Featured SlideMeister Member - January 2015
               SlideMeister Members, contact aj fedor to submit your choice for featured member 

"Henry "The TabMeister" Lewis
A.K.A. henrymouni

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                                Henry "The TabMeister" Lewis

Henry is a long time SlideMeister member who (for years)  has resisted multiple attempts to feature him on this page. Finally after threats of bodily harm, ;o)  I was able to convince him to let me feature him. 

Henry is what I like to call our "Behind the scenes Chromatic motivator" because he has taken it upon himself to post about a zillion tabs for the Chromatic harmonica, and as such, in the last couple months, has even passed me in in the "new threads started" department. (so now I'm actually number two, and no one else is even close!)

Henry has earned the undying gratitude of the Chromatic community. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the tabs he's posted over the years weren't responsible for some genuine Chromatic converts. When someone with absolutely no music reading ability, can follow along on a simple 1, 5, blow, draw, button in, button out chart and hear "music" as a result, it can have a very positive effect on that person's musical attitude. With a Chromatic harmonica and simple/visual system of tabs, the heretofore "complicated' Chromatic becomes a very playable and indeed learnable instrument.  

Yep! Henry is a very special guy. Here's his story

A.J.Fedor

I come from good Irish Stock. My Mother ‘Peggy’ was born and raised in Buttevant Co Cork. (UK)  My father (also Henry Vincent Lewis) was born in Camross, Co Wexford. They met in England, in the town of Leeds. Father was a Master carpenter and mother was a home help/waitress.
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My older sister  Bernadette & I were born in Leeds. Father died of TB when I was 2  and my sister was 4 years old and we were sent to Buttevant to be looked after by my Grandmother & Grandfather, so mother could work. We stayed there for 4 years, before returning to Leeds.

I was good at sports and average at other things, because I was not too interested. However, as time passed, I started to take an interest in education, and rapidly improved. I had no musical interest apart from listening to pop music. My Grandfather on my father’s side was a music teacher (’The fiddle’) in Camross, Wexford. We had no real contact with him, as my mother re-married, and I got another sister, Rosemary, who is a fine singer.

When I left school I found I was good at business, and did well being first a stock controller, then an office manager; Regional office manager / Sales rep.  I went to Africa, and countries selling industrial Rubber & Plastic products. Then I became a company Sales Director &  Managing Director in the UK, before starting my own business with a partner Ian, who is now deceased. I am now retired.

One day, about 11 years ago, my wife & I were walking in the town of Clitheroe, and we wandered into a music shop looking at the instruments on display. I bought a diatonic harmonica and announced: 

“I will play ’Summer Time’ for you by Christmas Day”! 

I still don’t know why I did it, as it was the last thing on my mind, as the song goes!!  It did not take long for me to realize that there were notes missing on the diatonic!! Back to the music shop for a Chromatic. I came across Brendan Power at that time and was pleased to note that he was offering the small harp solo tuned and half valved, before it became popular.

Doug Tate was also very helpful, and generous, and patient! After  a few months of trying to play ’Summertime’ I found SlideMeister!!  I was a complete newbee, and asked a lot of questions, and received answers from people who knew what they were doing! Like Age, Tom the Grizzly, Smokey Joe, Gary the Gnarlymeister, and good many there. You could say I was ‘born’ here, musically. I am your ‘monster’. ;o)

So many friends here, who have given me support. Too many to mention them all, but you know who you are. I am self taught, but wish I had knew more. So much more. Being grateful was not enough for me. I needed to contribute in some way. Then Age introduced the ‘Chromatic Tab’ section. This I CAN do, I thought. Replacing little knowledge with enthusiasm and staying power, I was away!

I knew I could rely on Gary Gnarly He Man for advice and help in musical matters. So here I am!
A quantity rather than quality man perhaps, but each to his own. Yes I did play ’Summertime’ that Christmas, and ’Silent Night’!