“[Donohue is] one of the greatest fingerpickers in the world.” – Chet Atkins
From swing to jazz to bottleneck blues to folk, Grammy-winning acoustic guitarist Pat Donohue plays it all with a flourish of artistry and melodic inspiration. Chet Atkins called Pat one of the greatest finger pickers in the world today. Also, Leo Kottke called his playing “haunting.”
Pat is certainly one of the most listened-to finger pickers in the world. He was the guitarist for the Guys All-Star Shoe Band of Minnesota Public Radio’s A Prairie Home Companion. There, Pat got to show off his savvy licks and distinctive original songs to millions of listeners each week.
Pat’s musical tastes are eclectic. Though he considers himself foremost a folk guitarist, Pat’s influences are rooted in bluesmen Blind Blake, Robert Johnson, Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, Muddy Waters and Miles Davis. Thus, he manages to blend jazz and blues with folk, and the mix is seamless.
Tim Sparks has been redefining the acoustic guitar repertoire for decades. He won the National Fingerpicking Championship in 1993 with a ground-breaking arrangement of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite. Furthermore, Sparks is equally at home with country, blues, jazz or global music. Here, Sparks’s extraordinary ability has earned him an international reputation as one of the most innovative guitarists working today.
Phil Heywood plays fingerstyle guitar with a bluesy swing. Also, a bucketful of whatever it takes to turn an instrumental piece into an arresting lyrical narrative. His lucid playing encompasses the down-home rhythmic groove of a Mississippi John Hurt or Leadbelly. Additionally, he has the sheer fluidity and melodic flair of such contemporaries as Leo Kottke. The internationally renowned Kottke, in fact, once handpicked Heywood to tour and perform duets with him.
Recommended for fans of Leo Kottke, John Fahey, Tommy Emmanuel and Don Ross.
LEARN MORE:
https://www.patdonohue.com/
https://www.timsparksguitar.com/
http://www.philheywood.com/
