Author Archives: sixstrstories
This Historic Day In Music: Charlie Christian – Take 3
Oklahoma Jazz musician and electric guitarist Charlie Christian turned the nationally renowned Benny Goodman Quintet into a Sextet on August 16, 1939. Over the course of the next twenty-three months, Charlie’s dazzling contributions to the many live performances, recordings and radio … Continue reading
The “Chitarra Battente” – a fourteenstr story
Last month, I had the great pleasure of spending an afternoon at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, Massachusetts. It was my first time visiting this magnificent venue. While exploring the Raphael Room on the museum’s second floor, I … Continue reading
The Ballad of “Guitar Boogie Shuffle” (Remastered)
Ballad: A poem or song narrating a story in short stanzas or verse. Prelude Many years ago, I bought a songbook: Classic Rock Instrumentals. I bought this book – published in 1992 by the Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation – because … Continue reading
This Historic Day In Music: Bob Dylan
Somewhere, Bob Dylan is celebrating his 80th birthday today. Bob Dylan’s career as a musician, songwriter, performer and recording artist has spanned a fraction over 60 years. At some point in the midst of his immense success, I wonder if … Continue reading
“Hints Taken (8+4)”
The first “hint” came to me in a dream. Sometime in the wee hours of Thursday, March 5, 2021, I had a dream in which I was playing the guitar; slide guitar, actually. When I awoke, the tune I’d been … Continue reading
Wrestling With The Angel, Chapter 13
It’s been a while since I’ve posted in this category, so I probably should let you know: the purpose of my Wrestling With The Angel series is to highlight and share individual songs that are on a list of mine … Continue reading
Happy Valentine’s Day
We met on Monday, February 17, 1975. We were students at the University of New Hampshire and our paths crossed that day in the office of The Granite, the school yearbook. I was there to have my senior picture taken … Continue reading
This Historic Day In Music: February 9, 1961 & 1964
On Thursday, February 9, 1961, The Beatles – John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Pete Best and Stuart Sutcliffe – performed for the first time at The Cavern Club in Liverpool, England. Here’s a photo of the Fab Five taken … Continue reading
This Historic Day In Music: “Mr. Tambourine Man”
The first time Bob Dylan recorded “Mr. Tambourine Man” was on June 6, 1964. It was one of fourteen songs he recorded that day at Columbia Records’ Studio A in New York City. Eleven of those songs – “Mr. Tambourine … Continue reading
