Text Box: Tony Martin’s Guitar Workshop Bio’s of some famous guitar players Tony Rice. www.tonyrice.com Tony Rice was born in Danville, Virginia but grew up in California, where he was introduced to bluegrass by his father. He and his brothers learned a lot from hot L.A. pickers like the Kentucky Colonels, led by Roland and Clarence White. Crossing paths with fellow enthusiasts like Ry Cooder, Herb Pederson and Chris Hillman reinforced the strength of the music he had learned from his father. Rice spans the range of acoustic music, from straight-ahead bluegrass to jazz-influenced new acoustic music, to songwriter-oriented folk. He is perhaps the greatest innovator in acoustic flatpicked guitar since Clarence White. Over the course of his career, he has played alongside J.D. Crowe and the New South, David Grisman (during the formation of “Dawg Music”), led his own groups, collaborated with fellow picker Norman Blake and recorded with his brothers. He has recorded with drums, piano, soprano sax, and with straight-ahead bluegrass instrumentation. Doc Watson. Arthel "Doc" Watson is without doubt a living legend in acoustic music. For more than three decades, Doc Watson has been America's most renowned and influential folk guitar stylist. At this point, he's mostly retired but his few selective performances show no signs of his enormous talents being dimmed by either age or fewer concert dates on the road. At any given Doc Watson performance, one will see and hear not only a guitar player of the finest caliber, but also an intelligent, witty, down-to-earth 'man of the mountains' who loves to share the music of his heart and home. Doc is an extraordinary entertainer who never fails to capture the admiration and affection of his audience. His concerts are filled with hot flatpicking tunes, slow romantic ballads, gutsy blues numbers, delicately fingerpicked melodies, and an old time gospel song or two. Each song is sung with unmatched clarity, each tune played with a dexterity that has placed Doc Watson's name in the music history books. Tommy Emmanuel. www.tommyemmanuel.com Tommy first started playing the guitar at the tender age of Four. The first tune he learnt to play was "Guitar Boogie" by Arthur Smith. His first band the "Emmanuel Quartet" was formed in 1960, with Tommy as rhythm guitarist, brothers Phil and Chris as lead guitarist and drummer, sister Virginia on Hawaiian steel guitar. This was the start of a long career so far spanning over forty years, and is continuing to achieve greatness. He was inspired by American guitarist Chet Atkins and greatly admired Hank B. Marvin of The Shadows. Did you know Tommy Emmanuel not only is a very accomplished guitarist, but also plays drums and sings. Over the years Tommy has collected a few guitars, including Gibson 12 string, 66 Fender Telecaster, Fender Guild, Maton Acoustic, Moyce Acoustic, Nation Dobro, De Gruchy and Buscarieno nylon string. He's been a sort after sessions player for many years. It is difficult to categorise Tommy in one particular style of music, Jazz, Classical, Rock, Country, his multi faceted repertoire has enabled him to move around the music scene with ease. He admits that it didn't happen overnight, it took practice - often 16 hours a day, plus endless dedication and enthusiasm. The fact that he cannot read or write conventional music, does not deter him from composing, and arranging music. His discography to date is 16 albums, - 9 solo, 7 with other artists. ‘CHET ATKINS’ (June 20th 1924 till June 30th 2001) www.misterguitar.com CHET ATKINS, KNOWN AS ‘Mr. GUITAR’, IS ONE OF THE MOST CELEBRATED GUITAR PLAYERS EVER TO HIT THE STAGE. HE HAS PLAYED GUITAR ON HUNDREDS OF RECORDING SESSIONS WITH ARTISTS SUCH AS HANK WILLIAMS, FARON YOUNG, KITTY WELLS AND PORTER WAGONER, THE EVERLY BROTHERS, TO NAME A FEW. AS A PRODUCER HE HAS PRODUCED MANY NUMBER ONE HITS AND ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR THE NOW FAMOUS “NASHVILLE SOUND”. Chet Atkins died on June 30th at his home in Nashville from complications of cancer. He was 77 years old. Chet Atkins is survived by hid wife Leona, a daughter Merle Russell, grandchildren Amanda and Jonathan Russell, and sister Billie Rose Shockley, all of Nashville. Chester Burton Atkins was born on June 20th 1924, in the small east Tennessee town of Luttrell. His father James was a music teacher and his mother Ida played piano and sang. As a child, Chet was a very shy and the fiddle and the guitar offered him an alternate means of expressing himself. His influences in the early years were guitar players such as Merle Travis, and later George Barnes. Chet’s first job as a musician came in 1941 with radio station WNOX in Knoxville Tennessee, where he was employed as a fiddle player with Archie Campbell and Bill Carlisle. Michael Fix www.michaelfix.com Michael began performing in his home town of Wollongong at the age of 12, and in his early twenties moved to Sydney, where he was discovered by the legendary Tommy Emmanuel. Emmanuel became a mentor to the young guitarist and spent several years teaching and working with him. Michael's credentials include acclaimed Sydney band Hat Trick, which he joined in 1985. Hat Trick specialised in eclectic versions of classical and folk pieces, and this music has played a major role in the development of Michael's own musical style. His next album, The Heart Has Reasons, established Michael's distinctive, evocative style, which has emerged once again in his latest release, Web of Dreams. On Web of Dreams, this remarkable composer and guitarist has taken his ability to evoke compelling emotional and sensual experiences to a new level. Web of Dreams is Michael's sixth album, and the one he believes is most representative of his music. It is relatively laid-back and acoustic, with the focus on solo guitar, although other instruments have been selectively brought in to add to the feeling of some tracks. Michael performs regularly at music festivals around the country and overseas. His distinctive, eclectic and accessible style make him a popular performer at everything from guitar festivals to jazz and blues festivals, folk festivals and country music events.