My mother has passed

[Jif]

I'm so sad to say that I lost my mother at the weekend, she passed peacefully in her sleep on Saturday morning, she was 88 so had a good innings, survived by my dad who is also 88, they were married for 70 years, so our focus is on my dad right now.

My mum, Jenny Noble was a well known and respected piano player and backed many well known musicians in Fife such as Jimmy Shand & Mary Sandeman and many others. Her mother was a fiddle player and my mother learned traditional Scottish music playing around local venues from an early age, although her real love was jazz Sinatra style. She was a very good singer and sang in the church choir for many years.

She was the resident pianist with the Fife & Strathspey fiddlers association for 25 years and travelled many places including Europe performing. My memory is of the time she broke a string on the Grand piano at the Carnegie Hall in Dunfermline, she could hit these keys hard.

She also found time to put a concert band vaudeville style together with my dad and friends, my brother and sister also played for a time in this band. They went around a lot of the care homes doing concerts for the elderly and disadvantaged.

My most enduring memory of her though is of the radio always on in the house and my mum adding a harmony onto any song playing. She had perfect pitch, you could play any note on the piano and she could name it.

She'll be up there telling the Angels that their harps are slightly out and they could do with improving their timing.

I'm sitting listening to Stevie Wonder right now, he was one of her favourite singers.

[Danny Mitchell]

My condolences to you and your family Geoff.
Your Mum obviously enjoyed a long and rich life. She must have touched so many people through her music. She sounds a very special lady, indeed.

[Uncle Roy]

Geoff my condolence to you and the family.
It is a hard time for you all. RIP Mum.

[JohnDavisStringsHere]

So sorry for your loss Geoff....

[Dave Nutt]

Geoff, your mum was obviously a talented and well loved gal, keep her spark alive.
Look after your Da, he will surely miss her.
God bless ya.
Dave.

[Ken Byng]

Always a tough time when you lose a parent. The remaining parent always needs extra support during this traumatic period. 70 years married is an amazing achievement by any standards. Condolences to you and your family.

[Jif]

Many thanks all for your kind words, my dad is very much my priority at the moment, we're trying to ensure he's not alone for too long.

[Willie Gamble]

Geoff, this may sound silly,but I find it quite cathartic, write a tune on the steel for your Mum
My thoughts go out to you ma boy, my own Mum is 89 next week and the poor wee soul doesn't know what day of the week it is
God love her I am dreading loosing her

Asleep at the steel

[Nick Bidmade]

Condolences Geoff. She sounded a special lady - maybe that's where you get your musicality from - keep playing as a way of remembering her.
Nick

[Jif]

Hey Willie, I totally sympathise with what you're going through, the last few months my mum has been showing signs of dementia, so in a sense it's a bit of a blessing in disguise, still hurts My mum nursed her mum through dementia for 5-6 years, we helped on occasion, once looking after her for 2 weeks to give my mum a break, it's heart breaking to see.

I had been working on a pedal steel version of Samba Pa Ti (Santana) for mothers day. I'll finish that off. I'll probably write something for her eventually, but it'll have to be up to her standard

Thanks Nick, my mums side of the family was musical going back a few generations, playing Scottish Country Music around the halls mainly in Fife. Looking back over old photos, she always looked most happy sitting behind a piano backing singers. I'd never give up playing, I'm sure all here will understand that when it's in your bones it has to find a way out. My mother played up until a few years ago, just in the house with friends, but the last few years she was unfortunately affected by arthritis.

I'd like to thank everyone again for your kind words, I've grown to really appreciate this forum, there is so much musical talent here but what really makes it special is the helpful attitude of the members. Sometimes it gets a bit 'ornery, but that just adds to the flavour, and TBH I'm turning into a grumpy old man myself, (my wife would say it's already too late)