Review: William Lee Ellis Keeps Things Raw and Real on the Guitar–Driven ‘Ghost Hymns’
The guitar work throughout shows Ellis’ impressive range, and the large selection of instruments gives each song a distinctive feel.
Blair Jackson
Blair Jackson is the author of the definitive biography Garcia: An American Life and was senior editor at Acoustic Guitar before retiring in 2023.
Review: ‘The Blue Album’ by Spanish Virtuoso Pablo Sáinz-Villegas Is an Intriguing, Often Meditative Sonic Journey
These 14 pieces share a serene, mysterious, contemplative quality that's both compelling and pleasantly mind-opening.
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Review: Hayden Pedigo Embraces Melody and Simplicity on ‘The Happiest Times I Ever Ignored’
Inventive sonic and instrumental touches throughout elevate what feels like a solo acoustic guitar album to something more expansive.
The Perennially Eclectic Guitarist Ralph Towner Is Still Defying Categorization
At 83, the prolific guitarist/composer continues to write and record vital, involving pieces.
Review: Molly Tuttle Leans into Her Flatpicking Roots on the Brilliant ‘City of Gold’
The group's sophomore album may very well eclipse the unexpected success of its predecessor.
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Jaimee Harris’ ‘Boomerang Town’ Finds the Dark and Light in Emotional Journey
Every song on this country-leaning folk Americana album is propelled by acoustic guitar and other, mostly spare instrumentation.
Belgian Classical Guitar Great Raphaella Smits Feels Right at Home Playing the Music of Argentina
The eight-string guitarist's latest album, ‘Che Argentina,’ is a passion project devoted to 20th-century works by seven Argentine composers.
Multiple Layered Guitars Stand Out on Steve Dawson’s ‘Eyes Closed, Dreaming’
As with all of Dawson’s projects that I’ve heard, his layered guitars sit front and center, but he’s also supported by a fine cast of other players.
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Elsie Franklin Offers a Mix of Bluesy, Vintage-Sounding Originals and Classic Covers on Sophomore Album ‘Miss Rhythm’
Half the songs on Miss Rhythm are originals, though if you didn’t see the writing credits, you could easily be fooled into thinking that they were pulled off scratchy 78s from the ’20s or ’30s.
Irene Gómez’s ‘Songs of My Life/Canciones de mi Vida’ is an Intriguing Nylon-String Mix of Beatles, Brel, and Schubert
The nimble and expressive Colombian classical guitarist Irene Gómez has always played a diverse repertoire, as befits a musician whose varied guitar education included programs in her native country, in France, and at Juilliard in New York, where she studied with Sharon Isbin.
Rory Block’s ‘Ain’t Nobody Worried’ Salutes 10 of Her Favorite Female Singers
Ain’t Nobody Worried, the third installment in Rory Block’s Power Women of the Blues series, takes the acoustic slide guitar master and blues belter in some unexpected but completely rewarding new directions.
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Great Picking, Singing, and Songs on ‘Kin Ya See That Sun,’ a Fitting Tribute to the Late Maggie Roche
The album brings together 15 previously unreleased live and studio tracks by two of the three singing Roche sisters, Terre and Maggie, who were a performing folk duo dating back to their teen years.
Kate Koenig’s ‘Immortal Rhythm’ is a Compelling Slice of Alternative Folk Autobiography
Kate Koenig describes Immortal Rhythm as “alternative folk," and there is a folk purity to the mostly crystalline vocals and much of the fingerpicked and strummed acoustic guitar parts.
Students of Segovia | The Acoustic Guitar Podcast
To mark the 130th birthday of Andrés Segovia, we spoke with three contemporary guitarists who each studied with the maestro: Lily Afshar, Liona Boyd, and Michael Chapdelaine.
‘Once Upon a Harp’ is a Sparkling Collection of Turlough O’Carolan Pieces by Steve Baughman
Baughman’s guitar playing on Once Upon a Harp has the perfect combination of a light touch, rhythmic surety, and deeply melodic sensibility.
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Polish Classical Guitarist Andrzej Grygier Wins Lucrative Baltimore Competition Purse
It was a competition quite unlike any other, and the prizes the highest in any guitar competition in the world, with a $35,000 first prize.
Guitarist Scott Metzger’s Solo Debut ‘Too Close to Reason’ Is an Impressive Acoustic Tapestry
Stylistically, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead guitarist Scott Metzger's solo acoustic album, Too Close to Reason, covers a lot of territory in what he calls his “sonic landscapes.”
10 Rising Stars of Classical Guitar
Here is a list of 10 top classical guitar virtuosos—all in their ‘20s or early ‘30s—originally from 10 different countries.
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The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Offers Surprisingly Fresh and Original Takes on Classic Dylan Tunes on ‘Dirt Does Dylan’
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band founders Jeff Hanna and Jimmie Fadden used to play Dylan tunes together in high school, now the band has released a tribute album, Dirt Does Dylan.
Digital Conservatories: Online Learning Resources for Classical Guitarists
We looked into a number of the most popular classical-guitar learning sites and offer profiles of three here; at the end you’ll also find brief glimpses of four others.
Singer-Songwriter Jesse Terry’s Covers Album ‘Forget-Me-Nots’ Is Indeed Unforgettable
The album is a collection from a wide spectrum of writers, styles, and eras, beautifully presented in (mostly) acoustic settings.
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Grant Dermody & Frank Fotusky Shine in Southern Blues Workout ‘Digging in John’s Backyard’
The performances by Grant Dermody & Frank Fotusky on Diggin’ in John’s Backyard sound like a couple of (really talented) pals casually sitting on the front porch pickin’, blowin’, and singin’.
Abbie Gardner’s Intimate ‘DobroSinger’ is a Sparkling Revelation
The album is as pure a “solo” album as you’ll find—it’s live takes of just Gardner’s voice and an arsenal of resonator guitars.
Taj Mahal & Ry Cooder Salute Two of Their Heroes on ‘Get on Board: The Songs of Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee’
Ry Cooder and Taj Mahal are now revered as legends themselves, and they’ve chosen this moment to time-travel back to honor two of their early heroes, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee.
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David Jameson’s ‘Tall Dark Pines’ Is a Timeless Old-School Folk and Country Debut
The album is a delicious swirl of fragmentary but evocative country-folk story-songs and ballads.