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by Dr. Matthew Warnock. To say that guitarist James Burton is busy would be a gross understatement. With his 70th birthday right around the corner, the Louisiana native shows no sign of slowing down. After a highly successful career as both a leader and a sideman spanning more than 50 years, most guitarists would be looking forward to hanging up the axe and enjoying some time off, but not Burton. Having recently returned from performing in Holland with the TCB band, he’s busy preparing for the upcoming James Burton International Guitar Festival that takes place in Shreveport, Louisiana, August 21 – 23. The annual festival, which began in 2005, helps support Burton’s charity effort, The James Burton Foundation, and features a Who’s Who of the guitar world and a special concert by the “Wild Man of the Telecaster” himself on Saturday night. This year’s festival will feature added excitement as Burton and company hope to break the world record for the most guitarists playing the same song at the same time. While breaking the record will be an enjoyable experience for both Burton and those participating, it will more importantly bring nationwide attention to the wonderful work he and his foundation are doing. As of this interview, more than 4,000 children have received free guitars and instruction through the work of Burton’s charity…

Read the full interview at: http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/005000.html

by Dr. Matthew Warnock. Vinnie Moore has long since established himself as one of the leading rock guitarists of his generation. After impressing Mike Varney of Shrapnel records at the age of twelve, Moore was chosen to showcase his guitar talent on a national Pepsi commercial which brought him his first widespread exposure as a guitarist to watch out for. Since then Moore has found success as both a leader, including his vastly popular first album Mind’s Eye featuring Tony MacAlpine on keys, and as a sideman in such bands as U.F.O., Vicious Rumors and as a member of Alice Cooper’s band. With over twenty-five years in the business, Moore continues to steadily release new material and perform to sold out houses all over the world. Moore’s latest CD To the Core showcases the guitarist’s advanced melodic approach, his lightening fast chops and ability as a modern rock songwriter. The album also showcases the many different styles and genres of music that have influenced Moore over the years. Moore’s writing and soloing melds elements of rock, blues, jazz-fusion and metal to form a musical style that can only be described as Vinnie Moore

Read the full interview at: http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/005068.html

by Dr. Matthew Warnock. Born in Mississippi and raised in the cultural Mecca of Southern Louisiana, slide guitarist Sonny Landreth seemed destined to be a musical talent from a very early age. Growing up surrounded by the jazz, second line and R&B of New Orleans, the Delta blues of his home state, the exciting rock ‘n’ roll music being heard on the nation’s radio stations, and local Zydeco bands, has led Landreth to become a diverse musician solidly grounded in the blues music that he loves. His multi-fingered approach to the slide, where he mixes fretted notes behind the slide that he keeps on his pinky finger, has redefined the public’s perception of what a slide guitar player can accomplish. Though he is a virtuosic guitarist and performer, Landreth is also an accomplished songwriter whose writing adds a new dimension of musicality to his guitar artistry.

Read the full interview at: http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/005083.html

by Dr. Matthew Warnock. Ace Frehley is a patient man. After releasing his fourth solo studio album, Trouble Walkin’, Frehley became musically sidetracked with other projects including the KISS “Unplugged” concert and several highly successful reunion tours with the hottest band in the land. As the second of these reunion tours came to a close, Frehley decided to shift his creative focus back to his solo career and began writing, producing and recording his highly anticipated new album Anomaly. Anomaly features Frehley originals and one cover of Sweet’s classic song “Fox on the Run.” With long-time bandmate Anton Fig on drums, the songs feature hard-driving grooves and catchy guitar riffs that have become a staple of Frehley’s work, both as a solo artist and with KISS. Set for release on September 15, 2009, the new CD is Frehley’s fifth solo release and first since 1989.

Read the full interview at: http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/005087.html

by Dr. Matthew Warnock. Forty-five years after releasing his debut album The New Boss Guitar, jazz guitarist George Benson is still going strong. With the upcoming August 25, 2009, release date set for his latest studio album Songs And Stories, the ten-time Grammy winner pays tribute to some of his favorite songwriters and composers. Featuring an all-star line up that includes bassist Marcus Miller, guitarists Lee Ritenour and Toninho Horta, saxophonists Tom Scott and Gerald Albright, among others, Benson and company come together to produce an album that is not only a tribute to great songwriters, it is also a reflection of more than four decades of experience by one of jazz’s greatest instrumentalists and vocalists. The tracks on the album are a mixture of re-interpretations of classic tunes, such as Christopher Cross’ “Sailing” and James Taylor’s “Don’t Let Me be Lonely Tonight,” alongside new songs written by some of the music industry’s greatest songsmiths. The track “Family Reunion” was penned by Ron Templeton, who wrote Benson’s worldwide hit song “Give Me the Night” from the guitarist’s 1976 smash hit album Breezin’. Songwriter Bill Withers came out of retirement to write the track “A Telephone Call Away,” which is one of the album’s finest lyrical and instrumental moments. Other songwriters who made contributions to Songs and Stories include Smokey Robinson, Lamont Dozier, Donny Hathaway and several others.

Read the full article at: http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/005090.html