18 hr drive with Chet on IPOD made my trip fun :)

[Randy Finney]

Rande, these guys are a few hours from you but, some of the events they present may be worth the drive for you.

http://www.fingerstyle.org

They are not so Chet-centric as some of us involved in clubs but, maybe you could be the "Chet-Guy" within the club.

I find that most guitar enthusiasts either already have fairly eclectic tastes or are really quite open to at least exploring various approaches to the instrument.

Of course, you could start a club in Battle Creek. Just remember, the key to success is lowering your expectations.

Randy

[RandeDager]

J.J., where are you located? Also, we have to be careful not to use the term “boom-chickers”…….lol.
By the way, I do a lot of fingerstyle jazz and do quite a bit without the alternating thumb. I actually do get around and I visit the Guitar Center in Kalamazoo once in a while but as I’ve said, people stop for a few seconds and then move one. But when a 16 year old kid plays some loud single string lick through distortion, people will stop to watch and listen. My theory is that it seems more “doable” and that complexity tends to be more baffling, unless they are already advanced guitarists and can relate to what I’m doing. Also distortion has a way of “clouding” up things and acts as a camouflage for what’s really going on, which makes learning a new lick seem more hopeful.

A year ago I was invited to do a Christmas concert in Petoskey and as a result I was asked back up there in May to do more of country program. Tomorrow I’ll be leaving from work to go back up there to do another Christmas program Saturday night. The people there were very receptive and kind but when I would ask if there were any guitarists only a few people raised their hands and said they were “strummers”. So I’m still on a search for fingerstyle instrumentalists of any kind of music. Thanks for the tip about Pontiac. I never get over there but now you have me intrigued. I also appreciate your input, Randy!

Thanks,

Rande

[Oddsteven]

Rande

If you go over to Vicksburg you can find a couple of Chet pickers - my dad and James Brown. Dad's shop is right in town (www.aaronsmusicservice.com) too.

[RandeDager]

Steven, where have you and your dad and James Brown been hiding? I fear (in the sense that I may have been missing out) that there may be others that I don't know about. It would seem that everyone devoted to Chet would be on this forum and I'd know about them. But then I guess I never knew about it until 2007 after it had already been up and running for 6 years!

thanks,

Rande

[Larry Lenhart]

Palmer, that was indeed a funny post. I hope you didnt take offense and think I was being a jerk (of course I am !) in reference to the headphone thingy. What is funny about my trips to Az and the reason that I make the trip straight thru, is that my little Honda Civic is loaded down with 6 guitars, 2 amps, a pedal steel guitar and all the Chet books I have....I cant be without them for 2 months ! I just dont feel comfy stopping and spending the night in a motel with all that loot in my car Paranoid, perhaps, but its hard to teach an old man new tricks ! I wish I was closer to your area and could join in on Tuesday nights...a great idea !

[Oddsteven]

Rande,

We've been hiding in plain sight - I used to post here on the Chetboard all the time but laid off for a couple of years. You really ought to go over and check out the shop and make sure to bring a guitar and a thumbpick. I'll probably be up there at Christmas time (I live in Maryland) but only for a couple of days. It's always nice to know about a fellow player in the area.

[RandeDager]

Steven, I guess I just don't know how to "draw out" the fingerstyle players in the area but I've sure been on the lookout and any time I'm playing for a church or in a music store and guitarists come up to me I start talking to them and none of them seem to play fingerstyle or are even interested in it very much. I was unaware of any "shop" where anything was happening.

I just finished doing a show up in Petoskey and ran across another couple of guitarists in the audience up there but it was the same story with them. They were flat-pickers who liked what I did but felt like it would be too much work to learn. I just want to be around guys who do what I do. For me it seems to be limited to CAAS which I had to miss this past Summer.

By the way, where in Maryland do you live? I spent a few years in Hagerstown where I taught math at a private school there.

It would be nice to meet you some time.

thanks,

Rande

[Oddsteven]

I live down in Southern Maryland, Prince Frederick which is in Calvert County.

I know one other Chet player who lives near me. I'm telling you, just drive over to Vicksburg and stop in the shop and talk to my dad. I'll guarantee if you pick up a guitar and start playing some Chet that you'll make a new friend.

[Pickin Palmer]

Larry - no offense taken. I've been beat up a lot worse than that over the years in here. We are just sharing our musical experiences and love of Chet. Well, at least that's what we are supposed to be doing. And, I'd love to have you join us on a Tuesday night at "the coffee house."

Rande - James Brown is not only a great guitar player, avid Chet fan - he's a guitar builder, teacher, writer, and one of the nicest guys on the planet. In addition to what Randy suggested - why don't you try making up a few posters to hang in guitar stores, music academy's, senior centers, etc - that says "Hey, who would like to start a Chet Atkins club with me??" Hang one in the Picker's Club Room at CAAS, too..

[RandeDager]

Hi Palmer,

Unless I missed it, I never found any mention of a James Brown in any previous posts. I could have just missed it while I was scanning through things. Where does he live? If he's anywhere near me, I'd certainly be interested in meeting him. I know a few guitarists, like the one I just did a show with, but none of them are into Chet. Strumming and singing seems to be where it's at wherever I find someone with a guitar.

I like your idea of starting a fingerstyle club but I'd have to know in advance that the interest is there. Right now I don't see it. Maybe James Brown has a network built up. I'll check into it.

thanks,

Rande