2008 was a terrific year for Guitar Dad. My son and daughter continued to develop into adorable little geniuses; my wife and I grew even closer and happier; my career was fruitful and enjoyable; and I still squeezed in plenty of guitar playing, traveling, reading, writing, running, biking and all the other minor delights that make life so rewarding.
Looking ahead, it's hard not to get excited about 2009, even in the face of gloomy, unnerving news. My only resolution for the New Year is to simply improve on what was accomplished in 2008. To take all the good things that happened, do them again and do them better. And do a bunch of cool new things, too.
By the way, thanks for visiting Guitar Dad online. Launched back in June, this website has been an enormous source of entertainment for me. I hope you'll return in 2009.
Best wishes for health and happiness in the coming year.
My family just spent the better part of a week in Charleston, S.C., a lovable little city that superbly balances its depth of historical significance with modern, sophisticated sensibilities. Its restaurant and nightclub scene is unparalleled for a town of this size, and a youthful energy pulsates in the shops, on the streets and almost everywhere you venture in this gracious oasis of the Old South.
For much of my life Charleston has been a second home. When I was a kid, my parents took my brothers and me to South Carolina's coastal Lowcountry to vacation. Later, Guitar Dad spent quality time here with friends and to play gigs in the vicinity.
Fortunately for me, one of my brothers lives with his wife and kids in leafy Mount Pleasant, a suburbanized burg just across the river from Charleston. Our extended family occasionally congregates during the holidays at their home, and our gatherings are among the most special, meaningful experiences of my life. My recent visit not only included considerable down time with the people I love most, but an excursion to Pearlz (an exceptional oyster bar), a delicious meal at Fleet Landing (an easygoing waterfront eatery) and a stroll through downtown's historic district, whose stately homes and buildings are stunning for their architectural beauty as well as their sheer age. Some were built before the Revolutionary War, and many more before the 1840s.
Another highlight of the trip was tromping around Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island with the kids in tow. This well-preserved compound first defended Charleston Harbor in 1776 and, as its structure evolved, provided protection for the fair citizenry through the Civil War and subsequent world wars.
Charleston has withstood its share of calamities over the years, among them earthquakes, hurricanes, fires and Yankee bombardment. But its gentle soul has only grown richer and more alluring.
To read more of Guitar Dad's travel narratives, click here.
Guitar Dad's home is a cheerful and loving and uplifting place at Christmastime. Everyone feels a little closer, warmer, more grounded.
As the economy keeps stinking and uncertainty settles in, we take comfort in just being together and delighting in the little things. Like the Christmas tree all aglow with color and sparkling ornaments. And the seasonal sounds of Nat King Cole and a Charlie Brown Christmas.
Of course, for the kids, everything leads up to the Big Day. My wife and I are by no means able to lavish dazzling and pricey gifts on our children. But what we do provide – and what Santa so miraculously leaves behind – is more than enough to create a deep and genuine happiness inside the hearts of our little ones. The effect is easily worth a million bucks.
Have a very Merry Christmas.
My little boy turns six this week and we're celebrating in a big way. Because his birthday falls just two days before Christmas, we mark the occasion with a splashy party a couple of weeks in advance (with his sizable group of buddies), and then throw another shindig for him on the 23rd with extended family.
Those with birthdays pressed up against Christmas know it's kind of a drag. All this partying and then nothing for an entire year. But our boy is pretty cool with it. What's noteworthy is that I can't believe it's already been six years since he joined us that cold and rainy and deeply apprehensive night at Arnold Palmer Hospital. Those years, which also included the birth of our little girl, just blew by. They've been the best years of Guitar Dad's life.
Some of the coolest, most lecherous rhythm guitar sounds have emanated from the amplifiers of Keith Richards, born on December 18, 1943.
Happy 65th.
This is the time of year when the world's elite big-wave surfers descend on Mavericks, a surf break off the coast of Half Moon Bay, Calif., legendary for its harrowingly enormous wintertime waves.
These surfers, by the way, are nuts. They brave 50-degree-or-so water, hungry sharks and jagged coastline rocks to experience surfing's biggest rush and to win bragging rights as, well, the world's greatest big-wave surfers. The massive waves at this spot can swell to 50 feet and taller.
Surfing, in my opinion, is our coolest become-one-with-nature sport, carrying a grace and fluidity that's hard to find in other sports. And the riders who punish themselves at Mavericks are tops in their field. Crazy for sure. But fearless and committed and quite admirable from Guitar Dad's perspective. Watch the video below and see for yourself.
I realize that not everyone digs books. But surely everyone has been enlightened or enraptured by the printed page at some point in his or her life, if only for a few fleeting moments.
Others like me have undergone – and continue to undergo – fundamental transformation through the reading and re-reading of books. I can't really pinpoint the single title that blew me away most profoundly. So many have made their impact over the years, from early faves like The Old Man and the Sea, The Catcher in the Rye and On the Road, to more recent reads like Henry Miller's The Colossus of Maroussi, John Fante's Ask the Dust and A.J. Liebling's Back Where I Came From.
Best Life magazine runs a nifty feature called "The Book that Changed My Life." A recent entry describes the excitement and kick-in-the-pants inspiration of discovering Tom Wolfe's The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby, a literary gem I return to again and again.
Walt Disney once said, "There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate's loot on Treasure Island ... and you can enjoy these riches every day of your life."
Dr. Seuss, in his cleverly playful way, declared: "The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go."
William Faulkner simply urged everyone to "Read, read, read."
Am I a geek or what?
After losing touch for too many years, I've become reacquainted with Jerry Chapman, a friend of mine from high school in Winston-Salem, N.C., and an extraordinary Guitar Dad in his own right.
Let me tell you: This guy is the Superman of regional rock, playing more than 100 gigs a year across the Southeast, writing great songs, recording CDs and doing an impressive job of marketing himself through word of mouth, Facebook, MySpace and assorted other media at his disposal.
Jerry was kind enough to ship me his latest CD, Sweet Impossible, which I've spun a number of times over the past few weeks. The record is a real treat, showcasing honest, heartwarming vocals, tasty guitar work, rich song craft, and nimble support from a superb group of backing musicians. Clever pop rock is front and center in Jerry's latest effort, with a little country at the edges and a lot of thoughtful storytelling throughout.
North Carolina has produced a number of exceptional musicians, and anyone tallying the state's current list of talent would be downright negligent in excluding Jerry Chapman. Beyond possessing boundless musical energy and inspiration, the guy works as a youth minister and, from what I can tell from his Facebook photos, serves as an extraordinary father to his young son and daughter. Thanks, Jerry, for passing along a copy of your new CD and welcoming me into your world of inventive, thoroughly enjoyable music making.
For more details about Jerry, be sure to check out his website.
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