All Blog Posts (280)

Listen Now! ...new cd ...I'm A Bluesman

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/billyjonesbluez2

"This guy has what it takes ...the music oozes sexuality ...he is totally his own man with a show-stopping style!"…

I have just released a new album, "Words Of a Friend." It features myself on guitar and…

Evening all.  Can't believe I'm writing instead of playing.  Like I might have something to say that is of interest to anyone else.  Spending time with an old acoustic friend just leads me to think of what all a guitar can accomplish.  Fact (or myth) has it that the first guitar ever in North America landed here in my locale in the late 1500's, arriving with the French Huguenots at nearby Ft. Caroline.  Something between a lute and the early gut-stringed classicals.  Even if the intonation…

Any news on this CD as promoted on (I think) Podcast # 46 ? Can't find it listed on the site and that podcast whetted my appetite! Cheers, Derek

The November/December 2012 issue of Flatpicking Guitar Magazine is now available! This issue features Carl Miner on the cover.  Carl is a former National Flatpicking Champion and is currently touring with the Greencards. In this issue we also feature Mike Cramer, a talented guitar player and teacher from Minnesota, and we highlight Eli West, the guitarist who is now actively touring the country with his musical partner Cahalen Morrison. Our regular columnist are here as always and many of…

I've been looking for jammers for a long time on whatever bluegrass instruments. Would like to hear from anyone interested. I have a decent repertoire and skills but need an outlet to make all the "woodshedding" worthwhile. .

I've been having great fun using the tune list to prepare for my Peter Wernick's Bluegrass jamming workshop at the Coombs Bluegrass festival to work through the homework assingnments Dan Miller has given in Flatpicking Essentials Volume One. I'm still pretty much on page 17. I'm having so much fun working with the metronome that I haven't even really worried about moving on yet. I''ll get there this week, though. You can see my musings about my progress or lack thereof at my blog…

The Adam Schlenker article in the recent Flatpicking Guitar magazine was great! Adam really knows his craft and explains it in a manner that's easy to grasp and apply. I hope to see much more from him in the future as he is the best!

You can check out where I am at on my journey with the Essentials of Flatpicking volume one at

flatpickdave.wordpress.com.

I am starting to actually have fun with the metronome. Go figure! Thanks Dan Miller!

I have now completed my initial foray of one week into volume one of the Essentials Flatpicking book. I have worked through pages 13 to 17. My thoughts and ideas can be found at

flatpickdave.wordpress.com

I would be interested exchanging ideas with anyone else who is on this journey and is looking for a learning buddy, no matter where you are.

Dave

Our founding father, mentor, legend, teacher, and hero has passed.  We will miss you Doc!…

I just got back from the Robin Kessinger Festival. Lots of great guitar picking. I took a workshop with Steve Kaufman. Everyone in the workshop got to pick in an individual jam with Steve. It was great fun. It would have been even more fun if I hadn't been shaking in my shoes!

Sadly, I've never got to put my hands on one of these - I'd really like to give one a whirl for just a few minutes one day just to see, and say I did, of course.

http://wesmantoddshaw.hubpages.com/hub/SL-Mossman-Guitars

I know Mark O'Connor plays one, and Dan Crary, of course.

I went to the Improvisation Workshop with Dan and Tim in Heath, Ohio last night.  Great workshop!  Great in-person examples of the techniques.  Thanks guys!

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL50060B88ED577BD4

...in the early 80's american bluesman Billy Jones was the lead guitarist for an outstanding group of touring musicians who called themselves 'The Incredible Rock City Band'. ...this song is taken from…

The March/April 2012 issue of Flatpicking Guitar Magazine is now available. This is Volume 16, Number 3 of the magazine. This issue features Jake Stargel on the cover. During the past 5 years Jake has toured with The Lovell Sisters, The Greencards, Barefoot, Mountain Heart, and Sierra Hull. Additionally, this issue features Julian Lage, who is not a teacher at the Berklee College of Music in Boston and our CD…

Now everyone probably knows exactly who David Grisman is, he's only one of the finest mandolin players that acoustic jazz, bluegrass, etc - has ever known.  In my mind David Grisman is right on par with someone like Ricky Skaggs, he's just more of a jazz and hippie sort than he is a traditionalist.  I love them both, and besides their mandolin playing, both of those guys always have a band with one heck of a guitarist.

In the case of David Grisman - he brought…

Another extremely fine and well known flatpicker that has been on the cover of Flatpicking Guitar Magazine in the past is Russ Barenberg.  I've personally been affected by that fella's fine and tasteful music in the past, as the single largest audience I ever played in front of ...was treated to Barenberg's "Keep It Up/Prince Charlie" from my own fingers.

So Russ is important to me, and I took the time to create a bit of a tribute to…

The January/February 2012 issue of Flatpicking Guitar Magazine is now available. This issue features Jack Pearson on the cover. Jack is well known in the blues and rock worlds, having toured with the Allman Brothers in the 1990s, however,…