Chapter 6-BOHP_2007-01-26_GHopkins

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GH: A boy with a trumpet what a curse that is. To put this metal thing against your face and blow, but it just worked. For some reason I put the thing up there and sound came out. I moved the valves. I could do it at an early age. Actually, my father gave me the trumpet because my teeth stuck out a little bit I kinda had buck teeth. He said, "Well," This is before orthodontics was invented I think. Anyways it was i the early 50s. He gave me the trumpet. "Well, maybe this will push your teeth back in."

FB: Did it?

GH: A little bit. I was supposed to play clarinet, at one point I broke my hand when I was real young. I fell on a bottle which was glass though I cut my finger I can't bend this little finger. So, he said, "What am I gonna do with the clarinet? I'll give it to your brother." My brother plays clarinet and saxophone to this day. And I got the trumpet because it worked for the hook on the trumpet. Anyway, the teeth thing. So, I just played it. And then I got a really really nice teacher. This old Italian teacher. Amo Goach? was his name. And he would teach me tunes by ear and we'd sing things and we'd play all these. He used to play with the Russ Morgan big band and he would teach me dance band lines and it was kinda fun. And then I just started playing all over town. By the time I was in high school I was giggin. Dad's bands were big bands. they needed a lot of horn players to play. And that kind of spilled over into Motown. I got to play with a lot of Motown acts. This is like 1965 '66 '67, and I didn't know it was gonna be such a big year, a big famous era or I would have taken notes. Who are you what's your name? Blah blah blah. I was just in the horn section. Story of my life I'm on e of the world's greatest sidemen because I love to play all styles of music. I really appreciate the musicality and deeper meaning of all music. I don't like to pigeonhole it and say I just play swing or I just play bebop.

FB: Too limiting.

GH: But I love those too. Those really stole my heart.

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Title: Chapter 6-BOHP_2007-01-26_GHopkins
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Description: GH: A boy with a trumpet what a curse that is. To put this metal thing against your face and blow, but it just worked. For some reason I put the thing up there and sound came out. I moved the valves. I could do it at an early age. Actually, my father gave me the trumpet because my teeth stuck out a little bit I kinda had buck teeth. He said, "Well," This is before orthodontics was invented I think. Anyways it was i the early 50s. He gave me the trumpet. "Well, maybe this will push your teeth back in." FB: Did it? GH: A little bit. I was supposed to play clarinet, at one point I broke my hand when I was real young. I fell on a bottle which was glass though I cut my finger I can't bend this little finger. So, he said, "What am I gonna do with the clarinet? I'll give it to your brother." My brother plays clarinet and saxophone to this day. And I got the trumpet because it worked for the hook on the trumpet. Anyway, the teeth thing. So, I just played it. And then I got a really really nice teacher. This old Italian teacher. Amo Goach? was his name. And he would teach me tunes by ear and we'd sing things and we'd play all these. He used to play with the Russ Morgan big band and he would teach me dance band lines and it was kinda fun. And then I just started playing all over town. By the time I was in high school I was giggin. Dad's bands were big bands. they needed a lot of horn players to play. And that kind of spilled over into Motown. I got to play with a lot of Motown acts. This is like 1965 '66 '67, and I didn't know it was gonna be such a big year, a big famous era or I would have taken notes. Who are you what's your name? Blah blah blah. I was just in the horn section. Story of my life I'm on e of the world's greatest sidemen because I love to play all styles of music. I really appreciate the musicality and deeper meaning of all music. I don't like to pigeonhole it and say I just play swing or I just play bebop. FB: Too limiting. GH: But I love those too. Those really stole my heart.
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Identifier: berklee:19977
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