I love playing guitar for many reasons. Grandpa bought my 1st Kay in 1959. I learned chords to play along with dad in the kitchen. In 1966, my dad bought a Chet Atkins Home Studio Album. I was turned upside down, 10 yrs. old in love with Chet's style. I discovered the Beatles and rock music, and then I went to college in 1975 and played country/bluegrass. One of my buddies who had taken lessons from Joe Pass showed me some chord progressions and I got bit by the jazz bug. I just loved it. I went to seminary and became a pastor and played worship and gospel music. I've attended CAAS in Nashville for several years and my fingerstyle playing improved 100%. Since 1997, I've been playing guitar for a gospel group called Singing Churchmen of Okla. In 2003, our group was invited to tour Sydney Australia and played the Sydney Opera House. I'll never forget the sound check there. I played classical gas and a Tommy Emmanuel tune. That was awesome experience that I would never have dreamed of in my life. I'm writing this (too long I know), but hopefully, some young kid is holed-up in his/her room holding their guitar and dreaming. I would encourage all guitarists at any level to discover the "gifts of Steve's instruction" and eat and sleep with it. Hopefully, and prayerfully, the guitar will become your friend and with the good Lord's help, it will take you around the world. That's why I love to play guitar! Sorry for being too wordy.
Pastor Randy Parker
