MIKE FRED

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I play "contemporary" fingerstyle guitar whatever that means. I really do not know how to classify what I do, but I play with my fingers (of course I eat with them too)!



My influences (in no real order of influence) are: CHET ATKINS, GEORGE HARRISON, THE VENTURES, RITCHIE BLACKMORE, PHIL KEAGGY, DOUG SMITH, MURIEL ANDERSON, JIM EARP, PETE HUTTLINGER, PAT KIRTLEY, PIERRE BENSUSAN, ED GERHARD and a host of others that do not come to mind at the moment.



It all started back when I was a young lad when I heard the CHET ATKINS WORKSHOP album that my parents had. I had no clue of course what was going on with that guitar of his, but I loved the sound and the cover with Chet and his big ugly orange Gretch guitar caught my attention. Then the Beatles hit the TV and there was George Harrison playing a guitar like Chet and all those screaming girls! I knew right then I had to play guitar. Sadly, the only screaming I ever got was the neighbors screaming for me to turn down my amplifier! I managed to play in and out of bands from the time I was 12 until I was 25 and had a great time with it while it lasted. But I wanted it all as I did not want to play music in bars forever. I made a goal of the age of 25 to either make it to the big time (and retire at 30 because as well all know when we are 15, that 30 is OLD) or get a real job. I guess I lost sight of how much fun playing guitar can be and it does not have to be a way to make a living!



My 2 biggest influences were (strangely) Phil Keaggy and Ritchie Blackmore. Blackmore's tone just knocked me out when I heard DEEP PURPLE's Machine Head record, plus he smashed stuff and that always amused me. Keaggy was always light years ahead of everyone else, and he had an influence on me that is hard to explain. I really respected him for his choice to follow his heart and go the direction he did (Christian music arena) and not go for the fame and glory I so wanted to have and he was a lot closer to it than I would have ever been.



In 1981 I became a Christian and quit playing all together. Yes, I sold all those 70's strats I had too. In 1990 I saw Phil Keaggy playing here in Florida and he inspired me to start playing music to glorify Jesus. In 1991 I had a Zion electric guitar custom made like his white one and played that up until around 1999 when I jumped ship and went acoustic. I had been traveling to Utah a lot for work and met a guy named Tom that owned LOCAL MUSIC in SALT LAKE CITY and he got me hooked on playing acoustic guitar and this fingerstyle stuff! He kind of pushed me on stage at an open mic night and I was hooked after surviving that short 3 song set!



Four CD's later, I am getting ready to record my 5th in 2008 (hopefully, barring any more dislocated fingers). I also recently received a custom made PARAGON Sitka/Koa (aptly named the Koa-lossal) guitar and am looking forward to getting the next CD finished with it. Check out Rob Bustos at PARAGON guitars on the net and here on MYSPACE! He makes the most awesome acoustic guitars! Also check out Ken Hoover's MYSPACE page for ZION GUITARS! They make the best electric guitars on the planet!



So there you have my whole music career in a few short paragraphs! Hope youses enjoy the music I have here too! Comments and emails always appreciated!



Mike Fred