Tour de force!
author: Len Jaffe
Shane Adkins is one of a handful of younger and extremely talented acoustic guitarists who are making a concerted effort to keep the traditional finger-style guitar playing technique alive for up and coming generations. His work is just about flawless, and why more people don't know about him is a tragedy and a mystery.
Shane was the last artist to perform at my house concert series in Charlottesville, Virginia. Our evening show, a complete sellout and one of the best shows Barking Cherry House Concerts ever presented, was preceded by an afternoon workshop at a local music store that carries the same line of guitars Shane endorses. At both events, Shane previewed
songs from this, his fourth recording, and the execution of them was nothing short of absolute enjoyment. From the familiar ("Tara's Theme", "Deep River Blues", "Stars Fell On Alabama") to original work ("Boiled Peanuts", "By The Gulf Of Mexico", "Heading For The Creek"), Shane was able to totally entertain and involve the audience in his music. As I said in a review of another of his albums, if you ever have the chance to see this man work, don't miss the opportunity, and by all means, order this and all the rest of his recordings while you are on this site. Adkins is as national a treasure as Doc Watson, Chet Atkins, Merle Travis, and all the other musicians who have contributed greatly to this musical landscape. It would be a shame for us to lose it.
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