Cyber Monday Sale! Get a *FREE* First Light Christmas CD with ANY CD, Book or DVD purchase. Already have one...? They make great gifts for your neighbors, office workers and friends. www.petehuttlinger.com

"Tommy in the Morning"

"Tommy in the Morning" - an honor to my friend Tommy Emmanuel, CGP.

Fur Peace Ranch

With David Bromberg jammin' at Fur Peace Ranch this weekend.

Thanksgiving Sale on NOW!

The Great Pumpkin Sale

Announcing The Great Pumpkin Sale on www.petehuttlinger.com

Nashville recording session

In Seveso, Italy with Claudio Ballabio

Winfield 2009

We are now taking advance orders for my new instructional DVD, Learn To Play The Songs of Jim Croce Vol. 2. They will ship on October 15. 

You can order on www.petehuttlinger.com.

I hope you enjoy it!

The Kansas Sunflower Mystery

 

Walnut Valley Festival.  On stage with Jeff Taylor (left) and Mark Sganga, who just won the 2009 International Fingerstyle Championship.  Performing "Livin' For The City" from Fingerpicking Wonder.

The View

"The View" - Muriel Anderson's "All Star Guitar Night" at the legendary Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN. 7/18/09

Jango

My music is now available on Jango. If you want to check it out go to: http://www.jango.com/music/Pete+Huttlinger

Family, Culture and Travel

August 30, 2009
Last week I was in Germany. I was there for ten days for the International Guitar Festival in Hersbruck. There were some fantastic players and teachers there including the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet (LAGQ), Michael Langer and Leo Brouwer. Mr. Brouwer is from Cuba and I studied some of his pieces in college and I was most excited to see him. His compositions for guitar have really moved the guitar into new and exciting territory.
After the festival, I went with some family to Schwabach where the Hüttlingers have history dating back five hundred years! We toured the city, saw great art, met other Hüttlingers, met with the Bürgermeister, and made lots of new friends. I suppose we all wonder, at some point in our lives, where we come from. And we got the chance to trace more of our history than most folks get to do. The trip to Schwabach was one of the highlights of my life.

Today I am in Anchorage, Alaska. I'm really not one who likes to go to McDonald's or Burger King or Applebee's or any other chain restaurant. When I go somewhere I want to discover some local flavor, culture, people. I can go to those places and I could be anywhere in the world because they are all the same. (Not to mention the food isn't that great and generally not good for you). So I searched high and low this morning for a local breakfast. While driving around I noticed lots of small music stores. I probably saw five different stores where you can rent band instruments, buy guitars, get instruments repaired. It was so great to see Mom and Pop stores still exist. No Guitar Center or other big chains selling dozens and dozens of exactly the same thing... I finally found a little diner/restaurant called Harley's. The food was fresh and made to order. Bacon and eggs... I know, I know - We can buy that stuff anywhere. But I'm in Alaska and I wanted it cooked and served by Alaskans in a local diner. Not a corporate owned place. I ate too much and loved every bite. Read the local paper, chatted with the waitress, watched other locals come and go. It was great... Now if Delta Airlines didn't want so much darned money for baggage ($20 1st bag, $30 2nd bag and a whopping $125 for my 3rd bag [the fishing gear]) I'd be going fishing before I start teaching at Acoustic Alaska tomorrow. Instead, I'll take a drive and take some photos. No worries, I'm in Alaska and I'm going to have fun!

RIP Les Paul

August 13, 2009

Today is a sad day. Les Paul died. He was 94 years old. Everyone who loves music owes an awful lot to Les Paul. May he rest in peace...

Joke of the Day

August 4, 2009

Joke Of The Day--- Want to know why I put up a joke of the day on my web site? Jokes are like a fine wine - one glass just won't do and neither will one joke. They are also like good music... you wouldn't say "Beethoven's 9th? Heard it. Let's hear something new." So why should a joke be any different. I grew up in a family with a very funny mom. She loved jokes of all kinds --- as long as they were clean jokes. She made up many of her own jokes and wrote them down on 3x5 cards (which I still have to this day), kept them in a file and was always ready at a moments notice to pull one out and lift us up if we were having a bad day. She would recite them at dinner, write one down and put it in my lunch box, or tell them to friends on the phone at night. She had books of jokes where she earmarked, highlighted and copied many of her favorites. I love to read through them still. She like Word Jokes or Situation Jokes, she didn't really discriminate when it came to good humor. I can still see her with a big glass of coffee (not a cup!) and her pack of Pall Mall non-filter cigarettes sitting in the big Easy Chair (ever heard of a Diffucilt Chair? Me neither.) talking to friends on the phone. She helped lots people through problems in their lives and all the while kept a great sense of humor. One time, after a particularly tragic death in our family, we were in New York staying the night with family. A few of us were outside lamenting, grieving, crying, telling stories --- just getting through it. Mom came out and sat down on the grass with her pack of Pall Malls and a bunch of 3x5 cards. She started in with jokes and before long we were on the grass with her laughing so hard that we were doubled over and holding our stomachs in pain. During her final years (she passed away in 2000 from emphysema... Pall Mall non-filter) she and I would speak on the phone on Saturday mornings. "How are you." "Fine." "Oh good, honey. I'm so happy for you." "Are you taking your meds?" Yes dear, I am..." The conversation would always turn to Mom saying --- "Hey, I've got a good one for you. If you've heard this one before, don't stop me." The terrible and terribly funny part is that she had such a hard time breathing and would get herself laughing so hard that we would have to hang up and finish the call (joke) later in the day after Mom had caught her breath. Many members of my family like jokes. A few don't. But we've got such a large extended family that it's really like a cross-section of humanity and that means that some folks like 'em and some don't. I can tell a joke at a family event and some of the family will be in tears with laughter and wome will be wondering what is going on. I remember at one family reunion my Uncle Mike stood up and told a very long and involved joke. There were lots and lots of us sitting around listening to his performance. He can really tell a good one and have you on the edge of your seat the whole time. He hit the punch line and the house erupted with laughter. I've always remembered that day and the feeling of joy at a house full of people laughing. I've always liked jokes but as I get older I see that part of it is that I'm just basically good-natured and partly that I enjoy laughing. But these days I'm reminded of my youth and that's not such a bad thing... when it comes to the funny parts. So that's why I put up a Joke Of The Day (Updated weekly!) on the website. They aren't all good but neither is all wine...

Be Careful Where You Eat in Tennessee

June 12, 2009

BE CAREFUL WHERE YOU EAT IN TENNESSEE... The Tennessee State Government, in their infinite wisdom, have now passed a law allowing concealed weapons to be carried into restaurants and into bars that serve food. The governor did the right thing and vetoed it. The state legislature quickly overrode the veto and it is now law. My friends who carry guns say they want to right to protect themselves and their families. I said, "From what, a disgruntled hamburger? An errant french fry?" If you think the restaurant or bar is dangerous or could be dangerous, don't take your family in there. If it's in a bad neighborhood, go somewhere else. In my 48 years I've never felt the need for a gun anywhere, much less in a restaurant or a bar. I do own a shotgun that was given to me as a gift. I shot it a few times and put in my closet. It was fun but I don't feel the need to take it out to dinner with me. The law states that owners have to take their guns to their cars after 11:00 PM. That's BRILLIANT because all the real problems don't start until 11:01 PM. Nobody hassles anyone until after 11:00 PM - everyone knows that. I think a fair consideration would be for the Tennessee State Legislature to allow citizens to carry guns inside government buildings. It should be fine as long as everyone puts their guns away by 11:00 PM. But no, the Tennessee State Legislature will not allow guns where they work. No way! Why, you ask? Well that's because they are afraid something bad might happen - like someone getting shot. They are right about that. And I think it's just a matter of time before something bad happens in a Tennessee restaurant or bar. However, I really hope I am wrong. Personally, I have a hard time imagining a more reckless or irresponsible law. Yes, yes, yes I know all about the 2nd Amendment. But I also know a lot about common sense. We limit where people are allowed to smoke cigarettes because we are concerned about the health of all citizens - not just the ones who want a smoke. Why is it so bad to have limits on where guns are allowed? Guns and alcohol do not mix. People say that "Guns don't kill people. People do." Well, people pull the triggers and that's enough for me. I'll be eating out a lot less in Tennessee.

Kennedy Center

May 4, 2009

Last night I played for LeAnn Rimes at the Kennedy Center. It was a show honoring women in the arts. The National Symphony Orchestra, Annie Leibovitz, Lily Tomlin, K.D. Lang, Patti LaBelle, Diane Reeves and several others were there to perform and/or speak. LeAnn was her usual amazing self. Every time I play for her it's like an out of body experience. When she sings I am truly able to just play and enjoy the moment. I always enjoy the interplay between her voice and my guitar. She does little subtle things - I do little subtle things... just enough to add or bring something new to the song each time we play. I watched K.D. Lang sing and I was completely floored! She has a liquid voice. I'm a fan. Patti LaBelle and Diane Reeves were both great but Diane was definitely on her game. I'm embarassed to say I don't have any of her music - but I will soon! Lily Tomlin was a hoot! She was so funny on stage and then after the show I met her in the green room. She was very approachable and gracious. She's also very funny in conversation. She had me cracking up within seconds. I still see her as Edith Ann on Laugh In.

Want to Be Healthy?

April 26, 2009

Want to be healthy? Eat whole foods. Don't consume anything that contains High Fructose Corn Syrup. Yup, that's most everything that we enjoy drinking. All the soft drinks, many sports drinks and lots of prepackaged food contain it. It's just no good for us. There's a big push by the corn growers to try and convince us that High Fructose Corn Syrup is just corn and sugar. If that's the truth then why was it invented in a laboratory? Why are corporations the only ones who use it. You won't find in on anyone's shelf at home. You do the math. Try water, coffee, tea and more water. Fresh veggies, meat, fish, nuts, fruit. You just can't go wrong with that. Here's to healthy eating! And don't forget.... "Soylent Green Is People!..."

Memory Lane

April 18, 2009

Last night I had a great experience. It was a trip down memory lane as I performed with Jim Curry and the Kansas City Symphony. Jim does a John Denver Tribute show and he does it quite well. Here's how it came about: Several months ago Jim Curry had the idea to get John's old symphony charts and see what interest there might be for some concerts. So Jim called Lee Holdridge who was John Denver's orchestrator and arranger for almost all of John's career. When Jim asked about the charts, Lee informed him that, sadly, John's manager threw all the charts and scores in the trash after John died because he didn't want to pay storage fees. (This is nothing short of music sacrilege! 30 years of work thrown away. Many concerts could still have happened, giving joy and memories to thousands, not to mention it's intrinsic value as a part of the American pop culture.) Lee told Jim that he still had his original pencil scores and that, though time had caused them to fade a little, orchestra parts could still be derived from them. The really big problem would be the expense to have parts copied. It would take two copyists working with Lee quite some time to recreate all the parts needed to put on a symphony concert. Jim was not deterred and said let's do it. After they got everything finished I flew to L.A. so we could have a rehearsal and make sure that the scores matched all the rhythm section charts. This was sort of a proof reading rehearsal to avoid wasting time in rehearsal with the orchestra. (It's very expensive to work with an orchestra and you don't want to waste.) During the rehearsal we all made our corrections and changes in our parts and then waited for the day... Yesterday, the rehearsal with the Kansas City Symphony went very well and we were all ready by show time. 2500 seats in a 2600 seat auditorium had been sold. There were large video screens on either side of the stage showing images of nature, John Denver, and some of the slides and videos that John had used to use in his own shows. Jim sang beautifully and the audience was totally into the show. It was a real trip down memory lane. Here was Lee Holdridge, John Denver's conductor, orchestrator and arranger of 30 years conducting the orchestra, I was playing guitar, Richie Garcia (who also played for John Denver) was playing drums and percussion and Jim Curry was over there sounding like John Denver. A couple of times I closed my eyes and went back 15 years. It was strange and cool at the same time. The real highlight for me was when I got to do one of my own pieces. I have a tune called McGuire's Landing that John was going to write lyrics for. He passed away before he got a chance to write those lyrics. It's a beautiful tune that sounds very old and Irish. (A friend told me once that it sounds like it was written by 'Anonymous') Don Hart from Nashville had done a string quintet arrangement for it a few years ago and we performed that arrangement last night. I was totally floored to receive a standing ovation at the end of the piece! Thanks Jim, for getting all that music together! And for a night of memories. I hope we can do it again.

Little Richard

March 30, 2009

I was flying out of Nashville the other day. As I was walking into the airport I saw a big, black SUV parked out front and the driver was speaking to someone who was standing at his window. I looked closer and saw that the driver was Little Richard! I was truly star-struck. I waved and he waved back. There was a buzz all around the terminal as people realized Little Richard was there. He was wearing a bright lime green outfit and gold-rimmed sunglasses so it would have been harder to miss him that to spot him. It turned out that he was to be on our plane and since he's in a wheel chair now so he got on the plane first. He greeted everyone with a smile and a handshake and spoke a few words to each person who stopped to talk to him. All the passengers and crew on the plane were sort of awe-struck by him and he put everyone at ease by just being a regular guy (As much as a bona-fide Superstar can be!). One of the guys traveling with him gave me a book and an autographed photo of Little Richard. It was a Christian book telling the story of Christ. So I spoke with Little Richard on the plane and we chatted about his gigs and where he was headed. Then I thanked him for the book. He said, "You're welcome and God bless you." I said, "God bless you too." I started to walk on down the aisle and my wife was directly behind me. Little Richard looked up at her a split second after saying "God bless you" to me, saw my wife and said, in a low sultry voice, "Hey, how you doin', baby?" Now THAT was funny! He gave everyone on the plane some time and attention and we smiled all day because of it. Thanks Little Richard...

Read Music

March 18, 2009

Would you like to be a professional musician? Would you like to compose music so that others can play what you have written? Would you like to have jobs playing on recording sessions, or be able to play different kinds of gigs at the last minute because the regular player just got in a fender bender and can't make it? Do you want to write for film scores, television or even have a dance band that works on the weekends making a few extra bucks. Well my advice for you is this: Learn to READ MUSIC It is the language of musicians. It is how musicians communicate. It is relatively easy to get the basics down. Imagine going to a foreign country where no one speaks English and you try to ask for breakfast or a room for the night. Or ask for the bathroom or for a beer. If you can't speak their language, you can't get anything done... at least not quickly or simply. But if you take some time in advance, learn a few key phrases and some sentence structure, how to conjugate a verb or two - your experience is so much more. You can talk to people, learn more about them and their culture. You can understand the signs as you go sightseeing. Your trip to this other country will be enhanced ten-fold. It's the same with music and even better. If you can read music the whole world becomes available to you. You can play a Bossa Nova or a Choro. You can play your favorite Jazz tunes from the 30's and 40's. You can play Celtic music and African music. You can play New-Age and Bluegrass. In short, you can do it all. Will you be the best at each of those styles? Probably not. But you can work as a professional musician and make a decent living if you take the time to study the language in which you are trying to communicate. I have gotten more work because I could read than I could ever remember. I was fishing one morning about an hour from Nashville. Standing in the middle of the river my cell phone rang. The fishing was slow so I answered the phone call. It was a composer that I did not know. He asked if I could read well. I told him I could. He was in a jam and needed a guitar for three nights with a chamber orchestra and the first rehearsal was in 30 minutes. I told him I could make the afternoon rehearsal and hurried back to town. He had written a 10-12 minute piece featuring guitar, mandolin, oboe and orchestra and the guitarist he had written if for showed up unprepared and could not read music. So I packed up my fishing gear, drove back to town and did the gigs. That started a long relationship with the composer and the orchestra that has given me work for over 10 years! I have a client that I do records for every year or so who writes out things for the guitar in great detail. I always get the music in advance so I can study ahead of time then I show up and play his parts and he keeps hiring me. Another client writes very difficult music to read and I have to be on my toes for every recording session I do for him. None of them are easy. But I get through them because I took the time to learn to read. And I'm not what you would call a great reader. I am however, a quick study and I have my own bag of tricks that I am able to pull out when I need them on a gig or a recording session. Besides recording and performing, my life has been so greatly enhanced, on a personal level, by the ability to read music that I can always find new joy in music and I can never say I am bored. I like to learn things like Barrios, Puccini, Albenez, Villa-Lobos, Gershwin, Coltrane, Miles Davis. I do that music for myself. It gives me a great sense of satisfaction to learn music of great composers and it makes my own composing much better because the well from which I draw is much deeper. Some folks tell me that they don't want to learn anyone else's music because somehow they believe it will lessen their own music. HOGWASH! If you don't know any music, if you haven't learned the great music of those who have come before you how in the world can you expect to write something great? Osmosis? I don't think so. Except for the very, very, very rare instance where God touches someone on the shoulder and a genius is born among us, is just doesn't happen. Hard work, baby. That's what it's all about! I have a friend who is a song-writer who told me 20 years ago that he had never read any books. He didn't understand how people could write such great powerful lyrics. He didn't know where they were getting such great ideas and the ability to develop them into 3-minute masterpieces. I asked what he reads. He said he didn't like to read. Said it just slowed him down. I said, "How can you have any output when there's been no input?" (He started reading. He became a voracious reader and eventually he got through all the classics - many more than I - and now his song writing is pretty darned deep.) If you've never read anything, how can you expect to write anything? It's the same - exactly the same - for musicians. So grab some music and get to work. What's the worst that could happen...? You have a good time and learn something new...? Cheers!

Maybe I Should Have Been a Politician

February 20, 2009

Maybe I should have been a politician. Once I got a new stop sign for our street and a friend called me Governor for the next couple of years. I don't know if I have the tact for government but I'm more of a results oriented guy anyway. Life is beautiful. It's also very short. Too short to spend time complaining about things. And too short to listen to someone else complaining about petty stuff. I love grapefruit in the morning, blue skies, green grass. I like the desert, kids that cry and kids that laugh. I love the internet, homemade chicken soup and birds. I don't have to look very far to find good things to be happy about. So today I was on a plane going from L.A. to San Jose. It was a full flight and a middle-aged couple that had settled in to the back of the plane decided that they wanted to sit next to me - in the middle of the plane. So everyone waited in the isle while they these folks made their way up to my row. As so as they sat down the man (approx. mid-fifties) starts in. "I'll take the window. You know I like the window. (He sounds like a ten year old) Oh, would you look at this... the window is too short. How am I supposed to see out this window like this. Why do they make the windows this short. I can't see anything without bending over." Wife tries to calm him down. He starts in again. "Why did you bring that suitcase on board? I hate that suitcase" "Because it's the only roller bag I have." "Well, I don't ever want you to bring it on another trip." (I'm thinking I've met more mature 7 year olds. But wait, there's more) "Do you want me to open that gum for you? You do, don't you? You've been sitting there fooling with it waiting for me to open it, haven't you? Well, give it here. See --- all you have to do is open it here like this. Geez!" At this point the plane was loaded but we were still sitting at the gate. I figured this was going to be a long flight sitting next to the biggest whiner I'd seen since the last time I saw a 6 year old throw a tantrum in Wal-Mart. So I decided to start writing down all his complaints. Then the flight attendants started the safety demonstration. "Oh, will you listen to her...? Yak, yak, yak, yak, yak. You think she's trying to win and academy award or something... Brother..." I turned in their direction and I heard a voice say, "Are you going to whine for the whole flight?" The couple looked at me. The wife said, "Excuse me? I heard the voice say, "Is he going to whine for the entire flight?" Then I realized the voice came from me. I had had enough. "Probably." The wife said matter-of-factly. He laughed nervously. He knew he was busted and that his wife/mother wasn't going to help him out of this one. He never said another word for the rest of the flight. It was sheer bliss. Life's too short for all the complaints. I don't think politics is in my future. I'm a results oriented guy...

We all need folks we can look up to.

January 31, 2009

We all need folks we can look up to. They give us so much. They are examples of how to live, how to act, how to just BE and even better how NOT to live. My favorites in the entertainment industry tend to be people who aren't afraid to be themselves. The ones who can let their guard down and let us see who they really are. I like folks who don't get caught up in the hype of showbiz and don't believe all the amazing thing that are written about them. Even when they are true. Each of us has something amazing to offer. Whether on a stage or in a ditch or in a classroom or wherever, we've all got gifts to share. So, a few days after the gig with LeAnn Rimes, I was up in Carbondale, CO playing a gig at Steve's Guitars. It was Sunday night and we had a nice crowd that braved the cold and the treacherous snow and ice to come out and hear a fingerpicker! John Oates (of Hall & Oates fame) a genuine, bona fide, pop singing, hit songwriting, superstar, pop music icon and super nice guy ---- came and sat in for a set. We had a blast doing a few of his solo tunes, some Doc Watson, old blues and other stuff together. It was so nice to see and hear some of his influences. It included a fairly wide range of music and that is always nice to see in such a big star. Often their worlds are so insulated because of their fame that we don't get to see this side of them. But here was a guy who doesn't let that world hinder him and stop him from playing and enjoying music he loves. He came out on a cold Sunday night just to pick a few tunes and have a little fun with someone new. I admire that quality more than I can say. Reminds me of Herb Pedersen... Thanks John! Pete

Beaver Creek, CO

January 22, 2009

I did a really fun gig with LeAnn Rimes last night in Beaver Creek, CO. We played at the Vilar Performing Arts Center to a full house. The fun thing for me was that the hour and a half show was just the two of us. The audience was extremely receptive to this intimate performance and their enthusiasm just fueled our fire. During the day I went to LeAnn's room to talk about the show and instead of rehearsing any of the songs we were to perform, we wound up learning two new songs and perform them in the show. It was funny the way it happened. LeAnn said "Do you know, To Make You Feel My Love?" I said no, so she played it for me from her computer and I wrote a quick chart. We played it a couple of times and I had goose bumps all over. It was in the show! Then I told her that I had learned a Stevie Wonder song that she had said she liked a couple of years ago. She didn't know all the words so she quickly got them off the computer and we found her key and played it a couple of times. I got goose bumps again and it too was in the show! LeAnn told the audience how we had just learned the songs and after we finished each one the audience went nuts. I have to say LeAnn is an amazing singer and by far the best I have had the chance to work with. I'm hoping for more opportunities to do this show in the future. And if you get to see it, I think you'll dig it too. ;-)