I know you have challenges that keep you from being the guitar player you want to be…
- No time
- Fat or short fingers
- Arthritis
- Bad back
- The list goes on…
And some of us have it worse than others.
So should we lean on these excuses? Let ourselves off the hook? Resign to knowing we’ll never overcome our issues and that’s just how it is?
That’s totally up to you, John. I’m not here to judge.
But I AM here to inspire!
So today I want you to watch this 9 minute interview segment with a guitar player who was dealt the absolute worst hand I can imagine, and still bounced back to play guitar another day.
Pete Huttlinger won the National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship and toured with John Denver, LeAnn Rimes and countless others before tragedy hit in November of 2010.
This video is the story from the man himself…
It’s powerful.
It’s moving.
And it’s inspiring as hell.
(plus I play a song with him at the end)
If he can do this, you and I can surely overcome some of our own obstacles.
Pete passed away January 15th 2016 shortly after our interview in late 2015. This has remained one of the most moving interviews I’ve done.
Pete set an amazing example for guitar geeks everywhere and I’ll always be grateful for him and his wife, Erin for sharing their story with us.
Watch this video to be inspired to overcome your limitations on guitar. Full interview here: https://youtu.be/UN8gTEJTnPM
Fine playing indeed but for me the message of this story was in Pete’s facial expressions at certain points in the piece; it’s the sheer joy of playing music, especially with others. Inspiring. Thank you both.
Couldn’t agree more Peter. I also keyed in on Pete’s expressions and stopped watching his fingers then. I felt the joy he was expressing. That’s what playing well is all about.
Since joining TAC, I’ve complained and moaned about my physical limitations — short, fat, inflexible fingers afflicted with arthritis, trigger finger on my left index finger, arthritic changes in my thumbs, etc. I experience pain when trying to make chords, my right hand gets cramped after awhile and my thumbs really hurt. But today I was inspired by an Acoustic Life interview. After watching the Peter Huttlinger interview and learning about what happened to him, I will never complain again. He had it much worse than I do, with his stroke and heart failure. but he learned to play again. And I loved what he and Tony played during that video. When I want to bitch and moan about my hands, I will think of Peter Huttlinger. I’ll just shut up and pick up my guitar again. Thank you for making that interview available.
Steve G,
Oldsmar, FL
Yo, Peter! You have to be amongst the most inspirational of guitar geekdom dudes and dudettes alive, or should I say “still alive”. Thank you for being you and not falling into victimhood like many do. Your playing is beautiful and inspirational without a past set of life taking and dibilitating experiences. One can only imagin how wonderfully you played before this happened to you. Or maybe it made you even better. In any case, thank you from the depts of my guitar geek heart.
John Z
Fron high up in the Andes of Peru.
Thank you for sharing that moving interview with Pete Huttlinger. To this point I have found much inspiration from your e mails to me concerning playing guitar. After the “pete” interview, I have found new inspiration to improve and work on my playing. What a heart this man had, you continue his inspiration through yours. Thank you Tony.
Wow! Inspirational and man can he play. You would never know he had all those roadblocks getting in the way. You guys both sound good together. Like the smiles on his face as he nails it – pure joy!
Pete’s an amazing and inspiring tale of grit, determination and professionalism. I enjoyed the type of music. I am new to guitar and I enjoy guitar songs with Celtic and Irish influence.