GillaNEWS
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March
2008 March was a month of touring from Iowa to Wisconsin, Frankfurt to Michigan as Richard performed live on KUNI Radio Live from Studio One, attended MusikMesse, and captured the hearts of the audience at the legendary acoustic music club, The Ark. Covering the world is not an easy endeavor for an artist who keeps a full time schedule of performances, clinics, and workshops as well as writing for a number of magazines, selecting tunes for new recordings, and filming clips for use on DVDs and online. The GillaCamp schedule
is expanding as new locations are being added each year. May opens the
fall/winter season in New Zealand with two mini GillaCamps in New Plymouth.
For the spring/summer sessions in the US, scheduled is a full 3 day
guitar experience in Blandon, Pennsylvania, hosted by Meadowood Music
and a mini one day camp in Birmingham, Alabama, at Art’s Music.
August features Troy, Ohio, hosted by Sound City Music, and Amelia Island,
Florida, hosted by The Florida House Inn, both 3-day camps. Each GillaCamp
sports a different flavor based on the location, with exciting events
added to the agenda including concerts, field trips, and special meal
options. More information is available at www.richardgilewitz.com/gillacamp
and www.myspace.com/gillacamp.
Sign up early to reserve your space and to take advantage of the special
accommodation rates. Upcoming tours are scheduled for New Zealand in May, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Alabama for June. . As always, if you
wish to receive email notices, please send in your request to:
February 2008 It is already mid-February and Richard is hard at work, performing, writing, and teaching. The January California tour was a great success, ending up with special appearances at NAMM in Anaheim. Tim May, good friend and fellow Breedlove artist, joined Richard for a duo concert at the Premier Guitar Magazine reception. Richard and Tim will be playing together again in April for a concert in Gilroy, California. February features concerts and workshops in Virginia and Maryland and the 2008 International Folk Alliance Conference, February 20-25 in Memphis, Tennessee. Richard will be performing at the following showcase venues: LilFest, FGM Records, Folk Alliance Performance Alley, Center for Southern Folklore, Concerts in Your Home, and Handshake Management. Check Richard's tour schedule for locations and times. "Richard Gilewitz: Live at Charlotte's Web" DVD made it to Mel Bay Publications' Hit List, Issue #12. This live performance concert, filmed by Snapshot.com and produced by Mel Bay Publications, is a treat for the eyes and ears as Richard takes his audience into his world of tunes and touring. It is available from a variety of stores, Mel Bay Publications, and from Richard's web site. Upcoming tours are scheduled for Iowa, Wisconsin, and Michigan in March. Nested in between these tours is MusikMesse in Frankfurt, Germany. - the largest music expo in the world. Shubb Capos is presenting Richard on the Acoustic Stage and at their booth. This will be Richard's first appearance at MusikMesse. As always, if you wish to receive email notices, please send in your request to: contact@richardgilewitz.com. Inquiries for bookings can be directed to: alligator-alley-productions@earthlink.net. Links
of Interest
January 2008 We
welcome in the New Year with the hope that all of you will continue
to support good music and all of the musicians who are out in the trenches
performing night after night. More GillaCamp locations are available at: richardgilewitz.com/gillacamp.html
December 2007 On
December 19, 2007, Mel Bay Publications, Inc. announced the release
of "Richard Gilewitz, Live at Charlotte's Web", a 66-minute
DVD, filmed and recorded live at the Mendelssohn Club in Rockford, Illinois.
This long awaited Charlotte's Web performance concert captures the essence
of Richard Gilewitz skipping along the magical journey of the various
musical genres of acoustic guitar. For those who have only heard Richard's
playing on his CD's or the radio, the live DVD will be an eye opening
experience as his fingerstyle gymnastics - along Thanks to the dedicated folks from Charlotte's Web and Snapshotmusic.com, (http://www.snapshotmusic.com) another live music performance has been preserved and made available. Snapshotmusic.com is a digital archive museum of live performance recordings. Their collection features musical genres spanning the spectrum - folk to pop; classical to rock; jazz to funk; world music, storytelling, dance and theater. Their mission is to ensure the integrity of our cultural legacy by recording and preserving a diversity of performing arts. Songs include Available Space, Daughter of Pete's Feet, Echoing Gilewitz, Embryonic Journey, Gove's Tune, Have You Ever Seen a Rainbow at Night?, Minuet for the Backroads, Pete's Feet, Prelude No.1, Prelude No.2, I am Eaten By Sharks, Spanish Two Step, St. Louis Blues, Synapse Collapse, The Last Steam Engine Train, Thumbing, and Wazamataz . Available from your local music store or at http://www.melbay.com/product.asp?productid=21640DVD# "Richard Gilewitz, Live at Charlotte's Web", Mel Bay Publications- 21640DVD, UPC 796279105989
November 2007 The
Breedlove Atlas Richard Gilewitz
The Breedlove Atlas "RGLE" 12 String is built on the Atlas AJ25 platform, with a top of solid Sitka Spruce and a solid Rosewood back. Richard's personal logo is inlaid in pearl, and this guitar features the L.R. Baggs M1 magnetic soundhole pickup - a staple ingredient in Richard's live sound, plus his preferred 12-string set of D'Addario EJ37 Phosphor Bronze strings. For more information, contact your local Breedlove Guitars dealer. Check out Richard's
tour schedule to catch him with this new
September - October, 2007 September and October are always busy months for Richard as he shares his music at a variety of venues. Each location brings new experiences to both Richard and his audiences. The live concert broadcast of WUWF Radio Live! in Pensacola, Florida, featuring the colorful introductions by host Pat Crawford, gave Richard the opportunity to hear about Pat's 945-mile hike to the nation's capital, (wuwf.org/events/hike.shtml), an experience in itself!
Off to Germany for some R & R, Richard visited Frankfurt, where he will be going back to in March 2008 for MusikMessa. Stopping at the Oktoberfest in Munich to sample some of the fresh baked goods including this giant pretzel, Richard's take on one of the largest festivals around was that everyone must attend this event once in a lifetime for the experience of the music, food, and dance. Back to Ireland for one last concert at the Garter Lane Arts Centre in Waterford, a midnight drive back to Dublin and on to another round of concerts and clinics in the States left Richard little time to prepare for his upcoming November filming session with folks at TrueFire. (truefire.com) . And as always true to touring, Richard met with another wonderful musician and cello player, Laurie Jarski, while conducting a Breedlove and Friends clinic at both Broughton Music stores in Michigan. They quickly combined their efforts for an on-the-spot duo during the clinics and then for a surprise addition at Richard's concert at the Trinity House Theater in Livonia.
August, 2007 Catching Up Even though there has been no actual posted news since the March listing, the period between March and August has been filled with touring, writing, and catching up on many of Richard's projects. Following a California tour in March, Richard began April playing concerts and clinics in Florida before moving on to the rest of country including Virginia, Maryland, and Kansas. GillaCamp Kansas 2007 in El Dorado gave players in the area an opportunity to participate in the GillaCamp experience. May brought another tour in California and then an interview on WMNF in Tampa in support of Richard's annual concert at Skippers, the well-known venue that has music 7 days a week with a array of artists from Hot Tuna with Jorma Kaukonen to Marsha Ball, David Wilcox, and Tab Benoit. A quick after concert flight out of Tampa to Chicago began another tour of Wisconsin and Indiana. Never one to sit at his home base, June was a mixture of tours to Oregon with a homecoming concert at the 2nd Street Theater in Bend were "Live at 2nd Street Theater" was recorded during a 2005 concert with special guest, Radim Zenkl. Meeting with the folks from Breedlove Guitars, Richard had the opportunity to discuss the specs for a new signature 12-string guitar and also play a few tunes with Tim May and Steven King. The month continued with a brief visit in Blandon, PA, where the GillaCamp Pennsylvania 2008 will be held, a stop in Baton Rouge, and then on to Texas for some catching up with folks at Uncle Calvin's in Dallas and Houston's Anderson Fair. July was a combination of the Grissom High School reunion in Huntsville, Alabama, International Day in Rock Springs, Wyoming, a mini-GillaCamp Florida 2007 in Tampa, and the summer NAMM convention in Austin where Richard was presented the Breedlove signature 12-string guitar complete with the Gilewitz logo on the neck. August began with GillaCamp Ohio 2007 at the brand new location of Sound City Music in Troy, Ohio. After suffering the effects of the winter blast in Ohio, Matt Stump moved his store to another site and this larger store was perfect for hosting the GillaCamp. Rounding out the end of summer with a tour of Minnesota and Wisconsin for a series of guitar seminars gave Richard the chance to share his experiences with other players.
March, 2007 It was bound to happen some time. With the capabilities of the Internet expanding beyond our wildest expectations, now viewers from around the world can experience players of many talents at the click of a link. YouTube, the site that carries videos of every subject imaginable, has joined the list of sites carrying Richard Gilewitz performances. Dirt To Dust, that haunting and mesmerizing tune written and performed by Richard, now can be one of your favorites by simply clicking on www.youtube.com/watch?v=nG9yKL0KXpk. Courtesy of Mel Bay Records, this 6-minute video is part of a larger DVD project from Acoustic Fingerstyle Guitar Workshop, written by Richard. The book contains a DVD and CD to complement the 96-page workshop manual that is based on questions from students at many of his guitar seminars and GillaCamps. Enjoy the video, become inspired, and share the link with your friends and family. Feel free to take advantage of the opportunity to write a review about your experience listening and watching Dirt To Dust. There is a place just for that purpose on the site below the video.
December, 2006 As
the year draws to an end, last minute events pop up and future plans
are mapped out, projects move from concepts to realities, and tour dates
are added to include new regions. Richard Gilewitz’s tour schedule
this month is filled with a weeklong school program in Rock Springs,
Wyoming, as well as concerts and clinics in Washington. A one-day Mini
GillaCamp is scheduled for Saturday, December 9, hosted by Moore Brothers
Music in Sammamish, Washington. It’s a scaled down version of the
three-day GillaCamp, which will be offered in 2007 in Florida, Kansas,
and Ohio. It’s never too late to sign up and reserve your spot
for an experience of a lifetime. The Richard’s affiliation with “Singer and Musician Magazine” will carry on as he has been asked to continue his article submissions on a regular basis. Look for upcoming articles on a variety of subjects that will be of interest to every singer, musician, and fan. New projects on the horizon include a live concert DVD, a seasonal CD, an instructional guitar book, and of course more concerts and workshops. Don’t miss out on events and breaking news by checking the website and tour date schedule frequently. And for those last minute holiday presents, a gift of music is always appropriate for family, friends, co-workers, and for those folks we want to thank for the good service they have given us throughout the year.
November, 2006 Off to New Zealand Richard Gilewitz will arrive in New Zealand November 8th to begin a rousing concert schedule filled with amazing chops, humor, and a taste of acoustic guitar from blues to folk, traditional to classical and somewhere in between. Ever changing performances continually keep audiences wondering if Gilewitz will exhaust his satchel of stories and tunes.
1. Someone
did something stupid. "So, I'm ready to report in on more and possibly some repeat bizarre happenings in the world of music and travel. I also never want to feel like a stagnant barge so there is always a new tune in the repertoire, one pulled out of the attic, or a sinister twist on a supposed recognizable tune. Should be a fun time for all. How can you not be funny with three titanium screws in your neck?" See the Tour schedule
here, click on "Musi-Cal"
October, 2006
Mel Bay Publications and Snapshotmusic.com have teamed up for the creation of a new DVD with Richard Gilewitz live in concert. Recorded at the Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center in Rockford, Illinois during the 2005 Charlotte's Web for the Performing Arts concert series, this DVD will feature the live concert and bonus tracks including the encore and outtakes. Scheduled for release in 2007.
August, 2006 Those of you checking Richard's tour calendar may be wondering what happened to some of the tours and GillaCamps scheduled for late summer and early fall. It was to be a busy time for Richard and the promotion of his newest release, "Live at 2nd Street Theater" with tours slated for Ireland, Washington, and Wyoming.
Richard has expressed
his regrets to all who had planned to attend the concerts, festivals,
workshops, and seminars that required cancellation as this development
took on a grave priority. He sends his thanks for the continued support
of his family, friends, fans, and sponsors and plans to hit the road,
with limited appearances in the middle of October, followed by a full
schedule in November and on into 2007. The updated schedule is available
here.
July 7, 2006 Live at 2nd Street Theater Hits the Streets ZenGator Productions announced today that GillaZilla Records has released Richard Gilewitz Live at 2nd Street Theater. Recorded during a live concert on August 20, 2005, at the 2nd Street Theater in Bend, Oregon, this newest CD is the result of fans asking for not only more music by Richard, but for a recording of his stories and live performances. A
look at the song titles will bring to mind familiar tunes that are often
included in Richard's concert performances. However, interspersed among
the songs is what makes this 46-minute CD live and kicking- those amusing
and quirky stories that are always true! The neck snap, throat capo tale relives the adventures of Florida's heavy metal air guitar champion, while "Walbert, Wigs, and Nope" leaves little room for doubt that Richard might belong to another planet! And true to form, this latest project will not disappoint even those who have attended a number of Richard's concerts as once again there is always a surprise around each turn. This time joining Richard is Radim Zenkl, master mandolin player and fellow Breedlove Guitars clinician. Their combined efforts on "Minuet for the Backroads, "The Last Steam Engine Train", The Maison Blanche Exit Song", and "Study in Bm" delighted the crowd that magical evening in Oregon, and will give the listener countless reasons to put this CD in rotation! Here's
what folks are saying about Richard's performances… "Similar to like-minded souls Jorma Kaukonen, John Fahey and Sandy Bull, Gilewitz's acoustic magic works best in a live setting." NASHVILLE "Richard Gilewitz has found a superb balance of playing skilled techniques in a wide range of styles in a rousing own signature." Bridge Guitar Reviews Live at 2nd Street Theater is available now from Richard's music store here at richardgilewitz.com and soon from CDBaby.com and Amazon.com. Track
List of songs and their composers. All songs performed by Richard Gilewitz 1. Gove's Tune - Gove Scrivenor 2. Thumbsing - Richard Gilewitz 3. Neck Snap, Throat capo - Story by Richard Gilewitz 4. Mona Ray - Leo Kottke 5. The Maison Blanche Exit Song - Richard Gilewitz 6. Minuet for the Backroads - Gove Scrivenor 7. The Last Steam Engine Train - Traditional 8. Study in Bm - Fernando Sor 9. Walbert, Wigs, and Nope - Story by Richard Gilewitz 10.
Echoing Gilewitz - Richard Gilewitz 11. Most People are Dead - Story by Richard Gilewitz 12. Available Space - Ry Cooder 13. Synapse Collapse - Richard Gilewitz
June 2006 Among
Richard's many talents there seems to be a natural gift of gab that
transfers comfortably into the teaching arena. Never one to hide behind
his knowledge and experience, Richard freely shares career-long insights
at each "GillaCamp" that he spearheads throughout the USA
and abroad. Upcoming August 4-6 at Sound City Music in historic downtown
Troy, Ohio, GillaCamp OH 2006 will be a weekend of new topics, fingerstyle
techniques, and a chance for participants to "pick" Richard's
brain on a variety of subjects. Sign
up for the GillaCamp in your area. If you just can't make a GillaCamp, grab a copy of "Singer & Musician" for articles by Richard in the fingerstyle section. The April issue covers "the right hand engine and finding a song's home with the music of "Freight Train", while the June issue looks at composition, artistry, and finding the right riff with "Daughter of Pete's Feet". Upcoming articles will cover recording "Live at 2nd Street Theater", the latest GillaZilla Records CD by Richard - to be released July 2006. Of course you can always discover the latest Gilewitz adventure on Mel Bay's webzine, which features a sneak preview about recording the new CD. Past articles, interviews, and reviews are archived on Richard's site. Click on menu selection "Articles/Interviews". You'll find "Tales from the Road", live radio, and song transcriptions. Spend some time browsing the site as it is updated often.
May 2006 Audio-Technica Interviews Richard about Microphones, Music, and Muses Those of you who are familiar with Richard's sound know that he won't settle for less than the best when performing. His preference in microphones is the Audio- Technica Artist Elite Series for his voice and his guitars. Read more about Richard's equipment choices and about his musical inspirations in an interview conducted by Gary Boss, Marketing Director of Audio-Technica. (www.audio-technica.com) Audio-Technica microphones can be seen regularly at the Grammy Awards, the CMT Music Awards, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, as well as in the studio with artists such as Billy Bob Thorton, Steve Vai, Mindi Abair, and Kenny Chesney. www.audio-technica.com/cms/happenings/1d7c8208cdc2ec50/
April 2006 Singer & Musician Magazine Invites Richard to Write Singer & Musician Magazine, formerly Singer Magazine, has invited Richard to join their monthly magazine as a contributing author. Richard's first article was published in their April issue and it runs over 3 pages. Titled "The Right Hand Engine & Finding a Song's Home", Richard talks about using a number of right hand finger positions to allow for freedom of movement when playing a piece. Read more about finding a song's home and take advantage of the tablature/notation of "Freight Train" contained in the article. Singer & Musician is available at bookstores, music shops, and on the web at www.singerandmusician.com. You'll want to catch the upcoming issue as Richard discusses making his new CD.
January 2006
Mel Bay Publications unveiled Richard's newest project at the 2006 Winter NAMM show in Anaheim, CA - the first of many upcoming instructional DVDs of popular tunes from Richard Gilewitz and GillaZilla Music. "All-Time
Favorite Fingerpicking Guitar Tunes, Volume One" Set in a relaxed "living room chat" atmosphere, with Richard often adding extra comments while playing, this completely live DVD is made up of some of Richard's favorite selections that he has accumulated, arranged, and learned over the past 31 years that he has been playing fingerstyle acoustic guitar. Now it's your turn to learn to play:
November 2005
GillaCamp, the player's answer to discovering the joy of guitar, has expanded and is coming to your town in 2006. There has been such a positive response to Richard's 3-day guitar camp, held in Florida and Ohio last year, that we have been covered up with requests from many folks to host a GillaCamp in their area. GillaCamp, designed for unlocking the mystery of playing guitar and for getting back to basics, is for all levels of player. In just 12 sessions, topics covered include open tuning, theory, fingerstyle techniques, slide, gaining confidence, music appreciation and much more. There is a field trip, open mic night, and personal attention from Richard as he spends 3 days with each student in an informal and comfortable setting. There's time to learn new techniques, work on your own tunes or learn new ones, break old habits that might be getting in the way of your progress, meet other players from around the country, explore the host town, and rekindle the love of playing guitar. Reservations are open for the GillaCamp FL 2006 and information is here. Look for the next GillaCamp coming to your town and watch for reservation details for each location. Contact GillaCamp Headquarters at 352/860-2422 or contact@richardgilewitz.com for more information and how to reserve your spot at the upcoming GillaCamp in your town. February 17-19
-- Tampa, Florida -- Chase Suite Hotel. Reserve your space now.
You'll never look at coffee or tea the same way after drinking from the new Gilewitz "Chuggin' for Chords" mugs. Especially designed for the player who desires a little more punch with his morning java or who is looking for inspiration during afternoon tea, these standard and super sized mugs will bring back the basics to your lips. Collect them all and watch for more to be added to the selections.
June 2005 Hot off the Mel Bay Publications press -- "Acoustic Fingerstyle Guitar Workshop"
Available from Mel Bay Publications or from your local distributor of Mel Bay Publications. Can't locate the book? Write for more information.
May 2005
March 2005 A sunny inspirational weekend of music came to Florida in February for GillaCamp 2005/Florida. Players from all parts of the USA joined together for guitar instruction hosted by master teacher, Richard Gilewitz. Mel Bay Publications' webzine "Guitar Sessions" for March features GillaCamp 2005/Florida in their lead article. Click here and read about the camp. Don't miss the opportunity to share the GillaCamp experience. Next session will be August 12-14, 2005, hosted by Sound City Music in Troy, Ohio. You can register now from Richard's site under GillaCamp and pay directly on line. Or email your registration to reserve your spot. Of course there will be GillaCamp 2006/Florida next February for those wanting to beat the winter blues!
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Richard is doing his part to keep the music alive by offering more opportunities
for players to attend his seminars and workshops. The Florida GillaCamp
2008 is expanding to more cities and a one-day GillaCamp is scheduled
for the Clearwater/Tampa area on February 9 and in Jupiter on February
10. Each 5-hour Mini Camp program is designed to pull from the full
3-day GillaCamp and will be full of new and exciting lessons for those
who have attended the GillaCamps in the past and for those first timers.
Sign up today for the Florida GillaCamps at 
with
his home spun yarns too unbelievable not to be true - are brought to
life during this performance.
Breedlove
Guitars has announced the availability of 
Under
the sunny skies of Florida Richard completed a few more concerts and
guitar clinics then departed on a rather quick 6 ½ hour flight
from New York to Dublin, Ireland where Richard met up with favorite
friend Tommy Leddy of The Sound Shop in Drogheada, Ireland. (
2006
New Zealand 2-day GillaCamp was a grand success and more on the camp
will be soon posted on the GillaCamp page. 
When
asked about what's new for those who were entertained and delighted
during his previous New Zealand appearances, Gilewitz responded accordingly,
"One of my greatest nightmares is to do a show and hear the audience
mumble, 'heard it, heard it, heard it...' over and over again. I can
never quite keep track of what I said or did on the last tour from a
year or more ago much less a night ago, but I can assure you that since
I have been to New Zealand three things have happened:
New
DVD of Live Concert in the Works
Due
to complications resulting from an automobile accident late last year,
Richard underwent surgery August 23. Noted surgeon, Dr. James Joseph
Ronzo, performed spinal fusion of several neck vertebrae to release
the compression on Richard's spinal cord. At this time it is believed
that the surgery was successful and the recovery time will require a
minimum of eight weeks in an Aspen neck brace with lifting restrictions
extending longer. Richard will then move into an intermediate brace,
to be followed by a soft collar for support.
GillaCamp
Coming to Your Town!
For
the first time ever! A book that encompasses the material covered in
the Richard Gilewitz workshops. Ninety-six pages of instruction, pictures,
exercises, and tunes -- designed for the beginner, intermediate, and
advanced player. Complete with CD of exercises, picking patterns, and
songs. DVD includes Richard teaching in the studio and performance of
songs.
We
have always known that Richard marches to a different chord -- composing
unique pieces that really do have distinct personalities. Armed with
his off beat humor and sense of playfulness, he travels the world, bringing
his love of music to folks who are often just as unique. While on tour
in New Zealand in 2004, Richard rummaged through some interesting costumes
that are part of a collection of one of his friends; coming up with
the perfect head gear to wear during battle with the guitar. So what
could be more appropriate for this "man of steel" than to
be included in Fingerstyle Guitar Magazine's "Men of Steel"
issue. (No. 57,