RALPH, ALBERT & SYDNEY
Fan Mike Cohen gets
his
paws on Ralph's Guitar
Ralph's Harmony Sovereign.
An opportunity to buy a once owned "McTell"
guitar was too good to miss. I remember reading about Ralph's first
Harmony Sovereign which he bought in Ivor Mairant's shop in Soho. By
coincidence I bought my first steel string guitar from there in 1975.Ivor
Mairant's had been recommended by a friend of my parents called Arthur
Coppersmith who was a band leader. It was cherry red with an ornate
plectrum board and I had it for about six weeks. Foolishly I left it in
the back of a Mini whilst taking a new girlfriend out for a drink at St
Katherine's Dock. When we returned it had been stolen-the price you pay
for trying to impress!
I digress however. I think Ralph once said Woody Guthrie owned a Harmony
and knowing how Ralph felt about his first one I knew I must have it. We
agreed a price and that I would collect it at the end of the gig at the
Swindon Art's Centre. Ralph kindly "demoed" the instrument with
a wonderful blues piece followed by an impromptu version of Tickety Boo. I
didn't miss an opportunity for some tuition and came away with the
descending lines from an Irish Blessing which had bothered me for several
years.
I took her to our folk club at the Nova Scotia in Bristol last night and
sang "Song to Woody" followed by "Working on the
Railroad" and "When I Was a Cowboy".
I have not put her away since and am only just coming down from cloud 9.
Mike Cohen November 29, 2005
Marianne James kindly emailed this picture of Ralph, which appears at the back of the Stealin' Back book. Mike and I were not sure if this was the same guitar Mike now owns, so asked Ralph ....
"Yep that's my beloved Harmony Sovereign. The picture has been framed to omit my leg (still in plaster from the building site accident mentioned in Summer Lightning). I loved that guitar. I loved that guitar." Ralph