Until this week, I had never heard of Grandpa Elliott or Susan Boyle, but their names are quickly becoming well known through the internet’s social networking sites like YouTube and Facebook. The two musicians are unrelated: Grandpa Elliott is a jazz/blues street musician from New Orleans and Susan Boyle is a native of Scotland and a participant in Britain’s Got Talent, a reality television show in the United Kingdom.
Last weekend, I watched the following music video produced by Playing for Change, a network of musicians and artists who want to bring peace, inspiration, and connection through a collaborative, multimedia effort that stretches across the entire planet. As they raise funds and awareness, Playing for Change hopes to build music and art schools in impoverished communities, so they can teach young people to share their music with others and connect with other such schools around the world. Their website describes the vision:
Traveling across four continents over three years with cameras and a mobile recording studio, Mark Johnson and Jonathan Walls embarked on a search for musical inspiration. What they discovered on their journey was the power music has to connect the world together. Chronicled in the feature-length documentary, Playing for Change: Peace Through Music, is a journey that starts in the city streets of America and Europe and heads to South African townships and the Himalayan Mountains….Throughout the film, musicians from different locations that have never met each other join together to recreate songs such as “One Love” and “Stand by Me,” further demonstrating the power of music to connect and inspire people around the world.
The music video “Stand by Me” begins with Roger Ridley, a street musician from Santa Monica, California, who launches into a laid-back rendition of the song with simply an acoustic guitar. But hold on tight because Ridley’s brought friends, thanks to the wonders of high-tech digital music and video production. A New Orleans blues and jazz singer, Grandpa Elliott, takes the first verse of the song:
When the night has come
And the land is dark
And the moon is the only light we’ll see
No I won’t be afraid, no I won’t be afraid
Just as long as you stand, stand by me.
A third musician, Washboard Chaz, also from New Orleans, brings his unique instrumentation into the mix and all three buskers are digitally joined together for the chorus. It gets better! At the onset of verse two, the music goes transatlantic with the amazing vocals of Clarence Bekker, standing in a side alley of Amsterdam, Netherlands; however, a group of drummers from the Twin Eagle Drum Group in Zuni, New Mexico, set a driving pace with their Native American drums. Okay, here’s the video:
All I have to say is…the video accomplished exactly what it’s founders intended! I found myself inspired, even to the point of tears, as I embraced the impact of what was taking place right before my eyes: virtually unknown street performers who, if we’re honest, we wouldn’t give a second thought. Recognizing the technical hurdles and the behind-the-scenes planning that must have been poured into this project, I was simply and utterly blown away by the amazing performance of this rag-tag group of nobodies, especially Grandpa Elliott who featured quite prominently and cut loose with a really cool harmonica solo.
Then yesterday my wife called me upstairs to watch the video of Susan Boyle, a 47-year-old unemployed Scottish woman who entered the Britain’s Got Talent competition because, in her words, “I’ve always wanted to perform in front of a large audience.” Susan admits, “I’ve never been married. I’ve never been kissed. Shame, but it’s not an advert!” As of this moment, nearly thirteen million people have viewed the following video in only four days, not to mention the millions who have watched several other versions floating around cyberspace:
Miss Boyle attempted to walk off-stage when the song ended, but the judges quickly called her back to hear their comments. One of the judges, Amanda Holden, summed up everything I was feeling during Susan’s solo:
I am so thrilled because I know that everybody was against you. I honestly think that we were all being very cynical and I think that’s the biggest wake-up call ever. And I just want to say that it was a complete privilege listening to that.
You would have to be brain-dead to watch the above television clip without having your heart stirred, perhaps needing a box of tissues on hand. I’ve begun thinking about these two seemingly unrelated videos, featuring Grandpa Elliott and Susan Boyle, and asking myself, “What can I learn from this?”
Why do such things stir us so? Many people willingly pay exorbitant prices for tickets to see top talent such as Sir Elton John or U2 or Lady GaGa, often forming long lines at the ticket office, camping out for days in advance to avoid the disappointment of a sell-out. But when you go to an event like that, you expect a great performance. It’s what the professionals do, isn’t it? And we love them for it.
But we’re not normally tuned into watching nobodies perform, unless it’s to make fun and have a laugh. If they are truly talented, we reason, then they would already be at the top of the charts. Since they’re not, they must be rubbish. So it might be worth taking a chance and listening to thirty seconds before changing channels or looking for another form of entertainment, but what if we get totally blown away by the unexpected? To borrow a phrase from Susan Boyle, I was gobsmacked…completely and utterly astounded, overwhelmed, beyond amazement, rendered speechless.
People are now searching the internet to buy Grandpa Elliott’s music on CD—some might even be willing to buy his stuff on 8-track tape if it existed—because of one brief appearance in a collaborative effort by Playing for Change. Unfortunately, Grandpa Elliott doesn’t have an agent or a record label or a public relations manager. He’s been playing jazz and blues on the streets of New Orleans for the past fifty years, an “undiscovered” talent that most passersby probably wrote off as another homeless bum who could have been a good singer if he had not thrown his life away on booze or drugs.
Susan Boyle has been living in obscurity in a small Scottish village, enjoying a simple life and singing in her church choir, until now. The reality of what’s happened could change everything for Miss Boyle and Grandpa Elliott; and unfortunately it may take away as much as it gives them in notoriety and fame.
From this article: “Unfortunately, Grandpa Elliott doesn’t have an agent or a record label or a public relations manager. He’s been playing jazz and blues on the streets of New Orleans for the past fifty years, an “undiscovered†talent that most passersby probably wrote off as another homeless bum who could have been a good singer if he had not thrown his life away on booze or drugs.”
When I read this I laughed. Grandpa is a friend of mine so I called Grandpa on his cell phone. He was on the corner of Bourbon and Toulouse. I read this article to him and he laughed. Grandpa said he doesn’t even know what beer tastes like and he’s never touched drugs and the only thing he smokes is the exhaust from the cars that pass Royal and Toulouse.
Grandpa is not an undiscovered. Grandpa has had his own record label, he’s produced and managed. And the current business of record labels, CD’s for sale and public relations are in the works, as I type.
So hang in there if you are looking for his music to buy and make sure that you buy it from Grandpa Elliot and DO NOT BUY FROM ELLIOT SMALL. More about the Elliot Small story will come to light in the future.
To the person that wrote this article, Grandpa said “More power to you! He wishes all of the best to you.” To all of the people who’ve come to New Orleans to meet Grandpa, he thanks you for coming to his home. Thank you for coming to Royal and Toulouse and He loves all of you!
P. S. Grandpa say’s “Playing For Change” is doing great for him.
From me: If you make it to Bourbon and Toulouse and get to meet Grandpa, stop and visit a while. It won’t take you long to realize this MAN is no bum! He’s well educated and has a music repertoire that will leave you with your mouth hanging. He’s not just a blues and jazz man. So don’t judge a book by it’s cover. Take a look on the inside!
Best to all,
Tammy – Natchez, MS
Tammy,
I didn’t mean to imply that Grandpa Elliott is a homeless bum or a drug addict or an alcoholic, but that passersby probably write him off as someone like that. The point of my article is to show how prejudiced we can be…simply based on appearances, which can be deceiving…and how wrong we are to make such judgments. He’s an amazing musician, a lively character (from all I’ve read about him), and a wonderful man who loves his music. I just moved back to the Florida Gulf Coast from the United Kingdom, so I’m hoping to make a trip to the Big Easy sometime soon and meet this friend of yours!
Bill Lollar
Pensacola, FL
Hi Bill;
Thanks for your reply. I fully understood that you were referring to a passerby’s possible interepretation. I added my and Grandpa’s comments to further emphasize your point.
We both appreciate your article and I’m sure that he will love meeting you.
Thanks,
Tammy
Tammy,
We on the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival message board (aka Threadheads) have been familiar with Grandpa Elliott for some time. Personally, I remember walking down Royal with my wife late on evening several years ago and being stunned by this man’s voice. Unfortunately, we were on our last few dollars in cash and I could not purchase the CD he had for sale. I have returned to look for him every time I am down there and have not had the lucky of finding him again. Then, suddenly, he appears in this video that is becoming a global phenomenon. Well, being a group of people who sponsor artist CD’s we have been trying to reach out to Grandpa Elliott to see if Threadhead Records could become involved in financing a CD of his music. There are many doners ready to contribute to such a project and Grandpa Elliott would have complete creative control over and rights to his music. This is merely a way to put mney into the hands of local musicians so that their music may be heard. To date, we have supported albums from Paul Sanchez, John Boutte, Susan Cowsill and many others. We would love to reach out to Grandpa Elliott to do the same for him. There is no profit in this for us other than the joy of listneing to the fine music created. And the only requirment is for the money to be paid back in full within a year or s, plus 10% additional money donated to the New Orleans Musicians Clinic. Best of luck to Grandpa in the future.
Hi Jeff;
I’ve seen something about Threadhead on the net. Please send me an email to:
friendnms@yahoo.com
with all of your contact info and I will forward to Grandpa.
Thanks for helping the musicians.
Tammy
I too have been gobsmacked as of late. I recently started working at The American Idol Experience at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. I was under the assumption that we would get a lot of people who couldn’t sing. Almost every day there is at least one person who is an unknown, a housewife, a nurse, a construction worker, etc. There is at least one person a day who gives me chills who makes me tear up because they are really that good and amazing, and completely unknown.
We had a guy was featured on X-factor in the UK he had a great voice but he didn’t make it past our preliminary show because this 15 year old girl came out and Rocked the house and won the audience over.
I have started to believe that maybe the bottom 20 or so of these “talent” shows might be fixed. When you see the talent that I see come in every day you start to wonder why those people made it into the top 30 of American Idol, because the nursery school teacher from Nowheresville Ohio just made them sound like a tone-def monkey.
That is because talent is not rewarded in the music business. If American Idle is where you find music, you will be amazed at what real music sounds like.
Someone sent me the “Stand By Me” video over a week ago. I always liked the song, but after listening to this version, and watching the performers, I was awe struck. Without question, of all the talent on that video, Grandpa Elliot stood out as the one with unquestionable talent . I now play that video every day, just as a pick-me-up.
Hi Harv D.
Don’t know where you are from, but Grandpa and the Playing For Change band will be in New Orleans, July 18 and in Santa Monica on July 2. You can follow them on the PFC website.
http://www.playingforchange.com
Here’s a little more ear candy for you. In these videos that I have on youtube, Grandpa is singing with Oscar Castro. Oscar is originally from Honduras and came to US playing Andes folk music.
Hope you enjoy and can catch Grandpa live somewhere.
Tammy
I found him amazing, talented, sexy and would love to know if he is married. I saw something in him that was intrigling. Anyone know, advise me.
Here I am a 60 year old woman and I feel like I a teenager who upon finding a good record would play it over and over again. As many times as I have watched the video, I still get chills every time I watch it.
I hope more people have the opportunity to hear these amazing voices. Grandpa Elliot is my favorite.
Thanks Carol;
I have some videos on youtube of Grandpa that you might enjoy.
In this video he is singing with Oscar Castro who is from Honduras. You will be able to see other videos that I have posted on my youtube page.
Enjoy,
Tammy
I loved reading all the pages above. There are indeed beautiful people. Grandpa and Susan will inspire the world in the years to come.
Being an artist true to his/her own art is more important, rather than being spectacular.
Hugs
Deepankar Gohain
India
I am among the many that searched the web seeking a CD for Grandpa Elliott. I’m wondering, when can we expect a CD from Grandpa Elliott? I know I will be among the first to buy it. His voice just resonates with me and I look forward to when I can listen to him on my iPod.
Hello everyone, I’m Jermain, the Son of the man you all call Grandpa Elliott, I just took my time and read all your thoughts to my father, as I do for him from many other sites, he’s always wanting to know what the public is saying about him, rather its positive or negative, thank all of you for all the wonderful comments.
I just wanted to say thank you to your father. I can’t say why exactly, he just gives me hope.
Is there an address we can write to him?
On a visit to New Orleans last week, I was lucky enough to see, talk to, and buy Grandpa Elliott’s CD! He is a wonderful man and meeting him was one of the highlights of my trip! I love the CD Sugar Sweet-it has all my favorite songs on it, especially ‘Bop or Shag’ music…I give it an A+++.
This is awesome!!!
Grandpa Elliott is the sweetest, most talented ol’ man I have ever met! He melts my heart with his singing, especially “sugar sweet”. I first heard of him through the video “Play for Change”, and when hearing that he was in New Orleans, I was determined to find him, since my daughter was attending Xavier University at the time. Low and behold, 1 out of my 3 visits to the big easy, I spotted Grandpa Elliott while driving down Royal St. I yelled at my daughter to stop, and i jumped out the back seat with my brother-in-law. Of course we had to make sure it was actually him, so my bro-in-law approached him first, and it was then and there that I knew it was him. You see…..I thought Grandpa elliott was blind, which yes, I guess he is legally, but he can still see somewhat.. He saw me, and spoke so sweet, and then started singing……..wow…he is one awesome singer! I got a picture with him, he told us stories, we hugged, and we bought his autographed CD….I listen to it all the time! I wish I had his address so that i can write to him…….the music business really missed out on this jem! Love ya Grandpa! -Janice Richards, San Lorenzo, Calif.
I just bought Sugar Sweet and am listening to it right now – Grandpa is an inspiration and I wish him every possible happiness.
I also think playing for change is a great organisation that truly deserves support
I saw the playing for change band earlier this year when they came to my home town. I discovered them quite by accident about a year or so ago on youtube, and told myself that if the opportunity ever came to see them live, I would beg, borrow or steal the money to go see them. Luckily the tickets were reasonably priced, and to date it was one of the greatest concerts I have been to.
ONE LOVE!!!
My brother and i had been on a river trip, on the way home we saw a huge crowd and heard this wonderful voice singing we were both choked because there was such feeling in his voice then he sang “If i were a rich man” and the expression & humour in his voice was so great he should have been an actor, we had found Grandpa Elliott. I have kept up with what he was doing and found the playing for change video on youtube i was knocked out by it and shared it with all my friends and family on facebook, i immediately ordered sugar sweet & playing for change and they have given me so much pleasure. If as i believe music is the food of love play on Grandpa Elliott and all the musicians of whatever standing in the world, because i believe through them will come peace in this sometimes very sad world