Musician entertains GR seniors

Not only could this man play multiple instruments, he could tell a good story, which kept his audience laughing and wanting more.

On Friday, the Golden Hour Senior Center had special visitor Bill Rossiter of Montana on hand to entertain seniors for its Father's Day program.

When Rossiter wasn't telling stories, he was playing the guitar, harmonica, autoharp or banjo.

Rossiter said in the past, newspaper would print lyrics songwriters had wrote with instructions on which familiar tune to sing it with such as "Auld Lang Syne."

He then kicked off his set with the autoharp. While he played the autoharp, he sang a song about a coal miner.

Once finished, he asked the audience if anyone knew what instrument he was playing. When he was met with silence, he told them it was the autoharp. He then told them the autoharp was created by a German immigrant and the reason it's popular is because it's so easy to play. All one has to do is push a button and move along the strings with the other hand.

"I recommend everybody buy an autoharp," he said. "But I'm not selling autoharps."

He said those who decide to purchase autoharps can even get music that tells which button plays which note. This is written above each note, making it easy to play.

He said the autoharp was used a lot in church services because of its sound. Plus, the instrument is basically indestructible.

He then put down the autoharp and proceeded to play another coal mining song on the banjo. This song was about a son who wanted to work in the coal mine like his father had, but the father didn't want him too because so many miners were dying from black lung.

Next, he played the guitar and harmonica while continuing the story of the miner and his son. He would often get sidetracked and ask the audience why they didn't keep him on task, which left the audience laughing again.

 

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