Pickles by Brian Crane for May 14, 2020

I was told my maternal grandfather (1911-2007) was a violinist, but I never heard him play during my visits.

Never heard of a church choir rejecting someone on the basis of age.

It might be time to find a different church.

And it would be ironic if they had to come back to Earl and ask that he be part of the choir!

Maybe Earl should get a bucket so at least he could carry a tune? I doubt age really has anything to do with it.

Well Earl start your own choir !

They told me I should be on the stage! (The first one out of town)!

Earl keeps talking and his friend just listens…patiently….LOL

I’ll hang this one in our choir room once we resume worship.

Too much violins in these comics. That’s what music is today. Too much sax and violins.

Used to sing in a choir. I always tried to stand next to a lady who was a good singer. If she gave me a sideways glance, I knew I should do my singing in silence.

Earl, they told you they were looking for a younger voice, because it was kinder than saying they were looking for a BETTER voice.

Earl Stradivari, not to fret, they also rejected that senior Sarah Brightman.

Did anyone else read this strip, and think of the Johnny Paycheck song “Old Violin”?

Many a good tune’s been played on an old fiddle … it just depends on how you rosin the bow!

Earl’s voice is probably as good as his violin playing.

Violins don’t make music. You need a violinist for that.

In most of the church buildings (of the church I go to) are begging for people to come and sing

Not too long ago (and prepandemic, I might add), I attended a “mega-church” service on the invitation of an acquaintance. The choir was enormous, richly robed, musically competent, and accompanied by a small orchestra. I couldn’t help but chuckle, remembering the small rural church I grew up in. As best I recall (now some seven decades later), there were about a dozen choir members, three-fourths of whom were ladies, and one upright piano. And while I admit the hymns performed by the mega-choir ensemble were majestic and sweeping, they weren’t nearly as moving as those of that little group of people so long ago who really pondered the lyrics of a softly intoned “Just As I Am / Without One Plea . . . .”

At my church they’re always begging for more men in our choir!

Now with me, I’m like Earl. Years ago I was in a church choir and I was asked to just lip sync! (I absolutely love to sing, but it’s a memorable occasion when I actually hit a real note!)

lol

Meanwhile, he’s just fiddlin’ around.

♫♪"It’s never too late to flirt and spoon

A fiddle that’s old is more in tune

And it’s never too late to fall in love

Whack-a-do, Whack-a-do, Whack-a-do"♫♪

(Guess who played Lord Brockhurst in my HS production of The Boyfriend… ")

Or tone