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

Mine all mine ... ... but not quite, it still seems hard for Ralph to let go ...
 ... and Ralph can't resist one last strum ....
 ... safe in the new home ....
Ralph playing the guitar in 1963

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

 

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