Hey, I’m starting to buy a few books for my “harmonica library.” I like to read, and I want to learn all about the instrument, so I’m looking around for good books on the topic. I’m thinking about, eventually, a half-dozen well-regarded books.
What would you recommend?
I just bought Steve Baker’s “The Harp Handbook,” and I really like it. He describes it as more of a reference text, and that’s useful for me. I used to have “Blues Harmonica for Dummies” when I first started playing, but I’ve somehow lost it! Do you think that’s a good book? Should I buy it again?
I don’t have a lot of harmonica focused books, mainly because most of them are about blues musicians. Because my style isn’t based on a traditional blues sound, moreso country influenced, I don’t focus on the blues for my harmonica content. However, my options are limited because there are two non-blues players that “real” harmonica players care about, Bob Dylan and Charlie McCoy. I’m not a fan of either, so I’m pretty much SOL.
The only harmonica book that I own is actually the original “Harmonica for Dummies” by Winslow Yerxa. Winslow’s books are amazingly detailed. I mainly use that as a reference too. Although, “The Anthology Part 1” by Garth Brooks has a chapter dedicated to “Ain’t Goin’ Down” and it does mention Terry McMillan, my favorite harmonica player of all time, as he famously played on that track. I don’t know if that technically counts, most likely not. Despite being a country player, Terry could make that harp moan the blues (not in a trad blues way, but more of a “jailhouse blues” kind of way) and he had the sound that inspired me to pick up the harmonica.
I had read the book " Masters of the Harmonica " by Margie Goldmith . She interviews many players like Kim Williams , Charlie McCoy , Magic Dick , Charlie Musselwhite and others , but yet I found it to be pretty repetitious .
A friend has a family member who knows Margie Goldsmith and she had signed my book . I emailed / wrote to Margie and thanked her and made a suggestion that if she wrote a book of how musicians who have a harmonica as a " non-main / side instrument "got hooked on the harmonica , I’m sure many would buy it . Like Billy Joel , Clint Black , Neil Young etc but never heard back from her .
Geez … even Sir Paul McCartney carries a harmonica in his pocket often . Wonder how that bass player got hooked on the harmonica
Great story, @thunder58! Yes, I’m sure there are many musicians who took up the harmonica after learning their first instrument.! That would make a great book!!
Thanks @Jim3Mix glad you appreciate the thought . I always thought it would be interesting to see how some musicians took up and leaned towards harmonica . Isn’t it crazy that Hohner came out with a tribute harmonica for Billy Joel yet Billy’s main instrument and what he’s known for is piano
That would make a great book!!