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Text From Liz Smith Column - New York Daily News - March 22, 1979 SIBLING RIVALRY: When the Concord's popular harmonica virtuoso Alan Black Schacker heard about how the President's sister, Gloria Carter Spann, was arrested for playing the instrument in a public cafe, he sent her a copy of his book. Here's Gloria's thank you: "Dear Mr Schackner: I sincerely appreciate your letter of encouragement and especially the book. Walter and I both love music, and especially the great feeling of participating even in a small way when groups of local musicians meet at our home whenever they feel the urge. He (and they) were so proud of me when I started to play the harmonica, and of course they encouraged me to continue my little tune in the restaurant, since it disturbed no one but the waitress, and I realize she must have had a bad day. I'm going to study your book and keep practicing and I'm going to keep my sense of humor! Mrs Walter Spann." Text From Richard Flaste Column, Child's World New York Times - November 10, 1976 OK Now, Pucker Up, Tap Those Toes And Start To Wail The harmonica has been around a long time, since before the Civil War, and many of us can remember how as children we gave it a try, puckering up for the notes of "Mary Had a Little Lamb," then forgetting about it, a novelty that had become boring. A powerful reason that the current generation of youngsters is excited by the harmonica, pursuing it almost as vigorously as the guitar, is that musicians such as Stevie Wonder demonstrate time and again how far beyond "Mary Had a Little Lamb" you can get. And Bob Dylan demonstrates that you never even have to come close to finding those neat little notes; what you can do is take a whole mouthful of notes and get a terrific wailing sound to accompany a guitar. At the same time that the popular musicians have been bringing their ideosyncratic approaches to the instrument, classically trained people have been using it symphonically and educators have been applying it to such tasks as teaching the disabled. There are even formal classes in the harmonica - in Manhattan at the Turtle Bay Music School. Children who are likely to make playing the harmonica a serious lifetime pursuit start as early as 6 years old. But 10 to 12 is perhaps the most useful time to begin, when a musical sense is already established. After deciding when to start, the next problem is buying the instrument. If you wander into a music store, you'll quickly learn that there are at least 20 harmonicas on display. (Actually, the Hohner company, the pre-eminent manufacturer of harmonicas, makes more than 50 models.) Blackie Schackner, a virtuoso who seems to have notes imprinted on top of his skull - rolling his eyes upward to find a bit of Bach or a touch of Gershwin - says that despite the array of instruments, the choice isn't all that difficult. Essentially there are only two major kinds of harmonica, with lots of variations on the themes. The first is called "diatonic" and is like a piano without the black keys - no sharps or flats. The second is called "chromatic" and comes with a slide button that provides the sharps and flats. The standard 10-hole Marine Band harmonica, which lists for $5.95 but costs only a bit more than $3.50 at music stores such as Manny's and Sam Ash on West 48th street, is diatonic. So is the Blues Harp, which is priced a little higher. Mr Schackner, whose new book is "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About the Blues Harp & Marine Band But Didn't Know Who to Ask" (Warner Bros, $3.95), describes the Blues Harp as "no more than a glorified Marine Band," with slightly thinner reeds that make it easier to "bend notes." Bending is what one does with mouth and hand position to force a note into a flat or sharp, without benefit of the side button, and thus provide that crying blues sound. But the bending can be done with both instruments. In any case, either of the simple, inexpensive diatonic harmonicas is the logical one to start with for youngsters who have not yet achieved sophistication on other instruments, such as the piano. They are also logical for those who want to play along with their own guitars - the side button is just too much to handle at the same time as a guitar. The harmonica holders that guitar players wear to leave their hands free for strumming sell for about $6. (In most cases the diatonic harmonica in the key of C is the suitable beginning instrument, but for guitar players, a Marine Band or Blues Harp in D or A would make for better accompaniment.) The next step up - or the first step for youngsters who are already advanced musicians - is the Super Chromonica, model 270, a three-octave chromatic that Mr Schackner says is the choice of most professionals, and lists for about $30. After that, who knows? There's room for all sorts of special tastes, a rhythm and blues harmonica, for instance, that plays only chords, or even one big harmonica that's intended especially for symphonic use. Text From Cindy Adams Column - New York Post - January 12, 1984 Jimmy Carter, Rosalynn, and Amy sailed the Caribbean on the Song of Norway recently. Working the cruise ship was harmonicist Alan "Blackie" Schackner. Carter, none too busy at the moment, asked this Mozart of the Mouth Organ about learning to play. Schackner gave the former President an instrument plus books telling Jimmy more than he ever wanted to know about the harmonica, and followed the shipment with this letter: "If you practice really hard, I'm sure I can get us a couple of bookings - especially since I am very well known in show business. . . I can't pay you too much to start, but as you prove yourself, I'm sure we can negotiate better terms." Text From Happy Trio HAPPY TRIO . . . Actress Gregg Sherwood and Richard Monti, right, are pleased with the news that harmonica virtuoso Alan Schackner, center, currently on stage at the Capitol, has been cited for his "Outstanding Service to Help Promote the Harmonica as a Musical Instrument" by the Mouth Organization of America. They celebrate the occasion at the Fireside Inn.