Friday, June 25, 2010

Greg Cahill Upclose

Greg Cahill (of Special Consensus): UpClose

1. Do you come from a musical family?
Yes, but not a bluegrass music family. I learned to play the harmonica from my grandfather when I was about 5 years old. My mother played honky-tonk piano (her mother played piano for the silent movies and taught piano), which prompted me to take accordian lessons for about 8 years (beginning when I was 7 years old). My sisters played piano and accordian respectively and my father was an Irish tenor singer in the church choir.

2. What’s on your iPod?
Loads of bluegrass and swing music, from Bill Monroe to Benny Goodman.

3. What are 5 CDs you’d want with you on a desert island?
J.D. Crowe &; The New South (Rounder 0044), Charlie Christian (compilation), Claire Lynch (Silver and Gold), Alison Brown (The Company You Keep), Bela Fleck (Tales from the Acoustic Planet).

4. What would you be doing if you weren’t in playing music?
I have a Master’s in Social Work (MSW) degree and enjoyed working with young people and their families as well as being director of a youth services consortium for about a year before deciding to play music full time (in 1974). I would most likely go back into some form of social work.

5. Musical hero you’d most like to meet?
Charlie Christian.

6. Favorite venue as a performer?
Probably the Ryman Auditorium, but there are many on my list.

7. Favorite concert/performance as an audience member?
J.D. Crowe & The New South with Tony Rice, Ricky Skaggs, Bobby Sloan and Jerry Douglas in a relatively small room at the University of Chicago in 1974, just before the Rounder 0044 recording was released. It was the first time I ever saw J.D. live and I sat in the front row.

8. What sound do you love?
The timber of acoustic instruments when playing together along with voices singing in harmony.

9. What sound do you hate?
Any music played at obnoxiously loud levels.

10. Favorite movie(s)?
The Natural

11. Last good book you read?
How The Irish Saved Civilization by Thomas Cahill

12. Favorite clothing store?
Any place that sells Levis jeans.

13. Favorite comfort food?
Chocolate milk shake

14. Role Model?
My parents.

15. What trait do you most value in your friends?
Honesty

16. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Having plenty of time to spend with my family with plenty of time left over to play the banjo.

17. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Good question.

18. What is your most treasured possession?
My dad’s pocket knife.

19. Which talent would you most like to have?
I would love to be a great singer ala Keith Whitley.

20. What is your Motto?
If I were to create one it would be something like "just keep on rolling along (pun intended) and enjoy life."

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