Perfect Harmony

I used to listen to the Grand Ol Opry on the radio on Saturdays when I was a kid. Let me tell you that I was alone in this passion in 1970's Utah. I didn't mention it too often, but when I did all I got were dumbfounded looks. I developed an interest in bluegrass because my uncles were in the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, who came up with the idea of gathering together a group of oldtime Nashville and bluegrass legends to record an album. The result was an album called Will the Circle Be Unbroken. I wore that record out. I loved listening to the imperfect voice of Mother Maybell and the perfect guitar of Doc Watson.

I tried to listen to the Opry in case I might catch a live performance of my unlikely heroes. In the summer of 2000 Jerry was invited to do a recording session at Sony studios in Nashville. We arrived a day early and I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my Saturday night. I informed Jerry that we were going to see the Opry live. He did not protest, but was a bit puzzled at my eagerness. That is when I first told him about my Opry obsession.

Our seats were pretty far back, but I didn't care. I was in a state of rapture. I watched with fascination how the hosts of each segment entertained the audience during commercial breaks, something I never knew since I was always hearing the commercials. The commercials even to this day are for things like Goody's headache powder and some fried chicken place. I am not even a huge fan of country music, for me it is a love affair with bluegrass.

I was grinning from ear to ear as some famous people and some not so famous people graced the stage. Then it happened. A band called the Osbourne Brothers came out. The place went nuts. I had never heard of them, but they were no spring chickens. With the first notes my mouth dropped open. They started out acapella with perfect four part harmony. There was no wavering on the pitch. As the song progressed their playing was fast and flawless. Mid song the harmonies hit a note so pure and sweet that I burst into tears. I was having what might be called a peak experience. I was here in a place I had long dreamed of being, listening to exactly the kind of music I had loved, only this was better than anything I could have dreamed. This perfect note in the perfect place was beyond a dream come true. I cried uncontrollably for several minutes. I could not gain my composure and you know what is so funny is that not a single person gave me a look. These people knew.

I went straight to the CD store the next day and I chose an album titled: The Osbourne Brothers, Once More, Volumes I and II. When I got home I read reviews on my random choice and there was a general consensus that this was the quintessential bluegrass album.