Your Favorite Guitar memory

[perttime]

It has been a while since I last played to an audience.

The most special one was way back during my Government temp job in southern Lebanon. We had a "rotation" going on: 1/3 of the peace keeper battalion being replaced - and had a "newcomers' day". I and another guy played in the mess of UNIFIL Position 9-1. The songs were something that would be familiar to most Finns, but the lyrics were adjusted to reflect where we were and what we were doing.

Last year, that memory became bittersweet. I learned that the other guy had committed suicide, and taken his family with him. Don't know what took him to that point.

[bil]

My favorite memory - My 9 year old granddaughter was staying with us for a couple of days last week. She was playing in her room and I walked down the hall to check on her. She was playing with some stuffed animals and softly singing to herself. I listened closely, as it sounded familiar. Turns out it was one of the songs off of a CD I recorded for my granddaughters last year. When I asked my daughter about it, she replied that Bella listens to it all the time! The connection I was hoping for when I recorded it has been made.

[fongie]

I still have fond memories of playing my very first song (house of the rising sun) on my first Chinese classical guitar. That song still give me goose bumps every time I hear it. Ohhh how far have I come since then, that was many years ago. Not to mention my appreciation to my mate who made me pick up a guitar and taught me how to play. Cheers mate!!

[ChrisE]

These stories of playing for a spouse or girlfriend are neat; my wife hates to hear me play. Most of my playing or practicing takes place outside in the middle of the night while she’s asleep.

My favorite memories are of visiting my grandfather in eastern Kentucky as a kid (1970’s and 80’s) when he would have all his buddies over to play old time and bluegrass music on Saturday nights. I’m lucky that videos of some of those sessions have tuned up on YouTube so I can relive those memories.

I’m also lucky enough to have the Martin HD-28 that he bought new in 1983.

[Raebrek]

I played with the choir at midnight Mass. We always play Feliz Navidad after the recessional song after Mass is over. There was a young guitar player (16) playing with me that night and after the recessional song I told him to turn off the amp but the choir was fidgeting around reminding me I forgot the song. I asked the youngster to turn the amp back on a I picked up my guitar and started Feliz Navidad. The choir and those still in the church came in singing with all their midnight Mass fury as they do having all their parts worked out over the years. It was fun.

When we finished the youngster came over to me and said; that was so cool. He said you just picked up your guitar and started playing a song and everyone just joined in singing.

Now, I let him know it was a traditional thing I had just forgotten, but the experience for him was great and that also made it memorable for me.

[Jon29526]

A few years back our family was traveling to Ocracoke Island in the Outerbanks of NC. The ferry ride is about 2.5 hours long from Cedar Point. After getting out of the car and stretching our legs, we found a group gathered up in a circle in chairs, between the cars, a few guitars came out and we quickly had an inpromptu blugrass jam for the remainder of the trip.

[62&climbing]

Originally Posted by jaymarsch

My favorite memory of hearing someone else play a guitar is when I was in a songwriting workshop with Janis Ian. She played and sang At Seventeen standing about 2 feet away from me - unplugged on one of her Santa Cruz Signature parlor guitars. That was a treat.

My favorite guitar memory from my own playing would have to be the first time that I played and sang a song in front of a group without my hands shaking. That was memorable!!

Best,
Jayne

Two feet from Janis Ian is bad (good) enough, but whilst she was singing 'At Seventeen".
Some folks just live right. Good for you. I'll bet you can still hear it in your head.

not to derail, but what did you learn about songwriting from her?

[taylorgtr]

I'll share two:

This one summer, when I was at band camp (literally)... I signed up for the camp talent show, and did John Denver's "Annie's Song" for about 400 campers and staff, and got a standing ovation. At 17, it was a magical feeling.

Years later, I went to the Chet Atkins Appreciation Society convention in Nashville. I was trying out guitars in Paul McGill's booth, working on an arrangement that I wrote. I'm playing through it, and noticed that someone behind me was playing along with me. Not playing over me, but adding fills and riffs that made me sound GOOD.

I look over my shoulder...and it's Tommy Emmanuel. THAT made my day/week/year.

[whvick]

I was getting into middle age and had always wanted a Martin D28. My wife said I should buy one. Then my teen-agers started donating to the cause. I shopped for a month before I bought a Taylor 414. It just seemed better cause I finger pick as much as I strum. 20 years later is it still great and every time
I play it I remember my family pitching
In to get
It.
So now my wife bought a D15 from a friend who needed cash. Sounds great but is at the luthier trying to get the action down to a playable level. Hoping we do not have to pay for a neck rest. But it
Is still all good fun.

[DaveKell]

My best memory is from Christmas in 1964. I was in 3rd or 4th grade and always was thrilled when we'd have any kind of movie shown in class, with no sound usually and the click-clack of the movie reel spinning around. I decided I wanted a movie projector and screen for Christmas. This was the year of The Beatles first American tv appearance. A week before Christmas there was a long, narrow, flat box wrapped with my name under the tree, along with a smaller square box. I told everyone who came to my house the flat box was my screen and the other was my projector. By Christmas Eve my dad couldn't take it any longer and insisted to my mom we get to open a few presents of our choice. Naturally I opened my screen first, only it wasn't a screen. It was a solid body Gibson Melody Maker electric guitar. The smaller box was an amplifier. I instantly forgot all about the movie setup and realized I now had the tools the Beatles had that night on tv when they changed the whole trajectory of the rest of my life. Through many many guitars later I still had a Melody Maker. I loaned it to a black sheep uncle who pawned it for drinking money and never retrieved it in time. Never spoke to him again!

[fazool]

I have a lot of great memories. A lot a lot.

But, interestingly, and a fun point is that my favorite memory was just recently in my forty year guitar history.

I lecture so have no "stage fright" or aversion, but never had an interest in performing. For me, music is a very personal enjoyment. But, on the other hand, it would be nice to have that experience, at least once.

A co-worker is a very well known local band leader and I helped him pick out a new Martin acoustic guitar. He loves it so much he doesn't want to take it out and so I helped him pick out a Takamine stage guitar , then set it up for him.

We were in the office trying it out and I was noodling around with my favorite song and he said "hey that's pretty good. That's one of our setlist songs - you should come out and play a short set with us."

After several nudges, I relented and agreed. But being a really generous music guy, he wanted me to have the whole experience, so he sent an email blast to his fan-site and to our entire (large) company.

It was a ton of fun. My whole family went, friends went, about 20 coworkers went. The club had about 300-400 people in the audience - it was crazy.

It was a bit of a blur, but I had so much fun. The best memory was when I was playing one of my favorite songs on his acoustic and saw a crowd of friendly faces and my wife was dancing in the middle of the crowd. It was very cool.

The band was so gracious and really made me feel welcome to sit in with them.

He certainly gave me a gift.

[kats45]

I got my first "guitar" for Christmas when I was 13 yrs old. It was a blue and pink plastic guitar. I still remember my dad tuning it, though I'm not sure how he did that. I played that and learned some tunes, then I got a real guitar. I also remember pulling out my guitar when I was a camp counselor, and it immediately formed a connection with the girls. Guitar, you know, has a way of doing that.

[PTony]

As many others have stated...there are many in my memory. Trying to pair down seems nearly impossible.

But, I can say that being onstage live 2x a week with my Father (he sings support vocals, and he taught me to play the guitar. I’d sing with him while he played at various functions as a young young boy. I believe I was 5 the first time we sang for an audience while he played. I was TERRIFIED!), my oldest Son playing lead/ambient fills, and my daughter singing and playing either keyboard or uke...it’s a wonderful feeling every week.

I also recall getting my first “good” guitar after starting with a Harmony, a 5 watt amp, a cord, and a pitch pipe from JcPenny. No case. Terrible action. But Dad said if I learned to play on it he would take me to buy a “better guitar”. I still remember walking into that music store a year later and picking out a LOTUS Strat. To me, it was THE nicest guitar in the world...lol.

I still love going to shops. I still (as someone else said) like to position new guitars so that they’re the last thing that I see before bed, and first thing I see when waking up. I still love the smell of new guitars, and get so excited when I have the privilege of acquiring something that I’ve not had before.

I’m thankful that I have children who love music, and that My Father is still able to join us weekly. Pretty cool to see three generations playing and singing together.

I can’t imagine not being able to play and sing. It is therapy to me.

Finally, I remember being very young and hearing my dad playing his blue Strat through an old Fender tube amp. I remember dancing to his “honky tonk” riffs in my footie pajamas. I can still hear that tone in my head. And the reverb slap.

I also remember seeing the orange tube glow and touching it...not good. Burned my finger good. I NEVER did that again!!

[guitarxan]

My brother and I have both been playing guitar for the last 45 years or so. We started about two years apart from each other. We both played in bands in high school, college, and later in adult life. He played in a band throughout his 30’s where I stopped to have kids. I started playing again in my 40’s and his band broke up. During all that time, my brother and I NEVER played together...ever. There was no good reason, the occasion never arose. Two years ago my parents and brother and sister in law came out to Arizona for Christmas His visit coincided with a gig I had at our local wine bar, so I recruited him to play a mini set with me. We agreed not to tell our parents and make it a surprise. After my first set I brought him up and we did “Hallelujah”. We traded off verses and some guitar work. It sounded awesome. I looked out and saw my 83 year old mom in tears. She later told me that she had always dreamed of watching us play together. The crowd loved it so much that we rocked it out for the rest of the evening. He sat in on every song and we played well past our 3 hour gig. Was the best night of guitar playing I have ever had!!

[Pura Vida]

Those familiar with the State College, PA music scene will surely know Mark Ross, who owns Alleycat Music and has been playing the blues in various bands for over 30 years. I became friends with Mark in the early 90s during the peak of his days with Queen Bee & The Blue Hornet Band, who were regulars in clubs and festivals throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.

I was a student during finals week, and I was walking home from a study session. It was about 1:30am, so the streets were quiet... and I mean really quiet, as there was no one else walking anywhere near me. But I knew that Queen Bee would be rocking one of the local bars on a Wednesday night, even during finals week, so I made sure to take that street home and catch some music, as it drifted onto the street.

Back in those days, the band would often end their shows with an extended version of "Route 66," and Mark had a fairly new cordless setup, so he could wander throughout the club, while they played. As I'm listening to the music, I look across the street to the club's front door and see Mark standing by himself on Beaver Avenue, wailing the blues wirelessly back down into the club! I caught his eye, and without missing a note, he tipped his hat to me... and I waived back. I paused long enough for him to play his guitar solo for an audience of one (ME!), even though there was a packed club inside listening to the same thing. At the end, he tipped his hat to me again, and re-entered the club door to finish the song for the club's audience. It was one of those rare, cool moments that has always stayed with me.... and it was made extra special b/c I've remained friends with Mark for over 25 years.

Here is a video of Mark with Queen Bee (f./ the late Tonya Brown on vocals):