I got hooked on guitar when my oldest brother complained to my folks about me playing with his trumpet. He suggested and convinced them to buy me a guitar. My Dad was in the Air Force and the Base Exchange was like CostCo is today. It had everything and if they didn’t have you could order it. For my 9th birthday I got a green metal flake Japanese guitar. Most likely a Teisco from what I remember because it had a bunch of switches like the one below (not mine beacuse I didn’t own a camera when I was 9 years old).
My Mom took me to the only place in town where you could get guitar lessons. As it turned out it was really a professional recording studio with a small store front for selling music gear with a room for lessons. The instructor was named “Big Red”. Big Red was really a working studio guitarist who taught lessons on the side. Being a military brat, I was supporting a crew cut like I was in the military too. Big Red was different because he had red hair past his shoulders.
Big Red took one look at the green metal flake guitar and said “Well this isn’t going to work. I’ll sell you a good guitar for a fair price. Take this green thing back.”. My Mom walked off with Big Red to talk a little more in private. In those days my Dad didn’t make much being in the military. I didn’t know it at the time, but Big Red made us a great deal. I went home with a 1963 Fender blonde rosewood neck Telecaster in a tweed case. Later on, when I was a teenager my Mom told me my guitar and case cost her $100. I was surprised she paid so little for it even though it was in the mid-60s.
Unfortunately, the tuners on the guitar were shot and needed to be replaced. Big Red took my Mom and I to see a guy in downtown Little Rock. I guess he was the go-to Luther. He put a set of new Grover Pearl tuners put on the guitar. I’m not sure what the tuners cost but I do remember getting to watch the Luther enlarge the holes and put the new tuners on the guitar. I had no idea at the time that’s what he was doing but he also fixed the nut and did a complete setup.
Like a lot kids back in those days Mel Bay was the default book for learning to play guitar. After a few weeks of lessons, I started getting pretty bored with the stuff in the Mel Bay book. In fact, I remember telling Big Red in the middle of lesson I didn’t want to play anymore because it was too boring. Big Red asked me what I wanted to play.
I said well I like what my oldest brother listens to on the radio. Some of the songs were: The Monkeys “Last Train to Clarksville”, Otis Redding “Try a Little Tenderness”, Wilson Pickett “Mustang Sally”, The Rolling Stones “Paint It Black”, Yardbirds “Shapes of Things”, The Spencer Davis Group “Gimme Some Lovin” and some Chet Atkins songs.
Big Red said well let’s forget using this book and I’ll just teach you songs. Big Red showed me how to play chords and notes on the guitar for each song. Unfortunately, because I went down this path, I never learned how to read music, but I develop a great ear. From then on how I learn songs is to play them over and over picking up little pieces over time. I got pretty good with picking up and dropping the needle on the turn table. I think I drove my older brother crazy. I wonder if wished he should have just let me play his trumpet?
The story from here will be in my blog. Who’s influenced me, who I’ve met along my journey, where I am today and where I hope to be. I hope you enjoy reading about the road I’ve taken, learn something from it and look forward to swapping knowledge and experience.