Hello Fellow Pick-ers,
I started on violin in 2nd grade. Changed to mandolin and piano in 7th grade. Took two semesters of music theory in college and loved it (probably the high quality of the professor). Picked up acoustic guitar after graduating from College in 1977, so that I could lead singing as a youth pastor during seminary. Kept with guitar ever since.
First guitar was a Gibson. Then added my first classical guitar. Somebody did a stage smash with an old solid wood harmony classic guitar that I found in a dumpster. Rebuilt it. Sounds fine to this day, but I've moved on. In that same dumpster, I also found a smashed Harmony solid wood fiddle-top/fiddle-back guitar. It took me a lot longer to rebuild it and had to add a sound peg (like in violins) in order to keep the arch-top front from collapsing. It has incredible harmonic overtones. But mostly, I play several Ovation guitars. I practice/play for fun almost every day. The college music theory classes still come in handy after all these years because I write my own guitar tabs.
As you can imagine, I play all the usual contemporary Christian music. Been playing guitar with the same church camp for 41 years now. I am counseling the children of kids I had as campers 40 years ago, which is so cool. Lately I've been discovering some old songs that are delightful to play on six strings: What a Wonderful World; The Autumn Leaves; Moon River; Shine On Harvest Moon; Dream a Little Dream of Me; We'll Meet Again; Tears in Heaven; Annie's Song; Fly Me to the Moon; and Stardust to name a few of my current favorites.
Playing guitar cools my mind and helps to gentle out the rough days in life. And yes, I have them too, but its hard to stay down playing and singing, What a Wonderful World.......... Oh Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Especially followed by I Can Only Imagine.
Brad