AN INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL HEATH Laina Freeman
Michael Heath is a senior member of HarmonicaUK and a fine chromatic player and is a regular at the Friday coffee mornings. I hope you enjoy his story so far.
The beginning
I first lived in Plymouth and, although from a musical family, didn’t play any instruments until I was 16. Harmonica was still considered a bit of a novelty. I’d heard Larry Adler and Tommy Riley on the radio who were pioneers taking harmonica more seriously, playing different genres. However I never dreamt I could pick up a harmonica and play a decent tune. I used to visit my aunt in Tonbridge, Kent where there was a marvellous music shop, whose sparkling window of harmonicas caught my attention. I could just afford a Hohner Super Chromonica 12, at the princely sum of £2, 16 shillings around £85 today. My aunt then asked if I could play, so I went to my bedroom and worked on playing nice clean notes. I could whistle Irving Berlin’s ‘This is the Army Mr Jones’ and after two solid weeks was delighted to play the whole song. Toots was an excellent whistler, so there is a credible connection with harmonica playing.
Life’s loves
As well as playing harmonica, I used to attend social events at the local rowing club where I met my wife Pat who was a keen rower. Over the years Pat has been so supportive and a great ‘roadie’ during my later events. I always yearned to work on aircraft, so when I was called up for National Service I signed up in the RAF as an Aircraftsman 2 finishing my time there as a Junior Technician.
Feb-Mar 2021 • Harmonica.co.uk
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