Playing the harmonica:
But not singing the blues
Matt Wickiser
Issue date: 9/25/08 Section: News
Would you like to pay for that with Witt Gold or debit? Many students hear these words come from Post 95 employee Douglass Richard "Rick" Shaw every day, but few know his story.
Shaw, 55, was born here in Springfield and moved with his family to Georgia until he was 18, where he then decided to enlist and go to Vietnam. It was then that Rick made a small purchase that would later help him realize a lifelong dream.
"I picked up a Hohner Golden Melody Harmonica before I left to keep myself busy," said Shaw. "It wasn't long until I was getting pretty good."
After four months in Vietnam, Shaw spent a few more months in Japan and Guam before returning to the U.S. and landing in Texas to finish out his service. Once he completed his stint, Shaw made the decision to re-enlist.
"I didn't have much else to do and I liked it," he said. "They gave me the decision of going to Alaska or going back overseas…I thought to myself, Alaska could be fun."
Shaw was deployed to Fairbanks, Alaska in 1972, where he would eventually spend the next 30 years of his life. After leaving the Army early, he decided to stay in Fairbanks because he liked it so much. It wasn't until 1992 that Shaw managed to migrate back down to the lower 48 states. LikeJack Kerouac, Shaw was on the road with no clear definition of the future.
"I stopped in Lansing, Michigan for a while to see my sister," Shaw told The Torch. "I lived in a homeless shelter and drove a taxi cab for part of my time there."
It was at this job that Rick would one day receive the opportunity of his lifetime.
I was driving three men to a Laundromat in Lansing," Rick recalled. "I pulled my harmonica out and started playing as I waited for them and when they came out they encouraged me to keep playing. Before long the men were drumming on their thighs and singing, it was like we had created a band."
It turn out Rick hadn't created a band, instead he had joined one. One of the men introduced himself as Ben Folds, lead singer of the popular rock band Ben Folds Five. The men then offered Rick a backstage pass and a chance to play onstage that night at the Wharton in front of a sold out crowd.
Shaw, 55, was born here in Springfield and moved with his family to Georgia until he was 18, where he then decided to enlist and go to Vietnam. It was then that Rick made a small purchase that would later help him realize a lifelong dream.
"I picked up a Hohner Golden Melody Harmonica before I left to keep myself busy," said Shaw. "It wasn't long until I was getting pretty good."
After four months in Vietnam, Shaw spent a few more months in Japan and Guam before returning to the U.S. and landing in Texas to finish out his service. Once he completed his stint, Shaw made the decision to re-enlist.
"I didn't have much else to do and I liked it," he said. "They gave me the decision of going to Alaska or going back overseas…I thought to myself, Alaska could be fun."
Shaw was deployed to Fairbanks, Alaska in 1972, where he would eventually spend the next 30 years of his life. After leaving the Army early, he decided to stay in Fairbanks because he liked it so much. It wasn't until 1992 that Shaw managed to migrate back down to the lower 48 states. LikeJack Kerouac, Shaw was on the road with no clear definition of the future.
"I stopped in Lansing, Michigan for a while to see my sister," Shaw told The Torch. "I lived in a homeless shelter and drove a taxi cab for part of my time there."
It was at this job that Rick would one day receive the opportunity of his lifetime.
I was driving three men to a Laundromat in Lansing," Rick recalled. "I pulled my harmonica out and started playing as I waited for them and when they came out they encouraged me to keep playing. Before long the men were drumming on their thighs and singing, it was like we had created a band."
It turn out Rick hadn't created a band, instead he had joined one. One of the men introduced himself as Ben Folds, lead singer of the popular rock band Ben Folds Five. The men then offered Rick a backstage pass and a chance to play onstage that night at the Wharton in front of a sold out crowd.
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