Category: Guitar

Better Than Coffee, Stevie Ray Vaughan, “Tightrope”

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Click here for previous Better Than Coffee posts.

images-1I think most of you who read this blog would agree music is the best ‘drug’ of all time…including our beloved morning coffee.

This series has been and will continue to be a public service for those of you trying to cut your caffeine intake, by enjoying some fast/energetic music…. ;)

…Or for those of you looking to enhance that morning cup.

This song is not particularly fast, but, energetic… absolutely! Great solo from the legendary, and taken too soon from us, Stevie Ray Vaughan. RIP Aug 27, 1990

Enjoy!

 

Stevie Ray Vaughan

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UnknownOne of my favorite SRV stories is about his calluses. The story is that he practiced so much they would literally fall off. Well if you know how pink the skin is when you lose a blister you know how tender that skin is! No way you can play guitar on that…unless you are Stevie Ray Vaughan and you just super glue the loose calluses back on your fingertips. That is dedication to practicing for sure!

I always like to relay this to my beginning students as they work through the tender finger stage.

RIP “My ol friend!” SRV, August 27, 1990

Why Hire a Professional Wedding Musician?

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I get plenty of these type responses, as to why people don’t want to pay a professional musician to perform their ceremony…

“My nephew plays guitar,”

“My Uncle’s barber’s son plays guitar and will do our wedding for $50,”

“Our best man plays guitar,” and so on and so on.

Careful you might get this person!! That is assuming they even show up. I often book last minute weddings from those who hired their uncle’s barber’s son, who chicken out two days before the ceremony when they try to learn the music and realize they can’t play it…

Here is why you might want to have a second thought hiring family, a friend or friend of a friend.

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Happy 4th of July, 2013

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Happy 4th of July everyone! Hope you have a fun and safe holiday while celebrating the  anniversary of our Nation’s Independence!

Just wanted to post two quick versions of the Star Spangled Banner guitar style.

I recently saw Yngwie Malmsteen in San Diego and he performed a tribute to the military with a rendition of the National Anthem( bottom video)

The top video is Yngwie performing the SSB at a Miami Marlins baseball game. I could lament how I think the Anthem should be played traditionally when played for events but c’mon lets face it no one really watches Marlins baseball anyway. Musically he does a remarkable job incorporating all his guitar fireworks into the structure of the song.

Enjoy your freedoms like they mean something to you! Happy 4th!

Eddie Van Halen on David Letterman, 1984

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We all know about the Van Halen saga with singers. David Lee Roth, Sammy Hagar, the horrible stint with Gary Cherone. But what about Paul Shaffer on his Hammond organ??? Thank goodness this was just a jam session…Cool video to see but the Hammond is not my favorite sound in rock n roll history.

I did hear that VH was actually contemplating using a bunch of popular singers as replacements after DLR’s departure. An All-Star cast would have been interesting, but, I think the Sammy thing worked out ok for them. The only name I heard for the All-Star album was Phil Collins…hmmmm…

Enjoy