Tennessee Waltz

When we moved we had a piano given to us. The movers actually picked it up on their way to our old house so it was on the moving van before anything else. BG was an awesome guitar player inn his previous life (before we met) and played in bands up and down the east coast. He also went to Berklee College of Music. I can turn on the radio. BG did not know much piano technique when we moved, but he can’t resist walking by a piano in a store, so he has been playing a lot with one in or living room. And I love it. I’ve always loved it when he played guitar and I love to hear him at the piano. The kids used to complain loudly, run to their room and shut the door when he cranked up the electric guitar, but I always found it soothing and delightful and very special.

I told BG that since we have a piano taking up all this room, I wanted to learn to play. So BG has become my music teacher. BG also recently heard an interview of a doctor who wrote a book about keeping your brain healthy and vibrant, especially as you age. This doctor said that exercise was very important (along with some specific vitamins), but not just physical exercise to increase blood flow. You need to exercise your mental abilities and one of the best things for an older person is to learn to play the piano because it is a completely different thought process and really exercises those neurons. That explains the smoke coming out of my ears when BG explains music theory to me.

Anyway, after a few weeks, I can do scales (both hands!) and some basic chords and arpeggios. Cool. BG has been teaching me some snippets of songs, but yesterday he decided I should learn The Tennessee Waltz as it is a simple song, but one that we both think is very pretty.

Well I can now play a one-handed simple version of Tennessee Waltz. Linda Rondstadt eat your heart out!