Category: Artists

Guitar Talk: Profiles & Interviews

Guitar Talk: Jimmy Buffett on His Evolving Collection of Golden-Era Instruments

Jimmy Buffett passed away September 1, 2023 at 76. Today, we’re revisiting this conversation with the “Margaritaville” singer-songwriter about his collection of rarified golden-era guitars.

James Rotondi September 2, 2023

Milk Carton Kids: Kenneth Pattengale (left) and Joey Ryan

The Milk Carton Kids Deepen Their Sound and Songwriting on “I Only See the Moon”

Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale, aka the Milk Carton Kids, discuss the creative process behind what is perhaps their strongest set of songs to date.

Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers August 27, 2023

Christopher Mallett Shines a Light on Pioneering Black American Guitarist and Composer Justin Holland

Mallett breathes new life into music that has languished since Holland’s passing more than a century ago.

Mark Small August 20, 2023

Album Reviews

Jaimee Harris press photo by Brandon Aguilar

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.

Blair Jackson July 4, 2023

Hiroya Tsukamoto Simplifies His Sound on Another Solo Guitar Outing, ‘Little River Canyon’

Compared to 2021’s ‘Window to the World,’ ‘Little River Canyon’ feels simpler, without the former’s loops or pedals, recorded live in the studio with only one guitar.

Kenny Berkowitz June 27, 2023

‘Myriad Worlds’ Is a Bold Debut from Percussive Fingerstyle Guitarist and Composer Janet Noguera

Noguera’s debut release showcases her effortless-sounding use of tapping and drum-like effects on her Lowden and Maton guitars.

Adam Perlmutter June 20, 2023

Acoustic Guitar Sessions

Powerful Voices

Devon Gilfillian’s Soulful Searching | Acoustic Guitar Sessions in Place

Devon Gilfillian performs unplugged versions of two songs from the new record: “All I Really Wanna Do” and the title track, “Love You Anyway”.

Joey Lusterman
April 7, 2023

Folkies

Video screen grab of John McCutcheon in his home studio in Smoke Rise, Georgia

John McCutcheon | Acoustic Guitar Sessions in Place

Playing his “favorite guitar in the world,” his trusty Huss & Dalton MJC, John McCutcheon deconstructs his song "Peekaboo" and shows how to play it slowly and up to speed.

Acoustic Guitar Editors
November 12, 2022

Imaginative Instrumentalists

Elijah-McLaughlin-Session-Acoustic-Guitar

Elijah McLaughlin Performs Two Stunning Fingerstyle Pieces | Acoustic Guitar Sessions in Place

For this AG Session, Elijah McLaughlin and Jason Toth of the Elijah McLaughlin Ensemble perform two fingerstyle pieces from the ensemble's latest album

Joey Lusterman
November 3, 2022

Sessions: Creative Director's Picks

Over the last 10+ years, Joey Lusterman has worked in every department at Acoustic Guitar magazine: front desk, ad sales, editorial, sound guy, camera man, booth babe, email coder, podcast editor, photographer, book designer… And he’s been behind the camera for nearly every Sessions video! Here are just a few of his favorites (see them all.)

All Artist Interviews and Stories

Dom Flemons Brings a Deep Knowledge of Roots Music to His Work as the American Songster

The multi-instrumentalist scholar talks about how he found his own voice through the study of old and new songs, and what makes the ideal acoustic guitar.

Adam Perlmutter
September 3, 2023

Guitar Talk: Jimmy Buffett on His Evolving Collection of Golden-Era Instruments

Jimmy Buffett passed away September 1, 2023 at 76. Today, we're revisiting this conversation with the "Margaritaville" singer-songwriter about his collection of rarified golden-era guitars.

James Rotondi
September 2, 2023

The Milk Carton Kids Deepen Their Sound and Songwriting on “I Only See the Moon”

Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale, aka the Milk Carton Kids, discuss the creative process behind what is perhaps their strongest set of songs to date.

Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers
August 27, 2023

Christopher Mallett Shines a Light on Pioneering Black American Guitarist and Composer Justin Holland

Mallett breathes new life into music that has languished since Holland’s passing more than a century ago.

Mark Small
August 20, 2023

Review: Paul Simon Meditates on Faith and Spotlights His Guitar on ‘Seven Psalms’

It’s remarkable to say that even after all these decades of exploring all sorts of sonic and stylistic terrain, ‘Seven Psalms’ is unlike any other Paul Simon creation.

Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers
August 16, 2023

Acoustic Guitar Magazine cover for the September 2011 issue featuring Robbie Robertson

Remembering Robbie Robertson

Robertson passed away August 9, 2023. Republished here is the cover story for our September 2011 issue, in which the legendary guitarist opened up about the Band, collaborating with Eric Clapton, and his collection of vintage Martins.

Derk Richardson
August 15, 2023

Julian Lage with guitar. Photo by Shervin Lainez

Julian Lage Champions the Steel-String Acoustic on His Latest Blue Note Release

Lage talks about his uncommon use of the steel-string guitar in the evolution of his ensemble, as well as collaborating with his wife, singer-songwriter Margaret Glaspy

Adam Perlmutter
August 4, 2023

A Guide to Playing Guitar Throughout Your Lifetime

Five high-achieving guitarists share how they maintain and continually improve their skills, while offering advice applicable to players of all styles.

Mark Small
August 2, 2023

Nickel creek (Sara Watkins, Sean Watkins, and Chris Thile) press photo by Josh Goleman

How Nickel Creek’s Sean Watkins, Sara Watkins, and Chris Thile Made Their Most Ambitious Album Yet

On ‘Celebrants,’ their first new record in nine years, the trio rekindles their connection and explores new territory.

Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers
July 16, 2023

Singer-Songwriter John Oates Explores the Music of Mississippi John Hurt

He will forever be best known as half of Hall & Oates, but John Oates has carved a distinct identity as a proponent of classic Americana

E.E. Bradman
July 7, 2023

Spain and the Guitar: The Modern Classical Instrument Owes Much to Deep Iberian Roots

Many significant developments in classical guitar design and technique flourished in Spain during the past few centuries, but the story indeed began many years—perhaps millennia—earlier.

Mark Small
July 5, 2023

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.

Blair Jackson
July 4, 2023

Hiroya Tsukamoto Simplifies His Sound on Another Solo Guitar Outing, ‘Little River Canyon’

Compared to 2021’s ‘Window to the World,’ ‘Little River Canyon’ feels simpler, without the former’s loops or pedals, recorded live in the studio with only one guitar.

Kenny Berkowitz
June 27, 2023

Remembering Roots and Blues Legend Steve James

The acoustic music world lost one of its most colorful figures when Steve James passed away on January 6, 2023, at 72.

Acoustic Guitar Editors
June 23, 2023

‘Myriad Worlds’ Is a Bold Debut from Percussive Fingerstyle Guitarist and Composer Janet Noguera

Noguera's debut release showcases her effortless-sounding use of tapping and drum-like effects on her Lowden and Maton guitars.

Adam Perlmutter
June 20, 2023

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.

Blair Jackson
June 18, 2023

A Tour de Force from Spirited Modern Americana Trio Harley Kimbro Lewis

Martin Harley, Daniel Kimbro, and Sam Lewis have joined forces to record a gem of an album in the vein of the early American songbook.

Michael England
June 13, 2023

Larkin Poe standing in empty room with guitars

How Megan and Rebecca Lovell of Larkin Poe Traveled from Bluegrass to Blues Rock and Beyond

To learn more about Larkin Poe's journey from acoustic roots music to amped-up rock, we caught up with the sisters by phone from their home bases in Nashville.

Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers
June 7, 2023

Debashish Bhattacharya playing slide style on his self-designed Chaturangui

Evocative Music from a Unique Instrument on Debashish Bhattacharya’s ‘The Sound of the Soul’

Bhattacharya plays his self-designed chaturangui with equal parts passion and precision on this tribute to his mentor, Ali Akbar Khan

Kenny Berkowitz
June 6, 2023

Steve Dawson seated with acoustic guitar

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.

Blair Jackson
May 30, 2023

Powerful Doc Watson Tribute ‘I Am a Pilgrim’ Surprises with Star-Studded Cast of Players

Diverse roster of artists reinforces the wide musical influence of the legendary guitarist.

Kenny Berkowitz
May 23, 2023

How Guitar Duo Rodrigo y Gabriela Is Informed by Eastern Spiritual Practices—and Thrash-Metal

On their latest release, In Between Thoughts... A New World, the spiritually inclined pair have invested their pan-genre musical values with some of their own more metaphysical ones.

James Rotondi
May 21, 2023

guitarist Deniz Cuylan standing in front of cactus

Deniz Cuylan Returns with More Brightly Colored Cinematic Abstractions on ‘Rings of Juniper’

The soundscapes on ‘Rings of Juniper’ are increasingly complex, their palettes more varied, their themes more ambitious than Cuylan's previous works.

Kenny Berkowitz
May 16, 2023

Christie Lenée Explains the Surprising Sounds and Textures at Play on ‘Coming Alive’

The albums is an extension of Lenée’s current fascinations, which include experimenting with fingerstyle on the 12-string and an ongoing exploration of alternate tunings.

Kate Koenig
May 10, 2023

Eric Skye and Jamie Stillway seated with Santa Cruz acoustic guitars

Jamie Stillway and Eric Skye Craft Colorful Flatpicking Duets for a Batch of Old-Time Tunes on ‘Over the Waterfall’

The duo has crafted a colorful soundscape of quietly brilliant flatpicking interpretations of classic American fiddle tunes.

David McCarty
May 9, 2023