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Guitar has boundless depth

“The guitar has a kind of grit and excitement possessed by nothing else.” — Brian May, lead guitarist for Queen

The Star-Spangled Banner seemed out of place when heard by a dwindling crowd, sitting amid the refuse of 400,000, at Max Yasgur’s farm near Bethel, New York on the morning of Monday, August 18, 1969. It was a different occasion than when Jose Feliciano played the national anthem on his guitar in 1965 to open the fifth game of the 1965 World Series in Detroit. Jimi Hendrix was playing his guitar solo to close the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, the high point of the hippie movement; make love, not war — turn on, tune in, drop out. Maximizing the use of sound affects for the electric guitar, Jimi Hendrix captured the essence of the moment, demonstrating how expressive the instrument can be.

At the point of, ‘And the rockets’ red glare,’ sounds burst from the guitar as if amid battle on Ap Bia Mountain in Vietnam, i.e. ‘Hamburger Hill,’ in May 1969. Preceding the ‘banner yet waves,’ taps was sounded on his guitar, symbolic hope that the policy of armed conflict was being replaced by the ‘Dawning of the Age of Aquarius.’ Prodded by Dick Cavett in an interview whether his playing the national anthem was a political statement, Jimi Hendrix responded as most blues players would — “All I did was play it. I’m an American, I sang it in school, so I played it.”

A rebellious teen, discharged as an army paratrooper, Jimi Hendrix had recorded the Star-Spangled Banner 28 times prior to Woodstock. Obviously he had thoughts that he expressed through his music. Like most rhythm and blues players, he was influenced by others — Buddy Guy, Howlin’ Wolf, and Muddy Waters — and was benefited by a keen ear, large hands, and a determination to be different. The honorific ‘greatest’ is often used in reference to his talent.

“The guitar is like a miniature orchestra in itself.” — Ludwig Van Beethoven, composer

Perception of the guitar is so dominated by rhythm and blues that other genres in which the instrument is played are overshadowed. Once you’ve heard 18-year-old Marcin Patrzalek, Polish guitar player and composer perform Niccolo Paganini’s Caprice #24, you begin to realize that anointing one as the greatest on guitar is subjective. The popularity of the guitar is in its versatility and the ability to share music whether around a campfire, on a street corner, in a concert hall or coliseum.

Alpena has expanded its horizons in many areas — the arts, theatre, and outdoor activities — that music is often taken for granted with guitar being the foundation. We are fortunate to have promoters and performers who provide music year-round, with tribute bands in summer and winter, open mic evenings at local taverns, and festivals that feature local talent and regional acts. Of special note is the Alpena Street Performers who volunteer on the streets of downtown.

If you are bored and want something to do, the local guitar shop can get you started. To paraphrase the late Roy Clark of ‘Hee Haw’: ‘start picking and get grinning.’

“Down south at some funky club, one cat up there starving to death, and he might be the best guitar player you ever heard, and you might not know his name.” — Jimi Hendrix

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