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God Bless America
By Jerry L. Ginther
The Accordion was once a popular, musical instrument in Sullivan. About 1960, the mothers of twenty-five or thirty of us local kids signed us up for accordion lessons with the Illinois Conservatory of Music. As a group we were filled with enthusiasm before the first lesson. Most of us had never held an accordion prior to that day and we were ready to see what sort of racket they made. We figured out on our own that it would make some kind of noise if we would hold down just one of the piano keys while we pulled or squeezed the bellows. Beyond that we had no clue as to what else it might do. However, on that first day each of us received a small, twelve bass accordion complete with carrying case for home practice. Those small accordions would be sufficient to get us through the first book of instruction. After completing the first book a decision had to be made on whether to continue or "throw in the towel". Continuing meant a rather healthy investment in a larger accordion.
Lessons were given once per week in the old American Legion Hall located at the south end of Wyman Park. Our first instructor was Gary Voss. He was a young, pleasant fellow with a great sense of humor and was loved by students and parents alike. Often we would enjoy a short demonstration of his ability on a much larger, 120 bass accordion, and we all knew that some day we would play as well as he. Well, that's been over 50 years ago, and, guess what; I never came close to his ability, but I'm still trying. It wasn't from lack of inspiration though. Gary inspired as well as he instructed.
Many of us had never played a musical instrument of any kind and could not read a note of music. Surprisingly, that was not much of a deterrent. The first day we learned the names of the lines and spaces of both the treble and bass clefts and were actually playing a simple tune by the end of the lesson. Fascinated with our accomplishment, we departed with our instruments to disturb the peace in our respective households for the next week.
The conservatory had a great program consisting of encouragement as well as an excellent teaching method. In just a few weeks we were ushered off to the television station in Decatur. There we performed before the cameras as a group, in duets, and a couple of solos. My younger sister and I performed a duet with first and second accordion parts on a song called "Charlie the Chimp". If you were in that class you will remember that song. Talk about encouragement and inspiration; we had a sufficient quantity of both that day. Collectively we thought we had hit the big time. After playing for only a few short weeks, we were on TV.
Things seemed to be going along first rate until one day Gary arrived with some startling news. It was one of those good news, bad news moments, which do you want first kind of moment. Well, we got the good news first. Marriage was in Gary's immediate future. That received a big round of applause and cheers. The bad news didn't meet with the same enthusiasm, however. He was resigning as our instructor. The "ahs" immediately filled the room and the excitement of the good news from the moment before was quickly deflated. Could there be anyone who could play and teach like Gary? We had reservations on that proposition, but we had few options.
I've often wondered whatever happened to Gary. After his departure we never heard from him again, but many continued on with the new instructor. One young lady I know completed the entire Palmer-Hughes course of instruction, graduated to the organ, and still plays for her church every Sunday. Perhaps some of the students in that group still reside in the Sullivan area and will remember this episode in our lives. For us it was part of our growing up in Sullivan over fifty years ago.
Copyright © 2014 - 2015 Jerry L. Ginther, All rights reserved worldwide
