respect, but most of all

Love.

 

All these Dads here 'bouts have raised some fine children, that's fer sure. :blush:

 

~EE Taft~

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I'd like to see a pic of that geetar,i play a little..I think with mine, livin was gettin very hard,it wasn't fun watchin him tied to that machine 3 days a week and he dispised it. I bet that guitar sounds sweet :)

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My dad was a fan of Big Band music only. We had a tape of Benny Goodman's band playing in the Hospice room when he passed back in '07.

I did finally get his shadow box finished the way I wanted.

He'd probably say, "What do ya want to hang that crap up for"? ;)

Because, Dad. Just because you're my hero.

 

Dad

 

Alas, I was never as gorgeous as him .......or Forty Rod in uniform. :lol:

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Very Cool, UB!

 

I wish I could come up with a stronger word, but.........Very COOL!

 

Rick, Let me see what I got. a pic of a guitar and it's player have to be just right............That way the player acually looks like he knows what he's doin'! :lol:

 

Dad has the first pic of me playin' it on his computer. I'll see if I can get my hands on it.

 

~EE Taft~

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http://i881.photobucket.com/albums/ac20/EE_Taft/167805_126290590773943_100001790074062_158920_1209903_n.jpg

 

Here ya go, Rick!

 

All kinds of cool little bits in the pic. One the wall behind me is a gig poster for the band I ran for years.

 

The records on the shelf are all pretty much Waylon Jennings music.

 

~EE Taft~

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That is one bad A-- guitar,is it a Fender Strat,i've never seen that color scheme,and you got some mikes and stuff goin on,exactly what i want to do..That is a nice guitar buddy,it fits ya just fine! Hey i love the Waylon dude, almost got his autograph but had to settle for Willies and Kristopherson.I got Willies a few times.Do you have an old Waylon album that has a song that goes"Don't mistake my tendernous and kindness for any weakness in your man"Has a pic of him in the old days with blond hair.I comb my hair just like he did and when i met Willie he kept staring at me,i looked sort of like him at the time,my hair was long in the back same color as Waylons.Did your dad play with any pros? I LOVE THAT GUITAR! Thanks for the picture DoublEE :)

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That is one bad A-- guitar,is it a Fender Strat,i've never seen that color scheme,and you got some mikes and stuff goin on,exactly what i want to do..That is a nice guitar buddy,it fits ya just fine! Hey i love the Waylon dude, almost got his autograph but had to settle for Willies and Kristopherson.I got Willies a few times.Do you have an old Waylon album that has a song that goes"Don't mistake my tendernous and kindness for any weakness in your man"Has a pic of him in the old days with blond hair.I comb my hair just like he did and when i met Willie he kept staring at me,i looked sort of like him at the time,my hair was long in the back same color as Waylons.Did your dad play with any pros? I LOVE THAT GUITAR! Thanks for the picture DoublEE :)

 

It's kinda funny. Dad never really played at all, but he can sure build one heck of a guitar!! That one is based off of a '72 telecaster custom. Gotz the humbuckers like a Les Paul and the feel of a fender. Dad built her from the ground up. I've got some other pics somewhere that show several that he's built. That one is a fire scorched sunburst. (as in, we acually fire scorch the edges to obtain that look). Hehehe, you should see some of the others!!

 

He builds 'em and plays 'em a bit. Me and my Brother slobber over them and play the sh!t out of them!!

 

I've played pro (regionally) pretty much all my life. Had several chances to play in Nashville and Branson, but I just had more fun playin' around home. I've been a drummer for about 23 24 years, along with lead and hamony vocals, and have been playing guitar, fiddle, and even dabbled in steel and banjo for about the past 6 or 7 years.

 

Cowboyin' and Cowboy shootin' are a way of life, but music (to me) is just on a deeper level....it's my medicine....it's just life......

 

Without it, I wouldn't be me.

 

Happy Pickin' Pard,

~EE Taft~

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I got a call from the dialisis place,they said your dad hasn't come in this morning,he had to go it wasn't a thing you miss.I ran to my truck and headed as fast as i could to get to his new apt.he was living in while calling 911 and my sister to tell her to meet me there,my heart was pounding harder than a stamp mill,he had not givin any of us a new key to the place yet.When i got there he had every dang window and door locked,i tried to break down the door with no success,i was just getting ready to throw a little chair through the back slider when the fire dept showed up,the apt owners were on the way but i told then to grab that door buster and give her hell!They did and i ran in and a fireman grabbed me and told me NO!i can't let you go in there,let me go please, the look in his eye kept me there..I'm glad he did it,i still remember my dad grinnin from ear to ear when i close my eyes,it's a GOOD memory :blush::wub::(

 

4 years ago this coming March..Him and his uncles built the runway at Edwards Air Base in Mojave,their hard hats are still there under the cement :FlagAm:

 

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y283/gunclickrick/pop002.jpg

 

My uncle Bobby (Dad's Brother) when though dialisis for years. If I remember right he died at 33.

 

I can't imagine what dialisis is like, and I can't imagine what Dad feels. He's lost both of his Brothers at very young ages.

 

:(

 

~EE Taft~

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http://i881.photobucket.com/albums/ac20/EE_Taft/167805_126290590773943_100001790074062_158920_1209903_n.jpg

 

Here ya go, Rick!

 

All kinds of cool little bits in the pic. One the wall behind me is a gig poster for the band I ran for years.

 

The records on the shelf are all pretty much Waylon Jennings music.

 

~EE Taft~

 

 

That is one fine gittar!!

I had a Gibson ES140. I told my folks to sell it when I was in the Army. I think they got $75.

I believe it would fetch a bit more these days. :blink:

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That is one fine gittar!!

I had a Gibson ES140. I told my folks to sell it when I was in the Army. I think they got $75.

I believe it would fetch a bit more these days. :blink:

 

Yeah, I'd say it would bring a bit more these days. That would be one that Dad would like to get his hands on.

 

The one in the pic is one of the many that Dad has built. He don't play much, but he build a damn fine guitar!!

 

He does action jobs on guitars like some of us do action jobs on our guns. When he is done it is slick and fast!!

 

~EE Taft~

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I lost my dad on Christmas day 1997. There isn't a day that goes by that ! don't realize he is still by my side. A couple of years before he died I wrote him a letter (remember those) telling him how much I loved him and thanking for everything from teaching me to tie my shoes to becoming the kind of man I felt he was. He called me in tears the day after he got it. We both worked for the Phone company so I got to see him everyday after I left home.

 

My brother once had some disparaging words about Dad once. Suffice to say he'll never say them in front of me again!

 

Dad, I LOVE YOU!

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I lost my dad on Christmas day 1997. There isn't a day that goes by that ! don't realize he is still by my side. A couple of years before he died I wrote him a letter (remember those) telling him how much I loved him and thanking for everything from teaching me to tie my shoes to becoming the kind of man I felt he was. He called me in tears the day after he got it. We both worked for the Phone company so I got to see him everyday after I left home.

 

My brother once had some disparaging words about Dad once. Suffice to say he'll never say them in front of me again!

 

Dad, I LOVE YOU!

 

I would have loved to worked by my Dad's side. Growing up I knew him as the guy that came in on friday night and left on Sunday morning. I guess the reason I'm so heart felt about him (besides that he's my Dad) is that I've had time to get to know him much better now that I'm grown. He never was harsh towards us when he was home, I just never got to spend much time with him. Partly my fault, as I was always doing my own thing.

I'm happy for every second we spend together now, and I miss him when I'm not around him. Over the past 10 years or so he has taught me things and told me things that showed me the kind of man he is.

 

 

I hope to one day be half that man.......but, I got a long way to go. :)

 

Love ya, Dad (I know, I say that alot, but ya can't say it enough.)

~EE Taft~

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Lost my Dad to emphysema in 1988. Like all of you its a loss you never really get over. Everytime I hear Tom T. Halls "Homecoming" I tear up cause I really never got to see him all that much after we left Texas. Some of it was lack of money to get there but a lot was a "Aw, I'll get out there in a few months". See em every chance you get...you won't regret it.

 

Homecoming

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That is one fine gittar!!

I had a Gibson ES140. I told my folks to sell it when I was in the Army. I think they got $75.

I believe it would fetch a bit more these days. :blink:

 

Old Gibsons are like fine wine they just keep going up and getting better. Would love to have one like that 140 and probably could've ordered a lefty at one time. I'm waiting to win the powerball for this one:

 

ES-175D

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Purdy!!

 

Dad's got a few hollow bodies, but they are newer.

 

Guitars are an expensive hobby, especially when you figure between me and Dad we've got about 80 of them!

 

~EE Taft~

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Purdy!!

 

Dad's got a few hollow bodies, but they are newer.

 

Guitars are an expensive hobby, especially when you figure between me and Dad we've got about 80 of them!

 

~EE Taft~

 

Wow! That would be something to see!

 

Re-read your post about your Dads request for a particular song. Well, I never was much good at that sort of thing but I watched in awe as my wife read a poem at her Mom's service. Took strength to do it and I realized that such an effort is a duty. To my amazement, a year or so ago, I gave a 10 min off the cuff speech to honor my only brother at graveside. My wife whispered to me "that was beautiful". I just nodded and mummered "Had to"! Taft, you'll find the strength when the time comes cause you "have to". In the meantime, enjoy the times!

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Wow! That would be something to see!

 

Re-read your post about your Dads request for a particular song. Well, I never was much good at that sort of thing but I watched in awe as my wife read a poem at her Mom's service. Took strength to do it and I realized that such an effort is a duty. To my amazement, a year or so ago, I gave a 10 min off the cuff speech to honor my only brother at graveside. My wife whispered to me "that was beautiful". I just nodded and mummered "Had to"! Taft, you'll find the strength when the time comes cause you "have to". In the meantime, enjoy the times!

 

My dad taught me to not cry.. my eyes fill up, and I want too but after years of fighting it I am pretty good at the sobbing stuff.. But man, my voice cracks, I can not do the song stuff or the speaking stuff at a funeral. In fact I fell apart with the flute at my neices wedding.. lol.. Some people are just toughter I guess.. But you know my dad now cries a bit. the last time I was up there he asked me about my first impression of the west. So, I first of all thanked him for bring me out and making my world a whole lot bigger in the summers.. and went on to tell him about my train ride out from Savanah IL to Ca... in 1962. I told him what I saw from the dome car, and how the conductor were so kind to me and showed me the falls, it seemed like they would come find me before something cool came along to show it to me. Course I was a pretty curious kinda kid, so maybe they wanted to slow me down a bit too? lol.. But riding in that traing between the cars, with the door open looking on on the water falls rushing down the mountains made me want so to see so much more in life. Telling the silly story, and thanking my father for the trip filled his eyes with tears that ran down his cheeks.. never what I planned on happening.. I guess tears of happiness? My grandmother was a very strong woman, and we all love her.. at the graveside and thru the funeral I stood by my dad with water pooling in our eyes, tears here and their on our cheeks but not one sob, that was decades ago... time weakens us all I guess.

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I had learned to play native american flute and pop like to hear me play,the hard part was playing at his service,i thought i was gonna exsplode on the way over,when it came time something came over me and i calmed right down and played a song i wrote titled Morning Doves.Dad lived two doors down for awhile and we had these morning doves fly back and forth and sit on our chimneys,when they cooed you could hear them in the house through the fireplace like a big speakers,pop would call me and asked if i had heard them,yep they are over here right now...

When i played i made the sounds of doves cooing on the flute,my brother lost it,and i made a native american vet cry,i never noticed a thing till i was done playing i was so focused,after that i was just "whew" :mellow: .

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I had learned to play native american flute and pop like to hear me play,the hard part was playing at his service,i thought i was gonna exsplode on the way over,when it came time something came over me and i calmed right down and played a song i wrote titled Morning Doves.Dad lived two doors down for awhile and we had these morning doves fly back and forth and sit on our chimneys,when they cooed you could hear them in the house through the fireplace like a big speakers,pop would call me and asked if i had heard them,yep they are over here right now...

When i played i made the sounds of doves cooing on the flute,my brother lost it,and i made a native american vet cry,i never noticed a thing till i was done playing i was so focused,after that i was just "whew" :mellow: .

 

That calm reaction is the type of thing I would do when I played a new venue somewhere. One of the biggest places we played was a huge night club in our area. I had went from small bars with 25 or 30 people to about 4000 people in one quick booking call. That night I just looked at the band and said "Well boys, we came here to do it so lets do it!" sercretly I was about to snap. They all just watched as we played the first song........4000 sets of eyes....... :blink: . I had played bigger shows by far but as a band member backing the front man. In this case I was the drummer and lead singer and we always set the drums in the front of the stage (after all, the front man can't be in the back!) I was shakin' like a dog sh!ttin bones!!!

 

At the end of the song there was an eerie silence for about a millisecond then the whole room opened up into a roar. from then on I was fine playin that place. I've alway been able to overcome stage fright. It's in a musicians nature to do so, or your just not cut out to be a musician.

 

I feel that might come into play with the task at hand, (I keep telling myself that anyway) but this is a whole different ballgame.......or am I wrong?

 

I feel that I might be overcome with a sense of pride or something deeper to make it through that song for him. I don't know yet and I wish I never had to find out.

 

On the other side of that thought, death is part of life. something we all have to endure. and something we all have to witness others go through....... Most of the time it's the ones that mean the most to us.

 

And life goes on after it's done. It's not in the golden rule that we have to forget, and I'm glad of it.

 

I'm very honored to read of the memories you folks have of your fathers.

 

As I said before, those Dads raised some fine children.

 

 

Here's to all your Dads and all of you who are dads (myself included) May the cycle go on, that our kids see in us what we saw in our Dads (and Moms).

 

Regards Pards,

~EE Taft~

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My dad taught me to not cry.. my eyes fill up, and I want too but after years of fighting it I am pretty good at the sobbing stuff.. But man, my voice cracks, I can not do the song stuff or the speaking stuff at a funeral. In fact I fell apart with the flute at my neices wedding.. lol.. Some people are just toughter I guess.. But you know my dad now cries a bit. the last time I was up there he asked me about my first impression of the west. So, I first of all thanked him for bring me out and making my world a whole lot bigger in the summers.. and went on to tell him about my train ride out from Savanah IL to Ca... in 1962. I told him what I saw from the dome car, and how the conductor were so kind to me and showed me the falls, it seemed like they would come find me before something cool came along to show it to me. Course I was a pretty curious kinda kid, so maybe they wanted to slow me down a bit too? lol.. But riding in that traing between the cars, with the door open looking on on the water falls rushing down the mountains made me want so to see so much more in life. Telling the silly story, and thanking my father for the trip filled his eyes with tears that ran down his cheeks.. never what I planned on happening.. I guess tears of happiness? My grandmother was a very strong woman, and we all love her.. at the graveside and thru the funeral I stood by my dad with water pooling in our eyes, tears here and their on our cheeks but not one sob, that was decades ago... time weakens us all I guess.

 

Deja, I never cried........Until my kids were born. They always amaze me.

 

As to the subject........ I'm the same way at the thought of doing what I've got to do. now and then I sing the song and choke up just praticing it. I don't think it's the song, but more the reason I'm singin' it.

 

And boy, I CHOKE!! I can sing it a hundred times, then one time I do it, I choke up and that's it, I have to put the guitar down and walk away.

 

I guess conventional wisdom and experience MAY prevail. I sure hope so!!

 

That......and I'd sure hate to mess it up just 'cause I forgot the words..........Hey, I got 10,000 songs rollin' 'round in this old noggin and 20 years of forgettin' the words!! :lol: I guess I could do it like ol' Waylon would......Fake it! :lol:

 

I'm sure I won't forget the words, but I might not get them all to pass my lips. -_-

 

Thank you all for making this such an open topic. It helps more than you know!

~EE Taft~

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