Music in the mountains

Oh my, it's been busy around here...and I haven't found the time in front of the computer.  Anyway, I'm going to finish the story of Guitar Town.

I'll make mention of some of my favorite guitar players.  First up, it's Joe Robinson.  A few years ago he won the "Australia's Got Talent" competition; he's truely gifted!  I first saw him when he was just 17 years old; now he's around 20.  He's grown up and filled out, and he's trying to make his way into the guitar greats with his own style. I hope he makes it big.

John Jorgenson is another; he's a 2-time Grammy winner and a legend in the guitar world.  Over the weekend, I heard him play in three different bands he's put together: acoustic quartet, blue grass, and electric.  He can play anything!! I bought his latest blue grass CD; it's fantastic!!

Laurence Juber is another GREAT talent. (In the picture above, he's the one on the left.) He played with the Beatles for years. I HAD to buy his latest CD and get it signed by him. It's just him playing the guitar; it's lovely - tunes you're familiar with; and his skill is amazing. You can check all these guys out on iTunes or probably YouTube as well.

And finally, Tommy Emmanuel.  He is THE MOST UNBELIEVABLE GUITAR PLAYER I'VE EVER SEEN AND HEARD.  What he does, seems like it would be impossible to do.  And yet, he does it effortlessly and is a great showman.  Every part of his being "lives" the music. 

If you ever get the chance to see any of these guys, do it; you won't be disappointed.  They are some of the best in the world.  They will astound you.

A Colorado Mountain High

I traveled with my family in Colorado to an annual event at Copper Mountain Resort: Guitar Town.  This is my second time to attend...and it's unbelievably awesome.  The event draws top guitarists from the US, Australia, and Canada. It's two days of free entertainment from an outstanding list of performers.  It's a constant stream of music from noon to about 6:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Each artist does about a 40 minute set.

But first, here's the setting, as seen from the balcony of the rooms we were staying in.  Aw, the smell of fresh air, laced with pine. The elevation is above 9,000 ft. That's not always a welcoming aspect of the experience if you're a musician who lives at sea level. Many of the performers seemed to get winded pretty easily.  But the beauty of the setting for outdoor concerts is magnificent.

And here's what the stage looks like; we got out lawn chairs parked in the grass about 7 rows from the front, so it was pretty good.  More tomorrow...