No. 297, September 2017

On the Cover: Delve into the ups & downs of the deep Ozarks sound in this special focus on old-time music that soars above the hills and hollers.

Songs:

• Ozarks traditional - “Tie-Hacker’s Joy”
• Paul Simon - “American Tune”
• John McCutcheon - “Y’all Means All”
• Tom Heyman - “Keep the River on Your Right”

Features: A letter from Cuba describes a journey across the Caribbean island where acoustic guitar music is omnipresent; inside the classical guitar orchestras craze and its unlikely epicenter, Arizona.

Lessons:

• Cuban rhythm
• 5 steps to learning tremolo picking and vibrato
• Play the blues like Kelly Joe Phelps
• How to write a bridge

Gear Reviews:

• Martin CEO 8.2
• Journey OF660
• Recording King Dirty 30’s RPS-7 & RPS-9
• two rare 1934 Gibson L-5s

Plus: John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats talks acoustic guitar; Kathy Wingert reveals her unlikely path to lutherie; and how important is a loose bridge?