Those early days of when you are young and get your first instruments are full of rich memories that come rushing back in, and my early memories were certainly rich ones. I suppose it is certainly helped by the fact that guitar became and remained so important in my life, but there still is just something about those early impressions that are made, and how they seem to stay imprinted on your mind forever!

Overdubbing is something we can all thank the great Les Paul for inventing.

I rarely talk about actual instruments I’ve gotten here on this blog, but my enthusiasm for this particular instrument has me barely able to contain myself! With a vintage guitar world that prices an original 1957 Les Paul goldtop at well over $100,000, it is so encouraging to see Gibson making a guitar of such undeniable quality, and which is such a joy to play. This guitar is a real achievement of excellence!

Thanksgiving is here again, and I am always overwhelmed by emotions at this time of year. Family and friends become extra important and special, and the family losses I have had to endure really come into an even stronger and sharper focus. The times when I can spend any time with my daughter Lexie, really are beyond description, and last night I was able to stay up late with her and teach her some slide guitar in open E tuning!

I know that calling you a “specialist” on the guitar almost sounds like you’re being too pigeon holed and to many, that’s exactly what it can be, but whether we like it or not, it’s actually a good thing to be recognized as a kind of specialist when it comes to playing. It certainly help with recording, since it makes folks think of you when a certain need arises in the guitar playing department, and it certainly can help open doors that lead you to being wanted for a wider variety of things to play!

Tonight will be one of those truly special nights again, as I take the stage at the legendary Iridium Jazz Club in NYC with not only The Les Paul Trio (headed up by Lou Pallo), but also with my band too! This is such a great venue to play in New York, especially because it just oozes goodness and great memories of all those wonderful nights that Les Paul “held court” there, and it’s so wonderful to feel that I have a part in continuing his legacy, as well as building on my own.

Many folks can find the world of professional music paved with many hardships and difficulties, and no matter which way you turn, your reputation and how others perceive you is always at stake. It is especially important if you really want to build confidence in your ability to really be there for people both musically and physically, and for others to know if you can really be counted on to do the right thing.

I suppose how you treat your instrument says a lot about you, and I’m sure you have thoughts on this subject, but I have found that the treatment of my guitars has kind of ebbed and flowed over the years. I can remember in the beginning, when I was first starting out, and finally got some good guitars, I was almost “anal” about not letting others play, touch or even so much as breathe on them! I was that way about many things in my life at that time, such as everything from my record collection to my guitars, and everything in between, too!

Arlen Roth on his search for a 1958 original and barely played Gibson Flying V.

I had the great honor a couple of years ago to do an album with Levon Helm, the late, great drummer for The Band, and also one of the most important singers in the history of rock music. We lost Levon Helm, just a few short months ago to cancer, and this was devastating to all who knew him, and to all in the world of music.