Hamilton Guitar Association: September 2010

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Another Season Begins and Changing Of The Guard

Shawn and world famous fingerpicker Noah Trotter

Hey Guitar Players!

Hope you all had a great summer, just wanted to let you know what’s going on with the Hamilton Guitar Association.

1.) The season opener meeting will be next Monday, September 20 at 7:30. Same place, the 2^nd floor of the Pheasant Plucker, 20 Augusta street, Hamilton. Make sure you bring those guitars! www.pheasantplucker.ca

2.) As you know I started the guitar association (originally the Southern Ontario Fingerstyle Guitar Association) back in 2002, and have been running it ever since. I have hosted hundreds of meetings, held workshops, concerts, maintained web sites, sent tons of emails, lugged gear up and down stairs, the list goes on and on. It’s been an honour to hear all of you great players and getting to watch people grow and get better and better. Mostly, I’ve enjoyed hanging out, talking guitar and sharing a few laughs.

Unfortunately, all good things eventually come to an end, and I am no longer able to run the club. Time has come for me to move on, and pass leadership of the association. So, with that being said, The meetings will continue on under the leadership of: Liam Trotter, Alfie Smith and Mark Vanderheyden. I wish Liam, Alfie and Mark all the best and I am confident that under their leadership the association will thrive.

This is my final posting, so please allow me to say to you all; Thank you, for without you there is no guitar association.

Take care,

Shawn Trotter

www.shawntrotter.com

S.O.F.G.A.

Southern Ontario Fingerstyle Guitar Association

Some five years ago, I typed finger style guitar into a search engine because that was the type of playing I wanted to explore. Mostly because I was tired of replacing all my lost guitar picks. What I found was the SOFGA, a club dedicated to this guitar style and encourageing new people to learn by providing a non competative performance environment. They met right here in Hamilton, I knew that this was something I had to check out.

What I found was a community of people enjoying each other's music, company and friendship. And the amazing music! Cutting edge acoustic, celtic, old blues , entire bands seems to leap from guitars held by one person. No fake effects or back tape. Each meeting, one great player after the next would play. Then, one of them would take some time to show you thier style.

This is where I found my guitar teacher and mentors and some realley good friends. Though I was just a beginner, these people seemed to have a genuine desire to hear my music. This encouragement was pivital, at a time when the rest of the world just wanted me to forget the whole guitar thing .

Some five years later, when it comes to music, I still don't have it all together most of the time, but I've come a long way, mostly thanks to SOFGA.

Now , it's called the Hamilton Guitar Association but the goal and spirit are the same. That's why I'm happy to slug all the gear up the stairs at the Pheasent Plucker every other week, set up the mics and board, then, watch it all unfold.

Mark V