Fort Lauderdale, FL (Top40 Charts/ Newport Guitar Festival Official Website) - Florida's Newport Guitar Festival today announced the multiple events and artists to appear at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Hard Rock Live, April 16-18. As a tribute to the world's most popular instrument during International Guitar Month, the Festival celebrates both the visual and sonic milestones of the guitar with hundreds of unique guitars on display, intimate demonstration concerts, seminars hosted by acclaimed guitarists and much more!
Considered to be the world's largest modern guitar festival, Florida's Newport Guitar Festival will bring the finest luthiers and vintage dealers to South Florida to celebrate the 'Golden Age' of modern guitars. Joining the celebration are four iconic faces in the music industry - Ed King, Lynyrd Skynyrd's original guitarist and composer of the most famous riff in Southern rock and roll history, Sweet Home Alabama, Laurence Juber, lead guitarist of Paul McCartney's Wings, Phil Keaggy, internationally acclaimed guitar soloist, and Muriel Anderson, one of the world's foremost guitarists and host of Muriel Anderson's All Star Guitar Night, which will close out the Festival Sunday night at Hard Rock Live.
Visitors will fill Hard Rock Live, where hundreds of vendors will display vintage masterpieces and extraordinary one-of-a-kind modern guitars available for purchase, at prices ranging from $400 to $400,000. Over 30 distinguished guitarists including Mary Flower, Paul Asbel and Michael Chapdelaine will perform mini-concerts throughout the duration of the festival, to demonstrate the various guitars on display. Guests will also have the opportunity to try out their favorites inside both 'quiet' and 'loud' sound rooms.
Featured Events:
Muriel Anderson's ALL STAR GUITAR NIGHT - Some of the world's finest acoustic and electric guitar players including Laurence Juber, Tierra Negra, Phil Keaggy, Ed King and many more come together for an all-star jam session.
Ed King's 'Limited Edition: Ol' Red Re-Issue Guitar' - Original Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist and composer of the most famous southern anthem in rock and roll history, Sweet Home Alabama, will premiere his long awaited 'Limited Edition: Ol' Red Re-Issue Guitar.' King will be available to sign autographs and perform a few favorites.
Martin Guitar Company and Martin Braun Watch Collaboration Prototype - A special edition Martin Guitar, highlighting the elite world of guitar and watch collecting, will be unveiled. First-ever collaboration between a boutique watch company and a guitar company.
Sonic Sitka Project - Master luthier Denis Merrill will display the initial results of his Sonic Sitka Project, comparing the sound quality from using the same top Spruce wood in a variety of acoustic guitars.
Blue Guitar Exhibition - Commemorating the 1997 Smithsonian Exhibition of Guitars, the display features a variety of acoustic and electric guitars, as well as amplifiers, all in the color blue.
Bruce Petros Guitars: Tunnel 13 Project - Secrets from the "Last Great American Train Robbery" of the 1920's will be exposed as the Petros Tunnel 13 Redwood� guitars are giving voice to the remarkable Redwood of Tunnel 13. The Redwood-made Tunnel 13 stood silently for 120 years, absorbing the sounds of the thousands of trains and hundreds of thousands of people that passed beneath. At last, the mysterious wood with a rich history is ready to unleash its voice in the form of a guitar.
Hundreds of Unusual Guitars - Music and art lovers can witness the 'Golden Age' of modern guitar building first hand. From the dynamic 'Bird Fish' to guitars with video screens, and acoustic guitars built from million year old woods from as far away as New Zealand to electric guitars modeled after one of the most expensive automobiles on the planet, the Bugatti Veyron.
Seminars with the Industry's Greats - Bring your own guitars and learn from some of the world's most renowned soloists including Phil Keaggy, Laurence Juber, Charles Fox, Kinloch Nelson and Paul Asbell.
McKnight Guitars: Spar Sitka Unsilenced - Coast Guard patrols discovered the top of a ship's mast from the late 1890s in a cave off the Pacific coast of Washington nearly 30 years ago, in an area notorious for shipwrecks during the Alaskan gold rush. McKnight Guitars, one of only three luthiers in the world who has possession of the treasured mast, will uncover its rendition of the wood's beauty in sight and sound. As described by Denis Merrill, 'The soul of the Spar Sitka is finally finding its voice, a century after it first set sail.'
Over 200 Mini Demonstration Concerts - A collection of the best solo artists will demonstrate show guitars in 20 minute continuous segments throughout the festival on three different stages at the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood. All will be free with the price of admission.
What's It Worth? - Blue Book Publications, Inc. - Guests of the festival are invited to bring in guitars to be appraised by Blue Book value experts. Additionally, guests will have the opportunity to sell guitars to professional dealers.
Featured Artists:
Andy Whahlberg - The self-taught guitarist has been traveling the country playing the Harp guitar since the age of 14. Spanning more than 3,000 concerts and performances nationwide, 4 albums and hundreds of television and radio appearances, Whalberg has performed on stage with groups such as Chicago, Spyra Gyra, Firefall, Hall and Oates, Don McLean and the Spinners. In his own recording studio he has created soundtracks and scores for numerous television, radio and movie projects.
Ed King - Best-known as the guitarist for psychedelic rock band Strawberry Alarm Clock and Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. King met the members of Jacksonville, Florida-based Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd when the band opened up for Strawberry Alarm Clock in early 1968. It wasn't until 1972 that he joined Skynyrd, replacing Leon Wilkeson on bass, who left the band briefly. Wilkeson rejoined the band, and King switched to guitar, creating the triple-guitar attack that became a signature sound for the band. His guitar playing and songwriting skills were an essential element to the band's first three albums: Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd, Second Helping and Nuthin' Fancy. King co-wrote the Skynyrd hit song "Sweet Home Alabama" and it's his voice you can hear counting off the tune before launching into his famous Stratocaster riff. King, along with all pre-crash members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.
Fernando Pedomo - Miami guitarist combines progressive pop and classical for a unique sound that has earned him a steady stream of international and local performances, some produced by Emilio Estefan. Perdomo accompanied international Mexican superstar Paulina Rubio in her 2009 music video 'Cause & Effect' and he has recently released his first solo guitar album, which will debut at Florida's Newport Guitar Festival.
Kinloch Nelson �- A solo fingerstyle guitarist/singer, Nelson creates a synthesis of folk, jazz, classical, American popular music, and original compositions. His programs range from J.S. Bach to the blues and may include references to Miles Davis, Schubert, Flatt and Scruggs, The Ventures, and the occasional TV theme. His nearly 40-year career has run the gamut from solo classical and folk concerts in coffeehouses and folk festivals to club dates with jazz, country, rockabilly, rock, and rhythm & blues bands. He has has played with such notables as Tom Paxton, Amos Garrett, Luther Alison, Buddy Guy, and long-time influence Danny Gatton.
Laurence Juber - As a young working musician in London, England in the 1970s, Juber got an extraordinary, life-changing break when Paul McCartney picked him to become Wings' lead guitarist. Juber spent three years recording and touring with the band. During that time he won a Best Rock Instrumental GRAMMY for the track "Rockestra" from the Wings album, "Back To The Egg." After Wings folded in 1981, Juber embarked on a career as a solo artist, composer and arranger, and soon developed a reputation as a world-class guitar virtuoso, being voted No 1 by Fingerstyle Guitar magazine. Juber's DVD "Guitar Noir" is DVD Etc. magazine's top pick for surround-sound 5.1 audio and earned a 2005 CEA "Demmy" award for sonic excellence. His solo guitar arrangement of "The Pink Panther Theme" is featured on the Best Pop Instrumental GRAMMY-winning album "Henry Mancini-Pink Guitar". His arrangement of 'Stand By Me' was featured in the 'Diamonds Are Forever' TV commercial.
Mark Hambre - Inventor, performer, and teacher, Hambre is both a recording artist and a talented performer. His music is melodic and complicated, thrilling Fingerstyle enthusiasts across the United States. Amongst guitar players, Mark is known for the invention of the 'Neck Up' guitar accessory, which allows the guitar to be held in exactly the right position for comfortable and ergonomic playing.
Mary Flower - Yellow Dog Records recording artist Mary Flower is renowned for a uniquely personal vision of roots music that blends ragtime, acoustic blues, and folk - technically dazzling yet grounded in the down-to-earth simplicity of early 20th century American music. A Winfield runner-up and a Blues Music Award Nominee, she performs and teaches internationally.
Michael Chapdelaine - Worldwide, Chapdelaine enchants, dazzles and surprises audiences as he redefines the modern acoustic guitar with his "soulful" expressiveness, and versatility as a performer, composer and arranger/producer. Playing both steel string and classical guitars, his styles range from blues to Bach to country to rhythm n' blues.
Michael Isla - Varying from classical to contemporary acoustic, the music Isla composes is an eclectic mix of exotic flavors that take the mind, body and soul to the new dimension of Acoustica.
Muriel Anderson - Widely respected as one of the world's foremost fingerstyle guitarists and harp-guitarists, Anderson is the first woman to have won the National Fingerpicking Guitar Championship. She is host of the renowned "Muriel Anderson's ALL STAR GUITAR NIGHT" and founder of the Music for Life Alliance charity. Anderson has released numerous CD's, DVD's and guitar books. Her music can be heard in Woody Allen's film 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona.' and her 'Heartstrings' recording accompanied the astronauts on the space shuttle Discovery. Touring in the USA and internationally year round, Anderson's obvious joy of music and facility across musical genres is revered by guitarists and audiences worldwide. Her recent CD with Tierra Negra "New World Flamenco" has already garnered rave reviews.
Paul Asbell - A true "musician's musician," Asbell has played and recorded with legends like John Lee Hooker, Earl Hooker, Lightnin' Hopkins, Pops Staples, Otis Rush, Magic Sam, Junior Wells and many others. He also appeared on the milestone recording "Fathers and Sons" featuring Muddy Waters, Paul Butterfield and Mike Bloomfield, as well as "The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions" LP, featuring Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood and members of the Rolling Stones. Asbell has taught at the University of Vermont and Middlebury College, and has given master-classes at Skidmore College, Dartmouth College, Johnson State College, Marlboro College, and others. Past students have included recognized professionals in jazz, rock, folk, etc, including Phish songwriter/guitarist/icon Trey Anastasio.
Phil Keaggy - Perhaps one of the most admired guitarists in music today, Keaggy's solo career has spanned more than 30 years, and has included over 50 solo albums, both vocal and instrumental, as well as eight releases with his band, Glass Harp. One of the most sought after studio guitarists, Keaggy continues to sell out concerts all over the United States.
Roy Book Binder - Blues singing, guitar picking, songwriting raconteur, Book Binder has been featured on NPR's Fresh Air, appeared on the Emmy award winning segment of the PBS TV series EGG Art in America, and appeared more than 30 times on Ralph Emory's highly regarded TV series Nashville Now. Book Binder has been included in THE BIG BOOK OF BLUES, as well as Blues Who's Who.
Tierra Negra - In the world of modern Flamenco, few artists have attained the heights of Tierra Negra. In fact, so influential are these two German guitarists that they're often cited as the advocates of the Flamenco Nuevo movement. Leo Henrichs and Raughi Ebert, Tierra Negra's founding duo, have toured Europe extensively, recorded eight albums, and are featured on countless international guitar compilations and films. Their first major USA tour with Muriel Anderson brought standing ovations at every concert.
Tickets for Florida's Newport Guitar Festival are $20 per day or $50 for a 3-day pass (additional fees may apply). Guests may purchase tickets through Ticketmaster by phone at 1-800-745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com . Tickets are also available at the Hard Rock Live box office Tuesday - Saturday 12pm to 7pm and Sunday, April 18 at 9:30am. Free parking is available.
To learn more about Florida's Newport Guitar Festival, please visit www.NewportGuitarFest.com.
