This here’s the true story of Hambone’s Baby and how she came to be mine.
Once upon a time in a beach house far away from today, I got a call from my buddy Hambone who happens to be one bad hamma-jamma (Harmonica player extraordinaire). Hambone and I would get together whenever we could to cool some brews, fire up some BBQ, and play blues til the moon made way for the sun. We hadn’t been getting together as much as we used to since I’d made the move to the coast, so it was always a treat when Hambone would come to visit. And this time he had something he wanted to show me. I assured him I was going to be home and he should come right away. I can’t stand suspense and Hambone was being extremely cryptic about whatever it was he wanted to show me. He said “Perfect, I’ll see you in a couple of hours.” Waiting……waiting…..waiting……
I finally heard Hambone’s old Ford truck coming up the street and went outside to greet him. Hambone is a big ole southern boy with a big boomin voice. “BOBBY!” he’s yelling before he even gets in the driveway. “HAMBONE!” I yell back as he pulls in. Hambone jumped out of the truck and gave me a big ole bear hug and said ,”Man have I got something to show you!” He grabbed a guitar case out of the truck and we headed inside. Being the Southern Gentleman that I am, I wait until a couple of beers have been had and gossip has been caught up on before I mention the guitar case. “Oh yeah..”, he says,” Now, you’re gonna love this” as he reaches for the guitar case. As he opens it up he starts to explain how he got “Baby” in a trade for some sunshine moonshine (Florida home brewed liquor for the uninitiated). “I thought of you when I saw her”, he says as he pulls out the most beautiful resonator guitar I ever laid eyes on. He grins from ear to ear as he hands “Baby” to me and says, “Go on, play her.”
I was in love right away. I always wanted a resonator and she was perfect. I grabbed my moonshine slide, tuned “Baby” down to Open G and started in on some “Walking Blues”. We spent the rest of the night playing blues Hambone, “Baby”, and I. When it came time for Hambone to head back to the country he said,” Now when I got Baby, I knew the first thing I was gonna do with her was bring her by and let you two get to know each other. I’m gonna leave her here with you for a while til next time we get to visit.” “Hambone, are you sure about that?” I asked secretly hoping he was indeed sure about that. He assured me he was. We said our goodbyes and for the next six weeks “Baby” and I became real good friends.
Then I started to feel guilty about holding on to “Baby” so long. I called him and left him a message. Several days went by and I left him another and said,”Hambone you gotta come get “Baby” because I’m getting way too attached to her and she needs to go back home with you.” Hambone called me back finally and said he was coming by in a couple of days for another round of Blues & BBQ. And a couple of days later he did. And we drank some brews, ate some BBQ, and played Blues til we had our fill.
When it was time for Hambone to go I said ” Now Hambone, don’t forget “Baby”. I love her but she’s yours and she needs to go back home with you.” Hambone looked at me with a big ol’ smile on his face and said” Now Bobby, I had no intentions of ever taking her back home. When I saw her that day that boy brought her in for some ‘shine I knew exactly what I was gonna do with her. If I’d a given her to you you’d have said, now Hambone I couldn’t take that. But I knew if you and “Baby” got acquainted for awhile you’d grow to love her and wouldn’t want her to leave. She’s your “Baby” now……..take good care of her.” Hambone gave me a big ole bear hug and headed off into the sunrise in that ole ford truck. And “Baby” and I have been together ever since.
Names & certain particulars have been changed to protect the guilty.
Luv ya Hambone!
Thanks for supporting me on My Delta Blues Americana Journey!
Peace
Bobby
Bobby "Guitar" Martin 