[DanR]

As a kid, I thought that acoustic guitars were for people who couldn't afford an electric. As I got older, I realized there was something to these acoustic guitars. Then, I got a copy of "Four Way Street" by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young and the acoustic guitars really caught my ear. And when I heard "Cowgirl in the Sand" by Neil Young, I knew I needed to get myself an acoustic. James Taylor, at that time, should get an honorable mention as an important acoustic influence on me.

And then there's Joe Kelly. He was a friend of mine from about when I was 21 and was an exceptional player and he taught at one of the local stores as well. I tried my darndest to learn basic Travis style fingerpicking but to no avail. And then one day, we were playing our guitars in his bedroom (we still lived with our parents) and I asked him how the heck do you do that (fingerpicking)? I'll always remember how he took a small scrap piece of paper and wrote down 1 and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a, and then placed t (thumb) 1 (index finger) and 2 (middle finger) under the appropriated beats. I can't remember if I just started out with the thumb and alternating bass strings or used my index finger right away but, over time, I got it. Thank you, Joe!

I later worked in my third finger and branched out from pure Travis style. That little scrap of paper add a ton of enjoyment over a lifetime of playing. I lost track of Joe when we moved apart and started adult lives but I was able to reconnect via Facebook and let him know how thankful I was for his 'gift.'