Excerpted from CD Liner Notes:
“Even though I’ve primarily been known through the years for my songwriting or singing” he says, “I’ve always been enamored by my personal little collection of super-guitarists. Guys like James Taylor, Will Ackerman, Chet Atkins, Leo Kottke, John Fahey, Tony McManus, Tommy Emmanuel, Al Petteway, Phil Keaggy. And even though I don’t lump my abilities in with those of my picking heroes, I’ve still always wanted the chance to share some of their influences and release an instrumental album of my own.”
“The idea was not to showcase my mastery of the guitar (which would make for a very short album)...I can mostly play what I hear in my head, but I’m no virtuoso. But my goal was just to lay back and play what I’m comfortable playing, at the speed I’m comfortable playing it, and in general, just enjoy myself as the songs got recorded. And that’s exactly what we did. No fireworks. No blazing runs or crazy chord voicings. Just what I hope will be heard as a tight, catchy collection of music that allows people to connect to something beyond themselves when they listen. Because that’s what these songs do for me.”
More Excerpted Notes:
If you’re reasonably familiar with the RF camp and the music I do, then you’ve probably heard tell of the new music I’ve been working on.
FYI, in case you don’t know, this is my first instrumental-only release. Something I’ve been wanting to do for a very long time, but never have. It never seemed “commercially viable”. You know, contemporary instrumental music isn’t usually the primary content on our radios, iPods and popular music places of interest.
But I have to say, this has been one of the most satisfying recordings I’ve ever done. And I think it’s because this was all done, first and foremost, just because I like it. I enjoy it. I dig it. Then secondly, with hopes that it will be well-received, publically. But my main squeeze during this process was having fun and loving the act of sitting in a chair and losing complete track of the hours while I play and play and play. That’s why I picked up the guitar in the first place.
I will admit, however, much of this was not without its share of due preparation. Lots of time lately spent studying and listening to a lot of Appalachian Folk, traditional Scottish and Irish music, and solo acoustic guitar. Many hours drawing on inspiration from a host of my all-time most favorite guitarists and influences, like Al Petteway, the great Phil Keaggy, Leo Kottke, Tommy Emmanuel, Michael Hedges, Will Ackerman, Alex DeGrassi, Steve Baughman, John Fahey, Jim Tozier, Tom Long, Lee Ritenour, Earl Klugh, Brooks Williams, Randal Bays, John Doyle, Tony McManus. (I’ve got a ton of ‘em.)
My thought has been to put together a collection of songs that take all of these elements and fuses them together into a Scots-Irish-Appalachian-Folk style of rustic guitar instrumentals. (Now that’s a mouthful.) Sort of a “Folk Fusion” as some have said. This will also work together with a lot of the local/regional historical research I’ve been doing too (more on that to come).
Down Home features songs that celebrate the rural and traditional people, places and images, locally, nearby and otherwise, that are a part of my life and experiences and memories. Places that mean something to me. People who have influenced me. Things that have a unique connection for me. And hopefully, the song titles and resulting music will bring to mind your own set of similar thoughts and memories. Is there a little artistic license invoked here? Yeah, well…I confess. :) But by and large, if you’re from these parts (NE GA), then you’ll probably relate to one or more of these.
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