Athol Road Agrarian: Looking for a Friend

Back in February, my friend Greg took me to see Tommy Emmanuel, one of the world's best guitarists, in concert up in Vermont. What an experience that was. What a beautiful instrument the guitar is! Greg has been such a great encouragement to me musically. He really loves my playing, and wants to see me grow more.

Of course, he ain't no slouch either. He is a good player, too. Anyway, Greg knows so much more about guitar than I do. He knows all the players, the makers, the camps and all.

Last Friday, a week ago, we spent a couple of hours together at the Music Emporium in Lexington, Mass. just playing every guitar they had practically. What an amazing experience. I walked in and just began learning. Then they handed me a $5300 Goodall and I was hooked. The first guitar was the one! I played several more, but none had that tone that kept calling my name. It was a small body guitar, better for fingerpicking and more expressive playing.

So, thanks Greg. Since then, I have found every high end guitar shop within an hour of my house and all the way down to New York City! I tried out a neat Larrivee Parlor Guitar a friend of mine is selling (handmade, of course) on Tuesday. Next week, I am going to a luthier not far from school to see what his creations play like. His name is Greg Nelson of Berlin, Massachusetts.

It's like falling in love all over again. And I am looking for a friend, a new guitar. I have never bought or owned a new guitar. In fact, the most I have ever paid for a guitar was $100 a few years back. I gave the thing away because it couldn't stay in tune. But I have always had good sounding but cheap guitars. Anyway, things change when you hold a masterpiece in your hands. It makes you want to play more. I am going to get one.

Going back to my first love of the guitar means getting back to my early musical influences. The greatest, as you might guess, was JT - James Taylor. His sound was always, well, simply the best. And 30 years later, I don't stray far. I just spent 2 hours listening to his best stuff on youtube.

His musical sense of when to stand out and slip in playing with others is something that I find in my own sensibility. Complimenting another player can give as much or greater pleasure than simply being the center of the music. I suppose the same happens in basketball when a point guard dishes off assist after assist. You enjoy helping others look and sound good...

Which leads me to this clip. Here is JT on a pastel green Fender electric laying down the rhythm on one of my favorites, "Shower the People". Notice how he opens with his singular artistry building to a plateau and handing it off to some other talented folk. Then, having enjoyed the a unique collaboration moment, he takes charge at the end and brings it on home. An American Master. Enjoy!