Is This an Original?

[keener]

Bill, Chuck, and Jack: thank you very much guys. Jack, I think you're spot on ... All music is just a rearrangement of music from the past.

Bill, are you sure I sound like that idiot Bruce Keener? I sure tried to sound better than him. (No need to reply ... I just couldn't pass up the opportunity)

[rhirvine]

I've never heard anything like it. Sounds original to me and I've listened to a lot of guitar music.

Rich Irvine

[keener]

Thanks Rich and Jack.

[RandeDager]

Jack, have you ever experienced impoliteness here before? Just kidding......lol. I'm glad you continue to remain with us.

[bill_h]

Bruce, I just listened to it again to be sure. The melody's good and honestly don't sound like anything I've heard before. Whoever came up with the chords has obviously been influenced by Jerry and maybe even Buster but the melody still sounds original. Everything was played with a good tone on a good guitar. ............... It's just time to change those strings!! If that's not Bruce Keener who else could it be?????????

[keener]

Thanks Bill. I appreciate you double-checking. Yes, you can tell from this tune I've been heavily influenced by Jerry, Buster, Tommy, and of course Chet (which sort of goes without saying ... none of us would be picking without his influence).

Yes, maybe tomorrow I will change the strings. Right now I am avoiding it by playing a tune in A minor with the strings tuned to DADF#BE ... it's actually kinda neat.

Take care Bill
Bruce

[Randy Finney]

I think it is the best kind of original - it keeps reminding the listener of tunes they think they have heard before but never actually becomes one of those tunes. Way to go.

It is easy to be completely original - just do whatever you want with a complete disregard for history.

It is a little more difficult to be a historical copycat.

It is really difficult to both embrace the history and come up with something original based on this embrace. I think you've nailed it.

Incidentally, it immediately - and in a several parts throughout - made me think that, if D.R. Auten was still actively writing, I could hear him coming up with something like this. I mean this as a great compliment as D.R. is one of the geniuses in my opinion. Do you listen to D.R. much?

Randy

[keener]

Randy,

Thank you very, very much.

I have not heard of D.R. Auten. But, then I hadn't even heard of Tommy Emmanuel until 6 or 7 years ago (no joke). My influences, when I started picking at about 14 years old, were my Dad, Chet, Merle Travis, Jerry Reed, Paul Yandell (Louvin Brothers music), Jimmy Atkins, and my picking buddy Bob Ward, who owned Sound Associates in Lawrenceville, GA. In my 20's, I discovered some books by John Knowles. I particularly remember learning Struttin' from one of them. I also heard some of Lenny's stuff, and loved it all, but just couldn't get my head around it at the time. (Such a genius and such a great loss.)

Toward the end of my 20's I heard Chris Parkening and loved his playing so much that, at 30, I took 8 to 10 classical lessons.

Then I got married, and focused on raising a family and making a living.

About the time that my wife passed away, I heard of Buster B Jones and Thom Bresh ... my brother and dad went to one of their workshops and brought back some CDs, and that sort of re-enthused me musically.

But, I have also always been influenced by any music I hear ... I love Stevie Wonder's music, for example, and try to learn from his patterns. I'm starting to "discover" more musical influences on the web, many thanks to YouTube. Richard Smith mentioned to me that I should learn some from Joe Pass, and gave me a link to one of his performances. A true genius.

Anyway, I'll try to find some of D.R.'s stuff. Some new influences would probably be good for me.

Thanks again, Randy, very much.

[Randy Finney]

Here is a picture of D.R. with Chet:

You will have fun discovering D.R.. He is a great musician and, shall I say, a little intellectually "tweaked". Check out his resume! http://drauten.com/resume.htm

If you can't find his recordings, call me. I wouldn't bother with mp3 or other compression formats - his incredible sound is part of the D.R. experience.

Randy

[keener]

Thanks for the link Randy. He certainly knows how to make a resume interesting doesn't he?

I listened to a few of his videos. He seems to have a sound of his own.

Thanks for pointing him out.

Bruce