Red Henry
Folks, the thought occurred to me that you might like to read a note I wrote several years ago, about a visit with our old friend Clermont Hosford. I’ve learned a lot of mandolin playing from him, and, as you’ll see, he is quite a character.
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A Trip to the Mountains
One of our greatest inspirations is legendary mandolinist Clermont Hosford of Cameron County, Virginia. A few months ago I sent Clermont a tape of my ongoing CD project, and then drove up the mountain to see him. It was a long drive, but I finally got to Clermont’s house and eagerly tapped on his door.
He opened it. “Hello, Red!” he said. “About time you got here.” Good old Clermont. I entered his living room, dodging the dogs. “Did you get my tape?” I asked. “Yeah, I got it.” he grunted. “Why’d you send it?”
“Why, Clermont,” I said, “I thought that listening to it would give you a little pastime.“ “Pastime!?” he snorted. “Twenty-three numbers! That thing ran over an hour! Listening to that ain’t a pastime, it’s an avocation.”
“Well, how’d you like it?” I asked, starting to feel nervous. “It was all right,” he drawled. “But Clermont,” I begged, “really, what did you think of it?” Clermont’s eyes glinted. “Oh,” he said dryly, “I could listen to most of it.”
Now I was getting desperate. “Listen, Clermont, I need a good title for the CD. You got any ideas?” “Sure,” he said. “I got a great title for you. How about Twenty-Three Things to Play on a Mandolin Besides Music?”
With Clermont in this mood, I knew I couldn’t accomplish anything. I walked out on his porch, trying to think of something polite to say. “That’s a nice walnut tree over your outhouse,” I said. “Yep,” he replied. “Is that an oak tree next to it?” I asked. “Yep,” he said. I pointed to the next tree and asked, “Is that one poplar?” “Shore is,” he said, “folks around here likes it a lot.”
I could tell it was time to go. I got in my car. Clermont casually sauntered over. “Clermont,“ I said, “I have to tell you, this has been a real experience.”
“Well, Red,” he replied sagely, “you know what experience is, don’t you? Experience is what you get, when you didn’t get what you really wanted.”
“Thanks, Clermont.” The dogs howled. I drove back down the mountain.
Tags: clermont hosford
“Avocation!?” That’s it! If asked, “What’s your avocation?” I’ll say it’s the banjo and TMM. Red, is that a correct usage and reply?
I have often been told that good outcomes come from experience and that experience comes from bad outcomes.
Yes, you know, between two stools you fall to the ground.
> If asked, “What’s your avocation?” I’ll say it’s the banjo and TMM.
Steve, I believe that your demonstrated usage of “avocation” is correct.
And I don’t even know how Clermont could have learned such words. He’s so far back in the hills that, as they say, he doesn’t even get the Saturday night Grand Old Opry until Wednesday afternoon…
Red