While loading in to the first gig with a new band in Asbury Park, NJ I slipped on some trash. My feet went left; gravity did the rest. One the way down I held onto the handle of my hand-truck, which was loaded with my gear, crushing two fingers on my right hand between the… Continue Reading The Asbury Park Sidewalk Hates Me

Years ago I had a beautiful white Les Paul guitar with gold hardware and a Bigsby. This guitar was heavy, but I loved it. Well, one day I was home relaxing in my bathrobe and playing the Les Paul when I got called away. I put the guitar on a stand next to me. When… Continue Reading Goodbye Les Paul

Our band had a Wednesday night gig at a country dance hall called the Sugarloaf lounge. The reason it was on a Wednesday, was the main entertainment was Siberian grizzly wrestling with the local good ole boys. The trainer had a 400 lb bear on a collar and log chain for a leash. We just… Continue Reading Unbearable!

My father bought his acoustic-electric Takamine guitar not long after I was born, and over the years he taught me tons of classic songs on it. It was his favorite gigging guitar, so I was shocked when he gave it to me recently. I took great care of it, always keeping it safely packed in… Continue Reading Karma Takamine Kin

One night, my parents were really angry at me for some reason. My dad came down in the basement yelling at me and all my friends decided to call it a night on that note. I had my Epiphone ’59 Les Paul in my room and after everyone left, my dad came in my room… Continue Reading Flying Les Paul

My daughter is a very talented musician, but a bit of a slob. She was asked to lead the “Praise” band for the youth group at church and, as a supporting father, I let her use my Gibson SJ. To say her room is messy would be a gross understatement and coming in late from… Continue Reading Not safe in the case

A few years ago I inherited a 12 string guitar. Not just any old 12 string, but a 1973 Yamaha FG230 red label. It needed some work to get it back to 100% playability but I did not have the $$ at the time to do it, so I put it in the case and… Continue Reading 12 String Blues

August 7, 1998 – It was my son’s 13th birthday. He was a huge Greaseman fan. On the morning of his birthday, I took off and took him to the radio station to see the show live. At 10, when everything was done, we headed back to the house. I was supposed to play a… Continue Reading And it was gone

Had a girlfriend that I was living with, tried to change me saying that I spent too much time playing guitar and gigging than spending time with her. She took my guitar and smashed it into about 30 pieces. My favorite guitar was now in pieces and my girlfriend was now an ex-girlfriend. Lucky for… Continue Reading Who do you love…

Most people are in the now with their stories. However, I have to go back into the 70’s for this one. Was a new model, too. Had spent a good bit of money on a new axe. Thought the case was clasped shut and picked it up. If I had not been quick to react… Continue Reading Check Those Clasps

My dog likes to wag his tail and manage to knock stuff down. And one day my girlfriend was playing with him and he jumped on the wall and knocked my 69 fender stratocaster and my ibanez down off the wall mounts and both were damaged. The strat has a bad gash right by the… Continue Reading My Poor Guitars

The story begins with a fairy tale meet and greet along with a private lesson from the world renowned Mark Tremonti (lead guitarist for CREED, Alter Bridge and The Tremonti Project). My wife and I were invited to meet Mark at his opening show for his 2013 tour of the Tremonti Project featuring Wolfgang Van… Continue Reading Signed PRS Tremonti SE destroyed!