Christopher Paul Stelling plays guitar like there’s a fire is burning under his seat. His fingerstyle is so quick and relentless that his songs feel like they are ready to burst at the seams. It’s a tight line to walk, but Stelling manages to give each performance his all, without losing control.

For his second appearance on AG Sessions, Stelling performs pair of songs (“Cutting Loose” and “Wildfire”) from his new album, Forgiving It All.

Both are played in an open-E tuning on his 1941 Martin 00-18, which was bought in a “pretty bad state” and brought back to playing condition by the luthier and repair tech Justin Eisenman, in Asheville, North Carolina.

Recorded at Future Apple Tree Studio, Rock Island, IL, by Ian Harris. 

Forgiving It All is available now, and CPS is out touring the album:


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10/22 – Providence, RI – Columbus Theatre (supporting Martin Sexton)

10/23 – Woodstock, NY – Levon Helm Studios (supporting Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams)


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10/26 – Vienna, VA – Jammin’ Java

10/28 – Philadelphia, PA – World Cafe

10/29 – New York, NY – Rockwood (stage 3)

From the Acoustic Guitar Archives: Read Christopher Paul Stelling‘s feature-length Q&A with Ben Harper.