Published: July 26, 2007 10:39 am            

Muscial talent in creating

CLAREMORE, Okla. — Harpist Derwood Wilson will be the first one to say he can't play any musical instrument.

“The only music I can play is on the radio,” says the man known to his friends as “Shorty.”

At the same time, however, the 79-year-old Wilson (“I'll be 80 in December") enjoys hearing good music.

What started as a favor to a young friend five years ago has since developed into Wilson making 16 harps.

"I have built a dozen studio size ones and four of the smaller lap size harps," Wilson said. "Only three remain in the family. I sold or gave away the others.

"Like me, our two sons cannot play either, but they each have one in their homes. I told them to let the grandkids fool around on them and if any one of the kids wants to learn to play it, I'll make a harp for them."

Wilson was 72 when his interest in harps started.

"I have always thought a harp makes a beautiful sound. The music department up at that Miami college (Northeastern Oklahoma A&M) had a harp fall over and crack its neck," Wilson said. "One of the students knew I did some wood work and told the instructor I could fix it."

Called a jack of all trades by Wilda, his wife of the past 59 years, Wilson went to work on the new project.

"I have always believed you can do anything you want to do," he said. "Ask the Lord to help and then thank him when you get through."

Armed with a musical tuner and an instruction book that revealed a harp needs 700 pounds of pressure on the strings, Wilson repaired his first harp.

Once the damaged harp was repaired, and now with a pattern for the studio size instruments, Wilson decided to build more.

"I have a little shop at the house. It's not much of a shop, but it gets the work done," he said, "I have used cherry, oak and walnut wood. I guess any hard wood is all right if it does not crack. The strings are nylon or metal wire.

"You must be really careful to wipe off all extra glue. If any of it is left it is like spinach getting between teeth. It is hard to get rid of it."

Raised in Missouri, Shorty and Wilda have made their home in the Claremore area the past 32 years. Both worked at the Tulsa Public Schools bus barn before retirement.

Despite suffering a heart attack four years ago, Wilson manages to remain busy. If not working in his garden or in his shop, he is some where helping a friend.

"Some of the shop work has slowed down. I have trouble with the dust when I sand wood, but I recently got a new filter that helps," he said.

"I am going to continue doing things. When I had my heart attack three different doctors told my wife I wouldn't live," said the smiling Wilson, "Well, at the same time we were told we had friends in 10 different churches praying for me. I said then if one good man was in the bunch, I had it made."



Larry Larkin writes for Claremore (Okla.) Progress.

        

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