Author Archives: sixstrstories

About sixstrstories

I am the son and only child of a registered nurse & a self-employed collector of wildflowers. I went on to become: a Beatles’ fan; a record collector; a drummer; a music magazine subscriber; a guitar player; a songwriter; a high school graduate; a college student; a music major; a performing singer/guitarist; a photography student; a yearbook photographer; a student teacher; a boyfriend; a letter writer; a college graduate; an elementary school music teacher; an apartment dweller; a husband; a guitar teacher/independent contractor; a homeowner; an independent music producer; the father of a daughter; the father of a son; a bandmate; a teacher of the history of popular music in America; an instructor of music/adjunct faculty member; a grandfather (x3); a condo dweller; and a blogger.

To The Museum, Once Again

Posted on February 10, 2019 by sixstrstories

This is my third post about the guitars on display at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts. The first – A Trip To The Museum – went up on March 13, 2014. It features three very old guitars … Continue reading →

Truck Day

Posted on February 4, 2019 by sixstrstories

Truck Day is the day celebrated each year by the fans of the Boston Red Sox Baseball Team as the “official” start of the new baseball season. It is the day that the team’s equipment truck begins its journey from … Continue reading →

Posted in Posts with Video, Random Topics | Tagged Al Hartz, Boston Red Sox, Fenway Park, Harvey Hindermyer, Jet Blue Park, Take Me Out To The Ballgame, Truck Day | 2 Comments

Walkin’ Blues

Posted on January 20, 2019 by sixstrstories

It was a Saturday morning in the middle of January. I was out for a long walk with my favorite accompaniment: my iPod classic, set to “Shuffle Songs,” playing through my Sony headphones. I’d been serenaded by Billie Holiday, The … Continue reading →

Posted in Posts with Audio, Random Topics | Tagged Acoustic Guitar, Alan Lomax, Blues Guitar, Four O'Clock Flower Blues, Library of Congress, Mississippi Blues, The Land Where The Blues Began, William Brown, Willie 61 Blackwell, Willie Blackwell | 5 Comments

This Historic Day In Music: Atlantic Records SD 8216

Posted on January 12, 2019 by sixstrstories

I wish I could tell you that I remember when I first heard them, but I can’t. I do remember that in 1969, starting in the middle of my sophomore year of high school, I was crazy about the new … Continue reading →

Posted in Posts with Video, This Historic Day In Music | Tagged Atlantic Records, Jimmy Page, John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin's First Album, Robert Plant, Viram Jasani, You Shook Me | 7 Comments

This Historic Day In Music: Elizabeth Cotten – Take 4

Posted on January 5, 2019 by sixstrstories

“Take 4?!” That’s correct. Elizabeth Nevills Cotten was born on January 5, 1893, in Carrboro (right next to Chapel Hill), North Carolina. And the story of how little Elizabeth grew up to become a guitarist, singer, songwriter, performer and Grammy-award … Continue reading →

Posted in Posts with Video, This Historic Day In Music | Tagged Alice Gerrard, Arhoolie Records, Elizabeth Cotten, Folkways Records, Freight Train, Frets Magazine, In The Sweet Bye And Bye, Mike Seeger, Peggy Seeger, Ruth Crawford Seeger, Smithsonian Folkways Records, Wilson Rag | 4 Comments

Old Long Since – Take 2

Posted on December 31, 2018 by sixstrstories

ICYWW (In Case You Were Wondering): This past November, I added a co-motto to my blog. “Good music doesn’t get old” by Ferdinand Joseph “Jelly Roll Morton” LaMothe, my original motto, was joined by a quote from Bruce Springsteen: “All valuable … Continue reading →

Posted in EFS Music, Posts with Audio, Posts with Video, Random Topics | Tagged Acoustic Fingerstyle Guitar, Acoustic Guitar Instrumentals, Auld Lang Syne, Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians, James J. Fuld, New Year's Eve, Robert Burns | 2 Comments

The New Possibility – Take 2

Posted on December 17, 2018 by sixstrstories

I started learning how to play the guitar because I thought it would provide a better accompaniment to my singing than playing the drums did. At the time, I had no idea that there was a way to play a … Continue reading →

Posted in Posts with Video, Random Topics | Tagged Acoustic Fingerstyle Guitar, Christmas guitar music, John Fahey, Joy To The World, Paul Tillich, The New Possibility | 3 Comments

This Historic Day In Music: November 27, 1936, The Gunter Hotel, Rm.414, San Antonio, Texas – Take 2

Posted on November 27, 2018 by sixstrstories

On Friday, November 27, 1936, Robert Johnson, a 25-year-old Blues musician from Mississippi, had his third recording session for ARC Records. The location of these sessions was The Gunter Hotel in San Antonio, Texas. The ARC recording crew of A & … Continue reading →

Posted in Posts with Video, This Historic Day In Music | Tagged ARC Records, Art Satherley, Cross Roads Blues, Delta Blues, Don Law, Gunter Hotel, King of the Delta Blues Singers, November 27 1936, Robert Johnson, Vocalion Records | 5 Comments

Over The River Once More

Posted on November 22, 2018 by sixstrstories

“Oh, hear the bells ringing, ‘Ting-a-ling-ling!,’ for it’s Thanksgiving Day.” If your holiday gathering could use a festive sing-along, here’s a good one for you. “Over The River And Through The Woods” – guitar, vocal and arrangement by me. Ready? … Continue reading →

Posted in EFS Music, Posts with Audio, Random Topics | Tagged Lydia Maria Child, Over The River And Through The Woods, Thanksgiving Sing-Along, Thanksgiving Song | 7 Comments

Sparklers: “Doc’s Guitar” by Doc Watson

Posted on November 18, 2018 by sixstrstories

This is the second installment of my newest category here at sixstr stories. It features recordings of outstanding performances by noteworthy guitarists – or outstanding guitarists giving noteworthy performances – for your listening pleasure. It is inspired by whatever god … Continue reading →

Posted in Posts with Video, Sparklers | Tagged Doc Watson, Doc's Guitar, The Vanguard Years, Vanguard Records | 4 Comments