“Quick, Quick and Howe“

For several generations music has played a vital role in the history of our family. My maternal grandfather, Alonzo Howe, was a child prodigy and musician. According to family who knew him, he could play about any instrument. It is also said of him that he had the so-called typical “artistic temperament.” At one point in early radio, he played with two brothers named “Quick.” And the name of their show was, “Quick, Quick and Howe.” The legend is that he played out in southern Illinois with Gene Autry before Autry became a star. From all I’ve heard, I believe he could have gone down to Georgia and met up with the famous duo of song—the two fiddlers Johnny and the Devil—and played them both down to the ground.

Alonzo and a band he formed played in local bars. He took my mother along at a very young age to play guitar and mandolin. She was a teenager. That would never be allowed now! Once, in a conversation with her about this, I referred to their venue as “nightclubs.” She corrected me—“They were taverns.” It seemed like there was one on every corner back then.

My mother was young and beautiful and talented like her father. She eloped with one of the band members at a young age. Tragically, he died a couple of years later. In time, she married my father, and I showed up!

My father and two of his brothers married my mother and two of her sisters. We had a large extended family on both sides. And when we got together did we have some music festivals! My dad would build a huge fire outside, and they would all come and bring their instruments. And we would SING!

The families rented a storefront in a nearby town on Saturday nights when everybody went to town and invited anyone who wanted to come. We had square dancing. We had “callers” who called the dance, real callers. Not like now who just ding a dance. We all knew the moves, and everyone was always in step. By this time my grandfather had died, but we still had Uncle Clarence, his brother, who was also a fiddler. Someone would go pick up Uncle Clarence, and others brought their instruments, and did we have a grand time! Back then, my sisters, cousins and I were young and beautiful and invited to dance every dance with someone, but we weren’t allowed to go outside with anyone!

These days at my house, we gather around my old grand piano and sing the beloved hymns of the faith. We also have singers and musicians and many stars! Nobody famous. My girls learned all the old hymns because on our way to “church field,” when their dad was a student at seminary, we sang hymns. We didn’t have phones and devices to capture their attention as we have these days. Grandfather’s son, Dale, inherited the old fiddle. He had someone restore it. He gave it to HIS grandson, who played it with his college orchestra when they toured all over Europe. Grandpa would have been proud.

Well, where is the spiritual lesson in all this? I ask, “What is your treasure? What matters most to you? How far would you go to attain it?” I’ll tell you what my treasure is, the One I along for and adore. He is the LORD of my life, who by His sacrificial death gave me my greatest treasure, Himself, and eternal life forever with Him. Friends, we will really sing there! I recommend Him to you. Unlike the old treasures which are only temporary, He is forever. He gives me a song every day.