Blog

COUNTRY GENTLEMAN

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 02:24:00 -0400

I began playing guitar at 11 years old. My earliest teachers introduced me to Travis Picking and Chet Atkins styles. My guitar teacher in high school was a "thumbpicker" and also played banjo. He had a beautiful Gretsch Country Gentleman guitar. At age 14 , I would learn country and classical tunes well for my tests... so that I could get my grade. But then I'd head off to practice with my hard rock band after school. Unfortunately, I was sidetracked by Led Zeppelin and other rock bands in high school.

My love for country, blues, jazz and acoustic styles never stopped. When I enrolled at the Dick Grove School of Music ten years later, we had a "fingerpicking" class and again...I was introduced to Cannonball Rag and also Chet tunes. And yet again...I was sidetracked...this time by Coltrane, Miles and other jazz artists. But...the roots stayed with me... and now years later...I've come full circle...but this time I am hanging around for a bit with this stuff.

I was fortunate to meet Chet Atkins in 1996 and actually got to play for him. I was thrilled when he complimented me on my "good pickin." I've been re-learning the guitar "Chet's" way again and loving it. Here's a few videos you might enjoy. Although I'm still a rocker...I am still a country gentleman at heart!

COLLECTIVE REFUSAL

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 15:52:20 -0500

I read an article the other day online by liberal writer Kai Wright. He was reminding the reader ?long before his death, white and black America began to forget the true legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.?

Kai points out that up until spring of 1963, Martin Luther King was ?eyed as a hasty radical out to push Southern communities past their breaking point -- which was a far more accurate understanding of the man's mission.?

He reminds us that the MLK "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" is in fact a blunt rejection of letting the establishment set the terms of social change. In that letter MLK says, "The purpose of our direct-action program is to create a situation so crisis-packed that it will inevitably open the door to negotiation," he wrote, later adding, "We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed."

Kai also writes, ?we've been waiting for another prophet since he was gunned down on April 4, 1968. I just wish our last one would come back and remind us that our power lies not in leadership but in a collective refusal to be oppressed.?

I agree that there is power in our collective refusal to be oppressed. Oppression comes in many forms. A good example is the 50% of citizens that feel oppressed by the current government expansion, re-distribution of wealth (taxes on wealthy) and spending. I'm curious whether or not they will do as writer Kai suggests and create a ?collective refusal to be oppressed." Will they follow MLK?s lead and create ?direct-action program? that will ?inevitably open the door to negotiation? so that their voices are heard? Remember the beautifully radical words of MLK??freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.?

Recently, conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh has been in the news because of his words, ?I hope Obama (and his socialist agenda) fails.? Limbaugh?has the RIGHT to his opinion. Some cannot handle it and would like to silence his opposition. If they try?it will only fuel the conservative right's cause and pursuit of collective refusal of oppression through direct-action. To many Limbaugh is a radical. MLK was a radical by early 1960s standards. JESUS?was a radical?and it led to his death.

Although, President Obama is a radical to some...he is not a prophet...or Jesus. He doesn't walk on water. Obama is an elected leader with a specific political philosophy and agenda...just like Bush and others that came before him. And he has people around him that also share in the vision. Whether Obama is what he says he is remains to be seen.

The agenda of George Bush is being changed because of the people's desire to mobilize and voice their collective refusal through the election. They felt oppressed by Bush's policies. And now that the power shift is taking place, the conservative movement is feeling oppressed by Obama, and believes the government is stealing away our personal freedom...(but wait...wasn't that talk from liberals when Bush was in office?), expanding role of big government, creating massive taxation and pork-barrel spending. It appears that Rush Limbaugh is applying the teachings of Martin Luther King by demanding his conservative voice be heard - however large or painful the backlash. He and his listeners share in a collective refusal of liberal policies. Let them...that's what America is about.

I am not a conservative or liberal ideologue. Instead, I believe in truth, integrity, and doing what is realistically best for our nation and humanity. America is great because we the people don?t always agree about the "taboo" subjects of politics and religion. It?s through this very dialogue, debate or disagreement that we come to a ?balance? in our system. So whatever your point of view or political and religious leaning?remember to embrace truth, honesty, integrity, and the right to collective refusal. In America, you still have the freedom to express your views?at least for now.

God Bless America!

CHILE, BISCUITS & GRAVY

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 03:45:43 -0500

My current road trip to New Mexico and Texas has been enjoyable so far. The journey began on Tuesday, Feb 23, 2009. I left Los Angeles at 5PM and drove straight through the night to Albuquerque on Interstate 40.

I was amazed at the beautiful sunset in my rear view mirror. It was simply jaw-dropping! When the moon replaced the sun, our Mojave Desert came to life with ever-changing shadows and lingering light rays. The mountains to the North of me (my left side drivers window) were outlined by moonlight with clouds resembling dark gray cotton balls lounging about on the mountain peaks.

I pulled into Flagstaff, Arizona about 1AM and stopped off at a Hampton Inn to fire up my laptop using their wireless internet. I checked emails, grabbed an egg burrito from Del Taco (junk food), filled up my gas tank and headed on my way.

Interstate 40 was filled with truckers and other crazy people like me also driving through the night. I thought about parking in a rest stop a few times until I noticed about 20 semi-rigs lining the entire parking area. It was quite intimidating, so I continued on.

Hot coffee, protein bars and chinese ginseng kept me going for awhile. But around 4AM I started seeing tractor trailers, motorcycles and other vehicles attempting to pass me in the fast lane. But they weren't really there! I was so tired...my mind was playing tricks on me. After yelling at myself, slapping my cheek, turning the radio up, rolling down the windows to get a blast of cold air...I decided to pull over at a truck stop and sleep for a couple of hours. I awoke to the sound of blasting truck horns and realized it was time to make my final push into New Mexico.

I pulled into Albuquerque about 7AM. My first order of business was to get some home grown Green Chile with Eggs! Those of you from New Mexico know what it's like to have a "green chile withdrawl" especially if you live in another state that has none. So my withdrawl had to be fixed. And man my taste buds were in heaven!

After breakfast, I spent time with family (parents), took a 4-hour nap and then headed down to meet some musician friends at the local guitar shop and talk..."shop."

Dinner in Albuquerque was none other than Red Chile Enchiladas! Afterwards I spent time on the phone and solidified a 3-day gig at Angel Fire near Taos as a solo act.

Now, as it gets closer to my departure day for Texas (Dallas and Austin) to do gigs and visit friends...I find myself facing another 10-12 hour drive. Hopefully this time I'll make it through without seeing flying tractors and having to drive with the windows down!

Green Chile and Red Enchiladas are soon going to be replaced by Biscuits and Gravy. But like they say, "when in Tejas...do as the Tejanos do!"

JEFF BECK - "LYRICAL GUITAR GENIUS"

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 03:38:11 -0500

The greatest guitarists use their instrument as a tool for lyrical expression. Phrasing, melody, tone, feel and lyrical/vocal-like expression are key ingredients in their amazing solos. One of the true masters of the "guitar-ballad" is none other than Jeff Beck. He is by far one the greatest lyrical guitarists in history and one of my favorites. Here's a video from one of Beck's more recent tours. Enjoy!

SUN RECORDS - ROCK N ROLL HISTORY

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 23:32:40 -0500

Several of my relatives on my father's side of the family were talented musicians from West Texas. My Great Grandfather was a fiddle maker, and several others in the family were solid country/bluegrass and even rock n roll musicians.

Recently my Uncle Rufus's informed me that my Aunt Fern (Fisher) was a rockabilly singer many years ago and recorded at Sun Records in 1958 with Elvis Presley's band! That was the beginning of rock and roll and a historic time when Sun Records was THE happenin' place to be.

Fern recorded two songs there - "He's The Most" and "Tommy". I'm proud to say that there's a bit of rock n roll history in the family!

CLICK HERE to listen to samples and discover the Sun Records catalog.

EMIHLE - WORLD VISION

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 17:26:18 -0500

I would like to introduce you to my lovely little friend - Emihle. She is a beautiful 5-year old girl living in unbelievable conditions in Africa. She loves to sing and dance. My hope is that someday she will live long enough to come to USA to sing, dance, and most of all...smile.

We live in the greatest country on God's green earth. Yet...we sit back and complain when the "government" is not giving us our "freebies" because we are "entitled" as Americans. Truth is...many citizens are lazy and selfish. Tell me...is a house with 2 televisions, kids with Kobe sneakers, fridge, couches to sit on (after spending a hard long working day in line getting food stamps)...is that household poor? You know what is poor? Emile.

I am grateful for a PRIVATE organization like WORLD VISION for their long tradition of changing and improving the lives of children from around the world. These kids might someday enjoy some of the luxuries that "poor" families in the USA enjoy such as television, video games, etc.

Well...if you ever feel the need, or desire to do something positive...you can sponsor a child through World Vision. For more details just click on the image below and watch your life change...change...change!!!!!

H2O

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 13:04:35 -0500

I had a wonderful meeting about a week ago with a friend that I hadn't seen in over 10 years. She is a gifted singer, massage therapist and lives a very active, healthy lifestyle. Although our conversation was primarily music based...you know..."remember that track you sang on"...or "wow...have you heard this guitarist"...or whatever...the greatest gift she gave to me was understanding the importance of clean drinking water. I know its common sense. But...she introduced me to her latest water gadget that totally cleans the L.A. drinking water and improves overall health. She said, "good health begins in the water man!" I agree.

Now...as a musician...on a budget...low budget...or no budget...I can't quite afford the fancy gadget she was raving about. But it did get me to thinking. As a member of the ONE foundation...I found several international programs that are co-sponsors to bring "clean drinking water" to places around the globe. Its not quite the fancy, pure, drinking water that my friend introduced me to...but it is a better alternative than kids drinking from a puddle of mud.

So if you want to help...feel free to check out a few of these links and donate!

Living Water International ("LWI")

Living Water International (LWI) is an inter-denominational Christian ministry providing desperately needed clean water solutions to more than 7 million people daily in 26 countries. In the Central African Republic, LWI has partnered with H2O Africa to provide 10 northern refugee communities with new wells. Through a three-pronged approach to train, consult and equip, LWI projects provide not only potable water, but also opportunities for improved health and economic development.

Ryan's Well Foundation

Ryan?s Well Foundation is a Canadian not-for-profit organization with a mission to provide clean water, improved sanitation and related hygiene education to citizens of developing countries impacted by the global water crisis through engagement with local partner organizations. Ryan's Well supports activities to BUILD safe water sources, EDUCATE individuals, schools, corporations and other service organizations to create awareness of water related issues and those with limited access to resources and MOTIVATE present and future leaders to realize their own global citizenship.

There's so many more you can just GOOGLE to learn about and get involved!

In the immortal words of Star Trek's SPOCK..let's "live long and prosper".

Peace

PARADIGM SHIFT

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 00:29:07 -0500

I sense a paradigm shift taking place in our world today: Spiritually. Socially. Economically. Politically. Life as we knew it in the Good Old USA is changing. Is that bad? Is that good? Well...to me its just different...some good...some bad depending on your own world view.

We have overcome many obstacles in the last several decades as a nation and world. We now have a Black President...I mean a White President. Black Power and White Power can now raise their fists in victory and harmony? President Obama campaigned on change. It remains to be seen if he will utilize this opportunity to make real, healthy changes or just get caught up in the very system that brought him to the White House. We shall see. But... is our President the "one" to pull us from the ashes? Is "the man"..."the government"..."big brother" one to "save us all"? I say...NO.

We cannot point the finger at our politicians without first pointing the finger at ourselves. Yes...we must look at ourselves...and change from the inside out before we can honestly demand that from our leaders. This in itself is a paradigm shift.

Change does not begin from a colorful sign on a campaign trail or the feeling like we contributed to a "hip" cause. And it does not happen from a comfortable church pew with other church goers that are conditioned to act "religious". It happens from within deep within our heart and soul...and manifests itself in various forms: love, music, art, faith, politics...whatever.

So in this time of "change"... my desire is to change from the inside out. It's all on the table: Traditions, love, marriage, parenting, career, world view, politics, etc. My own personal transformation and overhaul from the inside might be a tiny grain of sand in this massive paradigm shift that is happening...with...or without us. I can feel and sense the paradigm shift in our world. Can you?

So...the old guard...the old way...the old political and religious systems...you better buckle up and hang on for the ride. Real change is coming! And it might not be what any of us expect.

The paradigm shift that the universe is unveiling (which God created) cannot be stopped!

God Bless!

MAN ON THE SILVER MOUNTAIN

Tue, 01 May 2007 14:13:45 -0400

It was 8:00PM on Friday night. The band was ready to begin our first set. After a few tweaks of the lighting and sound we hit our first chord for "Summertime" - the old standard that we made our own as sort of a fatback blues. As I looked out into the audience, I recognized a few rock heroes, guitarist Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath and my favorite heavy metal singer, Ronnie James Dio. Although our band that night played old school blues and soul, the rock legends really enjoyed listening. It was cool to see heavy metal artists enjoying a round of smokin blues and jazzy tunes.

After our show, I was introduced to Dio by his personal manager. Ronnie was a true gentlemen. He said he enjoyed the band and complimented me on my guitar playing. Which to me, was awesome, coming from one of the greatest rock singers in history!

Ronnie and his bandmates followed me on over to the stage and being total gearheads, we talked about my guitars and effects. Their favorite was my old Les Paul. Ronnie liked it and also enjoyed jamming on my Brian Moore C90.

Ronnie invited me to his show the next night with Black Sabbath. They rocked the house! What a killer voice.

Although he is a true metal god and legend, "The Man On The Silver Mountain" was a down-to-earth guy that appreciates great music of many styles. I really enjoyed hangin backstage with Ronnie and my only regret was that we couldn't hang out longer and talk about philosophy and life. However, during my brief encounter, I discovered that his fortune and fame are also accompanied by a willingness to "give back" to the community. He and his wife Wendy support a charity called "Children of the Night" which helps teenage girls get off the streets and away from childhood prostitution. This is a cold, dark reality that exists in our culture today.

You can contribute to this non-profit organization by visiting www.childrenofthenight.org

So, if you're into heavy metal, be sure and check out the "Heaven and Hell" tour and hear Ronnie tear it up with Black Sabbath and Megadeth!

HOME IS WHERE THE ART IS

Thu, 29 Mar 2007 01:21:26 -0400

Some say home is where you hang your hat, or in my case... guitar. Those of you that know me or have read my personal biography, know that I spent my teen years growing up in the rolling hills and winding streets of Santa Fe.

There has always been a magical muse in this small town. For years artists, writers, poets and musicians have migrated to the "city different" in search of inspiring the creative force within.

For me, relocating from Louisiana to New Mexico in my pre-teens was like being thrust into a whole new universe. Gumbo was replaced with green chile stew, bayous became running rivers, and murky canals were suddenly transformed into crystal clear streams. Although it was quite a life-change and culture shock, one thing remained constant: ART

Art was like oxygen, we needed it to survive. My father was an artist and educator. He would take me to various art openings at his university when I was young. I met some strange, interesting people that introduced me to "cutting-edge" art. But the truth is, my little brain couldn?t comprehend the "implications of color strokes" or the "political messages" hidden in the various art forms. Unfortunately, I found myself enjoying the complimentary food and drink much more!

Art finally took on new meaning for me when we moved to Santa Fe. The guitar became my instrument for creating sonic textures. It wasn't long before art exhibits were replaced with music concerts. Tension and resolution was no longer revealed through color combinations and brush strokes. It was created by guitar strings. Music was MY oxygen.

Although I moved away from Santa Fe to pursue a music career and was gone for almost 20 years, I recently returned home to visit my little mountain town. I soon discovered that the art of music is alive and well!

I was inspired by a local musician that I consider to be one of the world?s greatest guitarists - a quiet eclectic gun-slinger by the name of Bruce Dunlap. His guitar genius is truly amazing. But even more inspiring is his dedication to supporting the arts in this community through his non-profit performance center he calls "The Gig". There you can see Bruce perform in addition to other world-class artists playing great jazz, classical, world, folk and americana music in a beautiful environment. In addition to the great art and music, I always enjoy clearing my head with a hot bowl of green chile stew!

Each time I visit Santa Fe it?s like being home again. It's always good know I have a place to hang my guitar!

A SPIRITUAL CHORD

Sat, 17 Mar 2007 23:02:36 -0400

I was recently invited to play and sing at a church in Southern California. What a great time! It was an excellent opportunity to play music with "no strings attached". Each of the musicians used their talents for a greater cause. There were no "posers" or "look at me" types at this gig. Just down-to-earth talented musicians.

One of the highlights for me was sharing the stage with an accomplished saxophonist named Eddie Minnifield - a wonderful musician whose credits are a mile long - including Prince (Purple Rain), Beyonce, and a host of other world-class artists. It was really cool to see such an accomplished musician "giving-back".

This gig was unique because we had a chance to really dig down deep and strike a "spiritual chord" in the hearts of people. And it wasn?t a Major7#5 chord.

I know it sounds clich�, but harmony, rhythm and melody really do heal. You could see it. You could feel it. What a great privilege.

Our notes were actually used for something other than selling records or cocktails!

BEYOND THE FRETS

Mon, 12 Feb 2007 23:15:20 -0500

I was finally convinced by one of my advanced guitar students to join the cyberspace community known as "blogging". Before I dive in and begin spinning my own thread, I can?t help but ask, "who thought of the word "blog"? Maybe it?s the same yuppie that loves using words like Latte or Beemer? It?s not the most exciting word to describe the thoughts of philosophers, artists, writers or plain ole folks that just want to share their world with others. But I guess we should all be grateful that such a format exists. Maybe I could become the hip new internet-savvy dude known as the "Blawg Dawg"?

One of my favorite things to do is play and teach guitar. My advanced students and I usually discuss topics that transcend the fingerboard. The pluck of a guitar string can conjure up a thousand images in one?s mind. It?s amazing what dancing molecules can do! I once wrote a song that said, "Harmony lives in nature, like a strum on my guitar". My father used to tell me, "don?t you realize the implications of that line? It's about vibration. It's about physics at its core!"

I also love it when great songwriters and/or recording artists use the guitar in unconventional ways. Listen to the intro chord of The Beatle?s "Hard Days Night". There?s a lot more going on there than a clang. Yes, it?s a simple Fadd9 chord. But guitarists to this day can?t seem to duplicate it. Did you know that some of the notes you hear in that chord were never even played. It?s oozing with overtones. Some were caused by the vibration of Paul McCartney?s bass note in the body of John Lennon?s Gibson acoustic guitar. The room microphones also recorded an overtone from George Martin?s piano voicing. Try playing a simple Fadd9 chord on your guitar. Does it sound like the famous CLANG? Nope.

George Martin and the Fab Four created a unique moment in time with that Fadd9 Chord. The great songwriters and musicians find ways to transcend technique with creativity. They explore their craft on a deeper level. They take time to listen. They take time to go beyond the frets!