Check out the people who were kind enough to be interviewed for this crazy film.
Dick Boak
Dick Boak’s legendary career with C. F. Martin & Co. started in 1976 and spanned 42 years.Now retired, Dick is still building guitars for fun, creating new pointillist illustrations, writing songs anddoing occasional speaking engagements.Martin Guitar -Founded in 1833, our guitars were strummed by Civil War soldiers around campfires,helped shape the sound of modern music at the turn of the 20th century, and were played by music’s firstsuperstars like Jimmie Rodgers and Gene Autry. Decades later, Martins floored the crowd at Woodstock, then took center stage on MTV Unplugged, and can be heard on countless classic and contemporary songs across all genres of music. Artists like Hank Williams, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, John Lennon, NeilYoung, John Mayer, Seth Avett, and many others all played Martins, creating much of the soundtrack of the last century.Click here for full bio and Dick’s website: https://www.dickboak.com/www.martinguitar.com
Lindsay-Love
Lindsay Love-Bivens is Taylor’s Artist and Community Relations Manager. Lindsay brings a great mix of credentials to her position—she’s been a performing artist and guitar player across multiple genres; she has years of experience at Taylor in guitar production and repair. Lindsay has a passion for promoting diversity and inclusiveness throughout Taylor’s extended global community.
Taylor Guitars is an industry-leading manufacturer of premium acoustic guitars headquartered in El Cajon, California. Founded in 1974 by Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug, the company is widely recognized for its innovative manufacturing techniques and tone-enhancing designs, and players around the world love the easy playability of Taylor’s guitar necks. Taylor is currently led by Chief Guitar Designer, President and CEO Andy Powers. In December of 2020, Taylor became 100-percent employee owned.
www.taylorguitars.com
50 th Anniversary Podcast link:
https://www.taylorguitars.com/50th-anniv-podcast
Mark Agnesi
After a 2 year stint as a professional guitarist, Mark became the General Manager of the world famous Norman’s Rare Guitars in Tarzana, CA. Mark spent the next 10 years running NRG’s and building social media and Youtube followings from his daily webseries “Guitar of the Day.” After 734 episodes of the show, and amassing over 200k followers on Instagram, Mark moved his family back to Nashville in 2019, and took on the role of Director of Brand Experience for Gibson Guitars. Since arriving at Gibson, Mark has launched Gibson TV and Gibson Films, as well as designing the Gibson Garage locations around the world.
Gibson Guitar has shaped the sounds of generations of musicians and music lovers across genres for more than 100 years. Founded in 1894 and headquartered in Nashville, TN, Gibson has a legacy of world-class craftsmanship, legendary music partnerships, and progressive product evolution. The Gibson portfolio includes Gibson, as well as many of the most beloved and recognizable music brands, including Epiphone, Kramer, Steinberger, MESA/Boogie, and the Gibson Pro Audio division, KRK Systems. Gibson is dedicated to quality, innovation, and sound excellence so that music lovers for generations to come will continue to experience music shaped by Gibson.
Gibson.com
Justin Norvell
Justin Norvell brings more than 25 years of global experience as Executive Vice President, Fender Products and Manufacturing at Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC).
In this role, Norvell oversees all aspects of the Fender Brand, including Product Development, Product Management and Production of electric guitars and basses, acoustic guitars, amplifiers, accessories, lifestyle, and licensing. He is also an accomplished multi-instrumentalist with music licensed worldwide and has appeared on many records as well as his own musical projects, which he continues to record to this day.
FENDER: For nearly 80 years, Fender® has created innovative musical equipment and revolutionized music and culture as one of the world's leading musical instrument manufacturers, marketers and distributors. Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC)–whose portfolio of owned and licensed brands includes Fender®, Squier®, Gretsch® guitars, Jackson®, EVH®, Charvel®, Bigsby® and PreSonus® – follows a player-centric approach to crafting the highest-quality instruments and digital experiences across genres. In 2021, Fender celebrated 75 years of giving artists "wings to fly," carrying on the vision of its founder, Leo Fender, and connecting players through a shared love of music.
Follow @Fender across social platforms
www.Fender.com
Ryan Kershaw
Ryan Kershaw must be either very humble or in the Witness Protection Program. His personal bio is simply that he is the Executive Vice President of Bond Audio. I also know he has a 1 1/2 year old puppy but that’s it.
D'Angelico Guitars Founded in 1932, D’Angelico Guitars is a New York City-based guitar brand built on the history of one of the most revered luthiers of all time. D’Angelico instruments were strictly hand-made, and in very limited quantities. During the late 1930s, when production was at its peak, D’Angelico made approximately 35 instruments per year with the help of only two workers.
In the D’Angelico brand had been purchased and a support system of new management, state of the art manufacturing, warehousing and distribution infrastructure was built. By 2017, the brand had grown notably.
www.dangelicoguitars.com | @dangelicony
www.suprousa.com | @suprousa
www.pigtronix.com | @pigtronix
Marty Schwartz
Marty Schwartz, or as he’s better known on the Internet, Marty Music has been the face of guitar education on the Internet for the last decade and a half.
With over 4 million YouTube subscribers, over two billion video views, and a career longer than most rock bands, Marty has arguably taught more people how to play guitar than anyone else in the world.
If the guitar is the “people’s instrument” then Marty is the “people’s instructor.” Marty has been a school music teacher, a private guitar instructor, and has cut his teeth touring in some serious rock bands. As a result, his approach to teaching guitar is far from formal. His love for the guitar is undeniable and he infuses every pupil with that same fire.
Beginning his career early in YouTube’s history, Marty’s impact has grown as the platform has grown. As the role of the guitar has shifted in music throughout the years, Marty has remained a core voice of the culture. It’s clear that Marty has found his true calling as a guitar educator and he’ll undoubtedly continue to cultivate new and surprising guitar talents.
https://www.martymusic.com/
Justin Sandercoe
Justin Sandercoe is a renowned Australian guitarist, educator, and author. With almost three decades of experience, Justin has become a leading figure in the online guitar community. His website has empowered millions of aspiring guitarists worldwide with its comprehensive lessons, tutorials, and resources—and is recommended by names like Brian May, Mark Knopfler, and Steve Vai.
His unique approach combines technical expertise with a high-level ability to understand the best way to help students unlock their full potential—leading him to earn the trust and admiration of millions of guitar enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels in every corner of the world.
When he's not teaching or recording, Justin prioritizes spending time with his family, exercising, and training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
justinguitar.com
Tyler Larson
Tyler Larson is a Nashville-based guitarist and content creator who has become one of the internet’s most prominent and engaging guitar personalities – someone who is highly respected for producing quality videos that cover just about every single topic guitar players find themselves thinking about.
Tyler also is the founder of Guitar Super System, one of the largest independently owned guitar learning applications complete with lessons that provide professional instruction across an array of styles, with others devoted to understanding music from a more theoretical standpoint, plus gear tests with no shortage of tasteful chops to demonstrate the subject of the moment.
He’s also interviewed different kinds of guitar heroes for his channel, from ’80s shredders like Steve Vai to Paul Gilbert and Zakk Wylde to modern masters like St. Vincent, Yvette Young and Cory Wong, examining their signature tones and techniques.
http://YouTube.com/musiciswin
http://guitarsupersystem.com
Charlie Wallace
Charlie Wallace is the founder of Guitar Mastery Method, and the guitarist/songwriter for New Zealand hard rock band Black Smoke Trigger.
Wallace has built Guitar Mastery Method into one of the largest guitar lesson platforms in the world. With his band, Black Smoke Trigger, they have recorded with legendary producers Michael Wagener (Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, Skid Row) and Nick Raskulinecz (Alice In Chains, Deftones, Korn), most recently touring through Australia with Filter and Europe with Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden.
https://blacksmoketrigger.com/
https://www.guitarmasterymethod.com/
https://charliewallace.com/
Dan DelVecchio
Inspired by The Beatles at age 8, Dan quickly discovered his passion for guitar. As he honed his craft through the years with exceptional teachers that led him to Hofstra University's renowned music program and a BA in Music.
Dan has continued to study the styles of legendary guitarists and now, 22 years later, Dan is an accomplished and well-established New York based performer, songwriter, session musician, and teacher dedicated to his art.
His current band, DON'T BELIEVE IN GHOSTS is signed with Imagen Records/Warner ADA, and is featured on Apple TV's "We Crashed" soundtrack. Between his prolific talent, social media following and guitar video content.
Dan has earned sponsorship from PRS Guitars, Ernie Ball, KORG, VOX, Samson Audio, Michael Kelly Guitars, and more.
https://www.dandelvecchioguitar.com/
Crispin Weir
Crispin Weir is the owner of Regent Sounds, Iconic Recording Studio and Guitar Store in London UK. Founded in 1948, the Rolling Stones recorded their first three albums there which opened the door for many other legendary rock stars to record there, including: Jimi Hendrix, The Kinks, The Who, Elton John, David Bowie, Black Sabbath and countless others.
Now as a guitar shop, ‘Regent Sounds’ has come full circle with music being played here all day every day.
https://www.regentsounds.com/
Nate Westgor
Nate Westgor - Orphaned in high school, Nate Westgor went on to do what his parents feared…he sang in various rock bands and toured across the Midwest. He began finding vintage guitars and reselling them in Chicago as well as doing guitar repair for The Sound Post.
Moving to St Paul in 1986 he brought his reputation and love for vintage and repairs with him. Willie DelMar was a stage name given him by “The Hornets” his last band in Chicago. Thus began Willie’s American Guitars with a deep love and respect for the American Icon, the guitar, and those that make a living with it.
Willie’s American Guitars has for 35 years been dedicated to the art, science, history and tone of the American guitar. Voted the 6th best guitar store in America by “Guitar World Magazine” Willie’s was started by Nate Westgor (aka “Willie”) and has a happy band of irreverent and knowledgeable co-workers. Located in St Paul Minnesota yet known worldwide We buy, sell, trade, and admire all forms of that American icon, the guitar.
https://www.williesguitars.com/
Lillian Werbin
Lillian Werbin is the Co-Owner and CEO of Elderly Instruments, a renowned retailer of fretted and stringed musical instruments and a cherished haven for musicians, located in Lansing, Michigan. In addition to her leadership at Elderly Instruments, Lillian is an active and influential board member of the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM), Bluegrass Pride, and the IBMA Foundation. Through these organizations, she has played a pivotal role in creating and sustaining inclusive spaces for musicians on a national scale.
Elderly Instruments offers great new, used, and vintage instruments, as well as accessories, instructional materials, and even a few wacky things, all at great prices. Our repair shop is one of the best in the world, with over 150 years of combined experience. We originally opened on July 5, 1972 in East Lansing, with about 15 or 20 used instruments.
By 1983, we had outgrown our original space, so we bought and renovated an old lodge hall in Lansing. The current Elderly workforce includes Stan Werbin, original founder, Lillian Werbin, heir apparent, and just under 40 stellar employees, many of whom have been here for well over 20 years.
www.elderly.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d413tFGtfms
www.facebook.com/elderlyinstruments
www.instagram.com/elderlyinstruments
Tommy Colletti
Tommy Colletti started playing guitar at the age of 12. Lessons quickly progressed into an obsession. By the age of 15, he was teaching at the local music store in Maspeth, Queens. Tommy then studied music at Queens College’s Aaron Copeland School of Music. After graduation, he joined Brooklyn based hard rock band Kingsland.
Eventually, Kingsland broke up and Tommy moved to Studio City, California. His early roommates included Greg D'Angelo, drummer of White Lion (Tommy's cousin) and Derek Sherinian, then keyboardist for Alice Cooper and Dream Theatre. Tommy wrote briefly with D’Angelo and recorded with D'Angelo and bassist James Lomenzo (White Lion, Pride and Glory featuring Zakk Wylde). Tommy was also considered for the Alice Cooper band at that time. After a quick visit back to New York the idea for a guitar store started to take shape.
The Music Zoo, Inc. opened the doors in its original location in Little Neck, Queens in late March of 1994. In 2011 The Music Zoo moved to a larger location in Roslyn Harbor. The Roslyn location also became home to visits, clinics and performances by Steve Vai, Warren DeMartini of Ratt, Nuno Bettencourt of Extreme, Steve Miller, Jimmy Vivino, Perephery’s Misha Mansoor and Marc Holcomb, Captain Kirk Douglas and The Roots, Guthrie Govan, Megadeth's Chris Broderick and Dave Ellefson, Tosin Abasi, Yankee and jazz guitarist Bernie Williams and more.
In 2019 The Music Zoo moved from Roslyn to Farmingdale to their new and current home and showroom.
www.themusiczoo.com
