Children learn you can make music and have fun without buying an instrument

 

[June 29, 2022] 

On June 23rd kids and adults were treated to a spoon performance at the Lincoln Public Library. Jim Cruise, known professionally as Spoon Man, offers an interactive comedy program for people of all ages. He has been performing with spoons as a musical instrument for 34 years.

At age nine, Cruise/Spoon Man wanted a drum set. After he saw his grandpa playing spoons, he got some out and tried playing them. Cruise said they were like his own drum set.

Before the show began, Ms. Lydia, one of children’s librarians, asked if everyone was excited to be there and got a chorus of “yeahs.” She reminded them about all the programs during the week and told them to make sure to turn in their book logs for chances to win great prizes.

When Spoon Man asked the children, “Are you ready,” they yelled “yeah.” He told the audience, “You are in for the best show of your lives.”



The first song Spoon Man performed to was “In the Mood” by Glenn Miller and his Orchestra. Cruise said it was one his grandpa used to play spoons to.

In response to Spoon Man asking for helpers, many children raised their hands.

Spoon Man then chose his first helper. He asked the helper to say “ah” when he said “now.” He then played the spoons on the boy’s head and stomach. The kids were asked to clap along as he played.

Growing up listening to rock and roll, Spoon Man hoped to become the first rock and roll spoon player. For the first song, he got out heavy metal spoons, put on a wig and a fake tongue and pretended to be in a rock band. Spoon Man then slapped the spoons against his hips and chest as the Scorpion song “Rock You like a Hurricane” played.

For the next part he split “rows” down the middle for kids to compete against each other. Spoon Man chose one of the parents to be an impartial judge because he said she looked like Judge Judy.

Spoon Man had the left side say “hidee hidee hidee hi” and the right side say “hode hode hode ho.” While he played the spoons, each side was to say their words as those lines were sung in the Cab Calloway song “Minnie the Moocher.” The “judge” said left side was louder the first time. The next two times, the “judge” said the right side was louder. Finally, as the children got into the song and each group yelled out the words they were asked to yell out, she said it was a tie.

Before Spoon Man moved on to the next song, he shared three secrets.

These secrets were:

• I said no to drugs.
• I listened to teachers, read, did homework and got a degree. In other words, I got an education.
• I listened to my parents.

Spoon Man talked about the importance of reading to education. After Cruise/Spoon Man’s first fishing trip with his dad, he went to the library and checked out several books about fishing. When he read about fishing, Spoon Man found his schoolwork in all subjects became easier.

Both our muscles and our brains can be developed. For Cruise, reading about fishing developed his brainpower. He said reading a book is lifting weights for our brains.

The challenge Spoon Man gave to the kids is to read at least 15 minutes a day. Reading builds up brainpower and can make schoolwork easier.
 

One time Spoon Man met a mountain man in the Hills of Tennessee who was in a mountain band. Spoon Man then chose three people from the audience to be part of the mountain band made up of Billy Bob, Billy Bert and Billy Bill (sometimes known as Billy Squirt).

An adult was chosen for the role of Billy Bob, wearing a fake beard and hat and playing “trainer” spoons. A boy was chosen for the role of Billy Bert, donning pigtails and playing a washboard. A girl was chosen to play Billy Bill, wearing a fake beard and wig and playing the maracas.



The band and audience were asked to say “yee haw.” The members of the mountain band then played their “instruments” to the tune of “Rocky Top.”


For his final song, Spoon Man used woodenware, which he plays by clicking two flat handled wooden spoons together. He went around the room tapping the spoons on the palms of those who were sitting still and had their hands out. The children were asked to clap to Pharell William’s song “Happy” as Spoon Man moved around the room.

For those interested in his merchandise, Spoon Man said there is an instructional DVD, Spoon Man player spoons and Cruise’s “Spoon Boy” book. The book tells how he got started and the trouble he got into. All of it can be found at getspooned.com or on Amazon. His website is Spoonman.biz.

Spoon Man provided great entertainment for all who came to the program.

On Thursday, June 30 at 10 a.m. children will be hoppy to learn more about frogs from a Mason County conservationist.

[Angela Reiners]