These videos were shot at my home church in Garner, NC when Lorraine Jordan and Carolina Road were kind enough to let me sit in with them. *EXTRA SPECIAL* thanks go to two people I am blessed to call my friends-- my Fairy Godmother, Quamela and my fellow watch loving boot wearing friend Tony. Hey Pam and Tony-- look closely-- you can't see the tie, but if you stare close enough, you'll see the boots! (Thank ya'll SO much-- I LOVE them and wear them EVERY time I'm on stage, and most of the time when I'm not!)
Amazing Grace
Shenandoah
From Merlefest 2007 Guitar Contest. Well, I didn't place this year, *BUT* a great time was had for sure. Special thanks go to my cousin Joshua for keeping my nerves calm while waiting to go on and waiting to hear the results... :-) (Josh-- we'll get 'em next year-- First Round "I Am A Pilgrim" and "Fishscale?" Get ready!!!! Hahahaha...) Amazing Grace is done in memory of all those waiting for us on the other side Shenandoah is dedicated (as always, every time I play it) to my Fairy Godmother, Quamela. The guitar I'm using is a masterpiece E2 model made by Lance Kragenbrink of Vandercook Lake, Michigan. Lance is a master luthier as well as a true friend and I send him my thanks for such an incredible instrument.
The Shenandoah Suite (Intro)
From the Newport Guitar Festival in Miami Beach, Florida 2008. This clip is me playing the guitar master luthier Lance Kragenbrink just finished for me, a Brazilian Rosewood / Carpathian Spruce D-14. This is the intro to "The Shenandoah Suite," a medley inspired by a dear friend who recorded this for an all instrumental album that, quite literally, changed my outlook on music. As always, this song is for my Fairy Godmother. I only hope I made you both proud. I must confess-- this was my first time playing through a Neumann KM 184 microphone. With the combination of a superlative instrument and one of the finest microphones in existance, I found myself listening to the sounds in the room, completely unaware what was causing them. All the while reveling in the truth of what my Fairy Godmother says-- we are merely vessels through which music is gifted to the world by God.
Thanks for letting us be a part of you circle of friends. Please drop by our web site www. docsbluegrass. com and give a listen to our lead singer Ranee Stepp. She just released her solo project "In Fields of Grass so Blue"
Great new video clip. Got that Kragenbrink smokin' Hope things are going well for you
Hey sweetie!! Yeah I know it's been WAY too long! I've been extremely busy with so much it's not even funny. Going to school full time so that's pretty much taking up most of the time. What day is the 20th on?? I'd love to go see ya!! No promises but maybe I can work something out soon! Oh and I know it's quite late but CONGRATS on being on the radio!!! I couldn't imagine what that'd be like...taking a drive and actually hearing yourself when it's not a cassette or CD in the car!! Keep up the good work buddy! :) Oh and yes I'm sticking with Criminal Justice for now...crazy I know but for some reason it works for me.
JOHN!! Oh my goodness! How the heck are you my friend?! MAN it's been a LONG time! Just happened to come by your page and saw you were online so I'd thought I'd say hello! I hope everything is going well for you!! The song's are absolutely GREAT, as if you had any doubts. Let me know how you are!! :)
Great new video clip .... but how do you expect me to continue to steal licks from you with that mic boom in the way. (lol) It's OK ... I'm pretty sure several of those notes aren't even on my guitar anyway. You are the man!
Wow I did a little research on the Kragebrink... I have decided that my next guitar (whenever I win the lottery, have a number one hit, or rob a bank will be this one right here
Dude Lance knows what he is doing... The good book says not to covet... but oh the temptation
Music is going good up here. We're headed to the studio tomorrow night to cut some tracks for our first cd. We open for Lee Greenwood in March and Michelle Nixon in September with a bunch of local stuff in between.
Still headed to Wilksboro??? Making no promises but I'd love to shake free and see you play at Merlefest... maybe..just maybe.
Thanks for checking in on me. God bless and my your soul be filled with music that your fingers can't help but create
OK my friend Now I have three new reasons to drop the the "Oasis of 6 strings". Beautiful new songs... My favorite..."Summertime" Now thats the way it was meant to be played!
However the new piture is a whole other issue... Don't get me wrong.. you look like you've got it going on all stowed away in the cabin makin' music.... it just makes it difficult for the rest of us to hit the day job when we wish we were doing the same.
By the way, how bout a few words on the new axe... looks like piece of artwork ... Did you record the new stuff with it?
I've not given up on the guitar, but I have started doing a little dobro. Figure I'm just going to be a musical "Jack of all trades". Must be the ADD
Hey Buddy, Thanks for checkin' in on me. I've been bussier than ever. We're playing every Tuesday night at the Fiddlin Pig in Asheville as well as doing other private and pulic events. I've kind of settled in on the bass ... but I'm still plucking away at the Blueridge. I even had the urge recently to explore the dobro.. got any advice or warnings there. I think of you often. Jerry (from Carolina Road) and I talk a little UT football from time to time and I keeep promising that I'm going to head east one of these days and catch both of y'all playin at the same time. Don't know when.... but you know what they say about anticipation. As for the photo ... Sometime I wonder who that young dude is.... but there is an unmistakable similarity in the eyes huh? Intensity or Bewilderment....you be the judge.
Hey John Great new pictures. If I guy can't work on his music in that setting, he's hurtin' for certain. Hope you have a great fall... maybe the weather will take a look at the calendar sometime soon God Bless Cliff
