Alf Doubell nurtures his love of music
Alf closed the doors of his business in 2011 after 45 years and spends his time working, not tinkering mind you, in the garage with woodwork and building of model aircraft.
A cabinetmaker from Standerton with enthusiasms ranging from the building of model aircraft, clocks with wooden gears, photography, guitar playing and a butterfly collection goes by the name of Alf Doubell.
Mr Doubell is a self-taught musician, taking into account the mastering of sheet music at the age of 55, with the Leonard Cohen music and red guitar ready, waiting for his next student in his studio.
The studio boasts a painting among others by a Standertonian, Anneliese Scholtemeyer, depicting a piazza in an Italian town with bright strokes of colour and several guitars hanging on the wall.
Although his father played the violin, Alf concentrated on the guitar since his years at Wits Technikon, where he completed the course in mechanical electronics in three and a half years.
When staying in Rosettenville, Hillbrow was a favourite destination with its cosmopolitan ambience and the opportunity to perform in clubs.
He likes classical music, decent country, soft rock, not to forget the affinity for gospel music.
Alf used to facilitate the gospel music at the Anglican Church in Standerton for many years and wrote music too.
He joined the South African Air Force after school and spoke animatedly about the joys of gliding, even establishing a gliding club in town many years ago.
“There is nothing like para-gliding, you are one with nature,” he said.
Competitions were also entered into and he ended fourth in South Africa in 1995 at a model aircraft flying competition.
He is frequently asked to identify butterfly species and gave lectures at schools on the subject.
Alf closed the doors of his business in 2011 after 45 years and spends his time working, not tinkering mind you, in the garage with woodwork and building of model aircraft.
His wife, Sandra, is in Cape Town since the lockdown began to attend to family responsibilities, and the couple has six daughters between the two of them and nine grandchildren.
At this stage he teaches 30 students, mostly in the afternoons and has a collection of 10 guitars, but Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays are not devoted to his students.
A group of musicians used to sing carols at Spar and Pick n Pay during Easter and Christmas.
Forget about asking him to handle the braai at your Saturday afternoon get-together.
The question about what he is going to bring will be answered succinctly.
“I’ll bring my guitar.”
Alf had no hesitation as well in ending the interview with renditions of folk classics, for which he used one of the guitars hanging on the wall.
“Music has always been there.”
