Steve Martin – Deana O'Hara – Speaker, Comedian, Writer

“The banjo is such a happy instrument–you can’t play a sad song on the banjo – it always comes out so cheerful.” –Steve Martin

I can have a horrible week.

A heart breaking, nothing goes right, things break, family crisis, gut pulling kind of week.

A run away from home, lock myself in a cabin by the cove and play banjo for two days straight and question my sanity kind of week.

Then I walk into my banjo lesson and my instructor breaks down the songs, gets me laughing my butt off, reveals deeps secrets of the musical universe (Don’t force it. Don’t rush, you have all the time you need. Pay attention to the important things. Don’t forget to have fun.) and my soul is happy again because we’re playing a banjo and I can hear the melody.

A lot of us who do comedy for a living think we need a stage to help people feel better. That isn’t always the case. The day-to-day interactions we have with others can have a profound impact. He helped me remember that even with all its twangs, missed notes, thuds and buzzes, the melody of life can still be heard and that is a glorious thing.

One of my favorite comics of all time, Steve Martin, has been traveling the country with a blue grass band called the Steep Canyon Rangers. My Lutheran pals might have heard them on A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor.

Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers are coming to Tulsa on August 24 to perform at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center. My more astute friends purchased tickets on time.

I apparently live under a rock and did not.

It’s probably just as well because just saying his name makes my vocal chords seize up and I squeak. It’s not pretty.

Being a writer, I thought it might be a good idea to process my grief through song. Not being able to play a banjo, which this song requires, is merely a small blip in the grand scheme of life. I’m sure everyone knows the melody to Oh Susanna, right? That is the melody for this song. And so for your reading amusement I offer:

Oh Steve Martin

(Written by Deana O’Hara)

I’ve searched high

and I’ve searched low

and every place in between

I’ve searched where normal people go

and places best unseen.

Oh Steve Martin

Is coming to the PAC

Tickets sold in just one day.

And there’s none left for me.

I’ve asked once

and I’ve asked twice.

I’ve even thrown some fits.

I said please

and shed some tears

and even flashed my……

Cash.

Oh Steve Martin

Is coming here with song.

That’s one show that I can’t see

and I think that is wrong.

I’ve held my breath till I’ve turned blue

I’ve sniveled, begged, and sobbed.

I even bought an old banjo

but my husband thinks I was robbed.

Oh Steve Martin

is coming to our town.

Ticket holders are happy now,

while I just have a frown.

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And now for you listening and viewing enjoyment, below is a video of Mr Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers. Enjoy.

Pathetic whining pays off! — I get to go see them after all. It seems a friend’s daughter and son-on-law are unable to attend and I get to go in their stead. AWESOME!