Anyone reading the App Summer reading book Clapton's Guitar?

http://www.powells.com/biblio/7-9780743266369-5

I am. Great book. Wayne is Funny, humble and an amazing builder and picker. He is playing at Linville Falls winery this weekend.

pkasu wrote:I am. Great book. Wayne is Funny, humble and an amazing builder and picker. He is playing at Linville Falls winery this weekend.

They need to get him to play on campus at some point this year. Is that planned?

Are you reading this as a student; just wanted to read it since it was connected to App State; or just like the story?

I am an alumnus, and my son is a junior at App. He plays guitar, and I just started – so when I saw it on the reading list, I bought it. It is my understanding that he is to come to the Holmes Center something in the fall.

What is Henderson's connection to App?

Nugget49 wrote:What is Henderson's connection to App?

He lives a few miles in Virgina (Rugby, VA). Beyond the connection to the area I don't think there is any connection directly. He has a foundation that helps fund local school music programs, including those in North Carolina (where his current SO works/worked.)

Someone, I assume someone in the English Dept at App picked it as the summer reading book for the University for the local connection to the mountains. It was mentioned at Freshman Orientation so I picked the book up myself to read it.

Nugget49 wrote:What is Henderson's connection to App?

http://arts.gov/honors/heritage/fellows/wayne-henderson

In addition to the previously mentioned connection to the mountains of NW NC and SW VA, Henderson had a strong connection to Doc Watson. Doc, now deceased, began his long and distinguished career picking and singing on street corners in downtown Boone. Anyone who attended Appalachian from the late 50s through the early 70s will remember seeing Doc perform all along West King Street. In spring 1973, Doc did a SRO concert in Varsity Gym in front of "live audience" cameras from PBS and UNC-TV. That video became a PBS classic. And Doc's talent became known all over the world...

asu66 wrote:

Nugget49 wrote:What is Henderson's connection to App?

http://arts.gov/honors/heritage/fellows/wayne-henderson

In addition to the previously mentioned connection to the mountains of NW NC and SW VA, Henderson had a strong connection to Doc Watson. Doc, now deceased, began his long and distinguished career picking and singing on street corners in downtown Boone. Anyone who attended Appalachian from the late 50s through the early 70s will remember seeing Doc perform all along West King Street. In spring 1973, Doc did a SRO concert in Varsity Gym in front of "live audience" cameras from PBS and UNC-TV. That video became a PBS classic. And Doc's talent became known all over the world...

He also did a tour of Africa in circa 1966/67 sponsored by the United States Department of State.

Doc was the "speaker" in song at my graduation in 1973. Not many folks get a concert for their graduation. I certainly remember who spoke at my graduation from Appalachian.

Spoiler Alert: (Scroll a bit, and highlight to read. Font color is white.)




















The end of the book is a bit of a let down. I know EC is a busy person, but I get the feeling that either the 10 year wait was enough to turn it to the point of "why do I even care" or he has so many guitars it is down on the rotation of use.

Does anyone have any footage of him, EC, using the guitar? Maybe concert footage on youtube.

I think using EC’s name was away to appeal to the masses and sell the book. Even with the ending (disappointing), it was still a good read and high lighted a gifted and talented man. I am hoping to get up to Boone when he comes to speak about the book. In this day and age, it is nice to hear about a person who is generous and humble like Wayne.

pkasu wrote:I think using EC’s name was away to appeal to the masses and sell the book. Even with the ending (disappointing), it was still a good read and high lighted a gifted and talented man. I am hoping to get up to Boone when he comes to speak about the book. In this day and age, it is nice to hear about a person who is generous and humble like Wayne.

I found this

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/foru ... p?t=208773

which answers some questions and reconfirms some of my own thoughts. #12 in the thread.

Good book, glad I read it. I think my feelings are very common in how it ended however.

I don't know if this book is going to appeal to a non-musical 18 year old female. Not that it must. Part of reading in college is reading some things that are less than interesting to oneself. I know of one person close to me that is not overly thrilled with the book topic (when compared to the UNCG summer reading at least.)

The cynic in me wonders if the book title was done by a book publisher for sales, when the real story is about a great guitar that does great craftsman work (and made a guitar gratis for someone famous.) Maybe a title like "Slowhands: Making Guitars that takes years" would never connect to EC and therefore not lead to the less than thrilling ending.

McLeansvilleAppFan wrote:

pkasu wrote:I think using EC’s name was away to appeal to the masses and sell the book. Even with the ending (disappointing), it was still a good read and high lighted a gifted and talented man. I am hoping to get up to Boone when he comes to speak about the book. In this day and age, it is nice to hear about a person who is generous and humble like Wayne.

I found this

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/foru ... p?t=208773

which answers some questions and reconfirms some of my own thoughts. #12 in the thread.

Good book, glad I read it. I think my feelings are very common in how it ended however.

I don't know if this book is going to appeal to a non-musical 18 year old female. Not that it must. Part of reading in college is reading some things that are less than interesting to oneself. I know of one person close to me that is not overly thrilled with the book topic (when compared to the UNCG summer reading at least.)

The cynic in me wonders if the book title was done by a book publisher for sales, when the real story is about a great guitar that does great craftsman work (and made a guitar gratis for someone famous.) Maybe a title like "Slowhands: Making Guitars that takes years" would never connect to EC and therefore not lead to the less than thrilling ending.

You don't need to be cynical. You could be a realist and arrive at the same conclusion. A high percentage of required reading at the collegiate level is material that most students would not choose to read on their own. Further, much required college reading is done from books written by professors who make books they've written, helped to write or have edited (and for which they receive royalties for every copy sold), required for the courses they teach. It's part of the American way and part of academic freedom. Actually, it's part of Western civilization.