ALL FRETS - July/August 2018 ENTIRE ISSUE | Page 26

make. My right hand was built for
playing the banjo and it did not work
for the style of guitar I was shooting
for. Phrasing was also a challenge
because I didn’t want to sound like a
banjo player playing guitar, so gone
was the tremolo and all the Peabody
style syncopations. At first I would get
very anxious about soloing on guitar
and my tendency was to play way
more notes than anyone would ever
want to hear. I then realized I was
playing an instrument that was
capable of significantly more sustain
than the banjo and that was
liberating. I also applied a trick that
string musicians (Slam Stewart, Herb Ellis) have used for years, singing lines and playing them at
the same time. This approach changed my playing dramatically and made my improvising sound
more melodic and musical.
As I look back over my many years of playing I am thankful that the Lord has given me the chance
to play so much and to enjoy this wonderful gift of music. Even though I don’t play nearly as much
as I used to, I can honestly say I enjoy it more now than ever before and I look forward to my next
gig where ever it may be.
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ALL FRETS JULY/AUGUST 2018