Was there any particular song or performer that inspired you to learn to play an instrument? What was the song and/or who was the performer?

In my case, it was Bob Dylan who first got me interested in playing guitar. I grew up on that folk-rock stuff in the 1960s. The first song I learned the chords for was In the Midnight Hour, which had been a hit for Wilson Pickett. I did eventually learn a lot of Dylan stuff, though.

--Bob

Since I started in school band, I'd have to say it was my dad or maybe my grandmother who was most influential in hooking me on music early. It was always a foregone conclusion that I would do music since my grandmother had a music degree and taught music and played instruments all her life. All her kids played instruments too, and I think most of her grandchildren as well.

Beyond that, I'd have to say it was probably my choir teachers who most shaped my musical tastes and talents - much more so than any given performer with a hit record or six. However, I always wanted to sound like Karen Carpenter.

Amy

Karen Carpenter never got much respect in the early 1970s but she and her brother (Richard) did some good stuff. You could definitely have chosen a lower target.

--Bob

In 1986, I went to see the Monkees. Shortly after that, I got the urge to play guitar. I was really into their songs at the time and wanted to be able to play them.

My first guitar was an electric Memphis guitar by an unknown guitar company. That guitar had a warped neck, and I ended up buying a Stinger by Martin. I took lessons for about 2 years and then gave up.

Fast forward to this year. I received a beautiful Walden acoustic guitar in response to a dream and a prayer. I like to call it my gift from God. I am taking lessons all over again at age 42, but I am much more driven (and wiser) than I was in the past.

What drives me is that I would like to someday be performing songs that actually can help people through difficult times, just like they have helped me.

I am currently inspired/helped by the music of the Lovin' Spoonful, John Denver, James Taylor and Olivia Newton John. Believe it or not, Olivia came out with a CD a few years ago that has a lot of deep and meaningful lyrics for me. Eventually songs from each of these artists will be in my repertoire, and I'll probably be coming to a coffee house near you -- so be forewarned :-).

One of the songs my teacher is helping me learn is "Worthy is Your Name", a Christian song. I helps me with the boredom of the lesson book. I have only been taking lessons for about 2 months now, but am coming along better than I expected!

Michelle

My son got into classic rock with the video game Guitar Hero. He played that and loved it, and wanted to learn to play a real guitar. I took him to our local music shop, bought him a Squire and he loved it! Now he has a Fender Acoustic, and a Mexican made Stratocaster.

He had so much fun with it, I couldn't resist picking it up again, and started taking lessons at age 42! I don't regret it at all, even though I hadn't played since I was a teen. Back then I had a Global guitar that was a dead ringer for Jimmy Pages sunburst Les Paul even down to the diamond on the headstock. Now I've got myself a real Telecaster! Nick and I both want to get a Gibson Les Paul eventually.

I have to admit that I really like what little I've heard of The Carpenters, and I'm always looking for more albums of theirs. I also also definitely dig a lot of Bob Dylan's stuff, which somehow still seems edgy and new after all these years. But nothing ever inspired me to pick up guitar until M. Ward's "Carolina". About three years ago, I heard it for the first time, and then immediately heard it for the 2nd through 100th time. In years of listening to music, hundreds or thousands of artists and close to a metric gazillion of songs, "Carolina" is the only song that ever made it hurt to not be able play it. Every time I heard it I had a desperate desire to be able to play it. I don't even know how to describe it, and I didn't really mean to wax poetic, but my inspiration was that I could not rest until I learned to play it. I started playing every chance I got, just as soon as my fingers stopped hurting from the last time, and when I got calluses I would play for hours a day. After a year or so, I found a tab for "Carolina", and obsessed over it until I could play it. Now that I can play it, I've lost something I used to get from listening to it--that tight feeling in the chest and the desire to block out the whole world and sink into the song. But I think it was worth it, because now it means something different every time I play it. M. Ward's "Carolina" is still my favorite song, and I don't think anything will change that. I didn't mean to wax poetic, but it's the only way I can describe my inspiration. A better way to describe it would be to play you the song, but this will do.


"I'm walking backwards to the place where I came from
But that ain't enough, no, you want me to run."

I don't know that particular song "Carolina", but I do understand how music gets deep down in you. I love being able to play songs that resonate with me.

I know my son really gets into songs, when he wants to learn something, he is just unstoppable.

Joe Satriani plays a song called "Midnight" on his seminal guitar instrumental album Surfing with the Alien. It is a double tap solo using both hands finger tapping the strings. I thought it was too hard for him, so did his guitar teacher. He found a youtube video by Satch himself and learned enough of it to convince his teacher he could and should learn it.

Now I'm happy to say, even though he just turned 13, he performs the song very well, and he has even performed it for his music class at school.

shopaholic: wow. just...wow. i'm going to find and listen to that song right now, but i don't think i'll even try to learn it; so far, i'm still content to just let my mind be blown by tapping--let alone double tapping. you must have a pretty impressive son.