Life’s a hoot with harmonica !
James Harwood was only eight years old when he first picked up a harmonica, which sparked a lifetime that can only be described as a “hoot”.
His brother, who was 12 years older than he was, gave him his first harmonica and Harwood said it just came naturally and remembered the first song he ever played was Red Sails in the Sunset.
“I used to keep it in my desk at Wesley College,” he said.
“I was so nervous when I played my first performance that I hid behind the curtain.”
The South Perth resident said after high school he did not pick up his harmonica again until he went off with the Navy to World War II.
“I didn’t play it, but kept it with me … there was another chap in the Navy, too, and we didn’t really get along so when he went to the toilet I stuck it in the latch and locked him in,” he said.
It wasn’t until 1991, after his wife died, that Harwood picked up a harmonica again.
“I met a lady and she encouraged me to develop my playing and I started making great strides from there,” he said.
From there, Harwood met some Tokyo musicians who told him to play at the World Harmonica Championships in Yokohama in 1995.
“So I went and played in front of the great harmonica players of the world,” he said.
Fast forward 18 years and you can find Harwood still playing his harmonica with other musicians in South Perth
on Saturday mornings. You can also buy James Harwood’s autobiography "Life’s a Hoot".
James can be contacted on 94743859.
James Harwood was only eight years old when he first picked up a harmonica, which sparked a lifetime that can only be described as a “hoot”.
His brother, who was 12 years older than he was, gave him his first harmonica and Harwood said it just came naturally and remembered the first song he ever played was Red Sails in the Sunset.
“I used to keep it in my desk at Wesley College,” he said.
“I was so nervous when I played my first performance that I hid behind the curtain.”
The South Perth resident said after high school he did not pick up his harmonica again until he went off with the Navy to World War II.
“I didn’t play it, but kept it with me … there was another chap in the Navy, too, and we didn’t really get along so when he went to the toilet I stuck it in the latch and locked him in,” he said.
It wasn’t until 1991, after his wife died, that Harwood picked up a harmonica again.
“I met a lady and she encouraged me to develop my playing and I started making great strides from there,” he said.
From there, Harwood met some Tokyo musicians who told him to play at the World Harmonica Championships in Yokohama in 1995.
“So I went and played in front of the great harmonica players of the world,” he said.
Fast forward 18 years and you can find Harwood still playing his harmonica with other musicians in South Perth
on Saturday mornings. You can also buy James Harwood’s autobiography "Life’s a Hoot".
James can be contacted on 94743859.
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