And you know, it's not about quality. It's not about copying the riffs exactly. It's not about who is better or worse. A person gets to a certain level of playing maybe, they plateau with their own style and means of expression, and they are happy with that, and that's fine. more »

I have no idea what a kid is going to grow up into. As a parent I can only encourage. I can only present my child with opportunities to learn. I can only be an example through my own activities, and if my child is inspired to explore areas that I am unfamiliar with then I must be ready to learn, too, so I can teach. more »

And now Simon stood in Max's former place at The Beer Garden and Max sat behind him trying to organize his haphazard collection of instruments on a little table beside him, getting ready to support and weave some fashion of melodies and harmonies behind Simon's music. And the infuriating thing was, he would. He would without even knowing what he did. more »

One of the coolest things about attending a NAMM convention is that it is the premiere venue for a new product debut. There you not only get to see what's new but you actually get to play with it. One of the most interesting innovations this year we… more »

But Eric has been dragging me into the twanging whining pain filled reality of Muscle Shoals, Alabama. That would be Jason Isbell. I used to think Drive By Truckers were a bunch of Lynyrd Skynyrd wantabees. And so what if they are? They had been around for five years before they brought Jason Isbell in as a third guitarist. He was a brilliant young man who came riding into and through the band straight out of school and three years, creative differences, and an ex-wife later, Drive By Truckers is still Drive By Truckers and Jason Isbell is a solo artist. more »

I'm not talking about the eight year old who says, "I don't want to do scales and arpeggios anymore, Dad. I don't get them." And Dad shrugs, because he doesn't get them either and the kid never looks at another instrument. more »