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Seven Year Itch
Warning: very long post!
I just passed my seventh TACiversary about a week ago. Today I got to mark another month complete, making the 86th consecutive month that I have completed all the lessons. When I joined in June 2017, the TAC platform allowed us easy access to the prior month’s lessons, so I completed all the May and June 2017 daily lessons before the end of June. I must confess I was not a newbie to guitar. I got my guitar in September 2012, a gift from my wife (Rose) for our 30th anniversary, and I began taking in-person lessons in December 2012. I was an every day player when I joined TAC, typically an hour a day, but I tended to play many of the same things every day.
It has been a few years since I posted a TACiversary story, and this past year has brought many highlights. Last Fall, I had a chance encounter with Nick, who I have known for several years. He explained how his stint with the band he has been in had pretty much run hits course. Nick still gigs with them occasionally, but he wanted to explore some prog music, and because he had seen me at a number of prog concerts in our area, he invited me over to just jam a bit. He is a great musician on keys and bass. We had a great time jamming and talking about the many ways our paths had crossed over the last 20 years or so. After just a few jam sessions, Nick invited another guy to jam along with us. This third person, Jason, has an undergraduate degree in classical guitar performance and is great on electric guitar. I really admire Jason’s technical prowess and I love his insights on theory. We’re working out lots of arrangements that really stretch the limits of my skills. Bravo!
I continue to play open mics pretty regularly. I also continue playing trumpet in community bands. Also, my wife and I get to a lot of live performances, typically 10 or more times a month counting open mics, bar bands, solo performers and touring acts.
Back in April, I did something really special. I saw that Fireside Collective’s schedule included a performance in Millersville (near Lancaster) on Thursday night and another at Mauch Chunk Opera House in Jim Thorpe the following night. I’ve been friendly with the members of that band for a several years and got tickets for both those shows. Since I knew they had to pass right through my area the next day, I contacted them and offered them some cash to play a mid-day gig on Friday. They gladly accepted. I weighed the possibilities of several venues, but eventually settled on the Martin guitar factory and museum. Through a friend that works in Martin’s custom shop, I contacted Rory Glass, Martin’s head of artist relations, and offered to pay Fireside Collective to play at Martin over lunch hour so that the Martin employees and anyone who happened to be there that day could catch at least a portion of the show.
Rose and I went to see the band in Millersville on Thursday night and got home about 1AM. Regardless, I got up early the next morning and baked two cherry pies with cherries from my trees (cerries were frozen from my 2023 crop). My brother picked me up and we first went to pick up a catering order for lunch, then got to Martin about 10:30.
Rory and his staff had arranged some seating and a small stage right in the Martin museum. The band got to Martin right around 11AM, we made some quick introductions and helped them load in, and they were playing within about 10-15 minutes. Now those of you who follow Fireside Collective know that Joe Cicero plays a Preston Thompson guitar on stage, but that wouldn’t fly at Martin. Actually about a month earlier while Rose and I were in NYC waiting for a performance of Fireside at the David Rubenstein Atrium at the Lincoln Center, I received an email from Rory saying that Joe would have to play a Martin in the factory, but not to worry about it because they could provide a guitar – that the band could keep! Well, not only did CF Martin provide a D-28 with an LR Baggs pickup for Joe but they also provided a D-Jr acoustic bass for Carson White to play. Both the guitar and the bass, together with hard cases and gig bags for each, were presented to the band courtesy of CF Martin. It makes me glow inside that I was the one who connected them with Martin.
We were treated like royalty at Martin. After the performance (nearly 2 hours), we had lunch upstairs in a conference room. The home-made pies were a huge hit. Dave, their sound man, had a couple pieces and displayed a huge grin. Then the next part was really awesome. We went downstairs to the museum and Rory opened up some cases, allowing us to play some of the museum pieces. He explained that Martin’s philosophy is that the instruments were built to be played. I played only a few of them, including Hank Williams’ D-18, but it made me a bit nervous. Also, I figured it was more about the band anyway. Their tour manager (Parker Zelter McCown – there’s another long side story there that is best left for another day) kept looking at his watch, but he’s also a player and had a tough time prying himself away. Eventually it was time for them to drive to Jim Thorpe to load in for the evening gig.
Rose was unable to join us for all the fun on Friday, as she had left that morning to help our daughter with our grandchildren in Portsmouth, NH. But my brother and I went to the MCOH for the Friday night show. I also had two couples join me as my guests in the front row balcony – my favorite place at the Opera House. My brother, Jim, volunteers there, and I see quite a few shows there every year, so I know that’s the best spot for sound and great sight lines. All 3 shows were different (Thursday night plus the two on Friday), and the ones on Friday were especially sweet, though I can’t say which was best. I had to tell Dave that he did an outstanding job on the sound board Friday night; I think he was inspired by the extra slices of pie, and I told him I think he earned an extra ration next time they visit!
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9 Replies
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@drdave Happy 7th TACiversary! It is so good to hear from you. It’s been a good while since I’ve seen you and Rose. Hope you’re both well. I’ve had to cut back on the concerts a bit this year, but I still occasionally get to Sellersville. I need to touch base with @Al.E . I’m not even sure he’s a TAC member still.
I loved your story about Fireside Collective and Martin. That would’ve been a really cool experience from beginning to end. I wonder if I could get a free guitar if I offer to play a lunch time gig — haha. They’d probably give me one to leave.
Hope to see you around in the next few months. Keep on plunking!
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I first saw Al.E at Sellersville a while back and have seen him a few times when he was volunteering, but I have not seen him lately. I still see my friend Bert Coffman (another volunteer) there pretty often, at least when there are folk or bluegrass shows. I saw Bert just on May 30, when Mark & Maggie O’Connor played there. I know Bert because we used to both attend monthly jams of the Lehigh Valley Folk Music Society. Unfortunately that whole scene dried up when COVID shut us down, but Bert turned me on to a group in Bucks County that jams monthly at the Haycock Township community center. I don’t know if Al.E ever went to it – it has been a few months since I have gone – but I remember discussing that jam with Al one night at Sellersville.
Sellersville Theater is a great place to see a show. Last band I saw there was Nektar (prog) about 2 weeks ago, and I did not see either of them (Al or Bert).
Good luck with your plan to get a free guitar from Martin. Let me know how you make out!
Hope to see you at a show or jam sometime soon.
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That’s Hank Williams’ guitar that I’m playing.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by dr_dave.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by
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So amazing!
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This story was worth the length. It is a recall of one of those one-in-a-lifetime moments. And Happy Taciversary. I’ve been around a few myself, but I recall when I started TAC I thought of you as an early adapter/old timer way back then. I appreciate your true love of music and guitar geekiness. Congratulations and good health to you this next year.
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Thanks Albert. It’s great to be among friends here! I draw inspiration from so many TACers, and although I don’t get around the fora and VOMs as much these days, it’s always special for me when I do.
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Happy 7th TACaversary @dr_dave I have my 7th coming in Dec. Great to hear from you!
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Now that is one cool TACiversary story. Thanks for sharing. I was just up at Martin about 2 weeks ago for the factory tour and Museum. Would have loved to have been there this day.
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Wow – great story!
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