three nights a week doing everything from
Then he took off to college down in Florida. He
with my reading lesson together and would
Steely Dan to Skynyrd. I’d been reading about
played with different groups and different styles
comp the changes while we played songs like
Tommy Tedesco in Guitar Player magazine, and
of music and didn’t come back for a while. He
Satin Doll and Misty. Back then nobody had
later Carlton and Lukather. These were studio
let his hair grow very long to play with those
mimeographed sheets, so he’d write every
guys who could read and play anything, that’s
bands.
lesson by hand. I still have a huge folder filled
how they made their living. I realized that if this
with hand-written Ron Pritchett charts. He was
was gonna be my life, I better learn how to read
also loaning me records like “Intercontinental”
music. So I found a local teacher in Evansville
by Joe Pass, “Jellybeans” by Barney Kessel
named Ron Pritchett. If you heard talk about
and “Tristeza” by Oscar Peterson. He was
guitar lessons in Evansville (Indiana), this was
exposing me to this music that was foreign
the name that would come up. I was really
in so many ways. Rock ‘n’ Roll was usually in
shy, and I told him recently that it took me two
one key, using Pentatonic. I was hearing these
weeks to get the courage to even call. I think
beautiful guitar chords, and guys playing all
I just realized the magnitude of what this guy
these notes, and started thinking, “How did
could mean to me.
they know which notes to play over these
changes?” That was the beginning of that path.
SCHOOL DAYS // THE TEACHER
The Midwest spawned a generation of great
As a member of Simon Phillips’ Protocol, Andy
guitar teachers who taught out of their homes,
demonstrates how he’s stayed the course
pouring their knowledge and dedication into
in developing his ear. If you’re interested in
aspiring players like Andy.
doing the same, this next section should prove
particularly insightful.
[CG] What was it like working with Andy?
[CG] Are you still teaching?
RON: He was full of enthusiasm. I told him
RON: Well, yeah. I’m 81, so time flies when
what was gonna be expected, and he said, “I’ll
you’re having fun, doing what you love to do.
do it.” He was a pleasure son, that’s the only
way I know how to put it. He plays great Rock,
[CG] Andy, what about Ron’s teaching was
and you can’t take that away, but he also plays
most impactful on you?
Jazzy stuff. I don’t think most people have
heard him do that.
ANDY: I had no reading experience at all, and
HIGHER EDUCATION // UNIVERSITY
we started with the 80 lesson Oahu series.
[CG] Tell us about the next step in your musical
journey?
ANDY: The University of Evansville had a
Classical guitar program where I spent two
years studying with Renato Butturi. He was a
beautiful guy, a great player, but also a Jazz
Andy playing Girl From Ipanema with Sydnei Carvalho
RON: When he started my course he doubled
up on my lessons, I never had anyone else
do that. Once he got through learning how to
read, we got into some heavy-duty chords.
He wanted to learn all the chords, and he did.
I’d write things down for him, we’d play them
together the next week, and he’d do it right on
time. You have to be on time all the time.
20
guy. He was gigging in Hamburg the same
time the Beatles were back in the early sixties!
We began with lesson one, the notes on the
Renato gave me a major education, not only
treble string, E, F and G! He’d written a very
about music, but about life.
concise chord book, the complete opposite
of the Ted Greene book. He was a very good
RENATO: Sometimes Andy came in and his
Jazz player and sounded like Barney Kessel
lesson wasn’t ready, so I would change the
and Joe Pass, so along with the Oahu reading
plan. He was very creative, and I thought maybe
lessons, he would write out the changes to a
I could get him interested in exploring the music
Jazz standard. The next week I’d come back
that we all have inside, what’s not written down.
Sep Oct 2016
CollectibleGuitar.com