I remember when Rick Kreiser approached me about his new dream “Guitar Masters,” and how he wanted to bring in the best solo guitar players in the world to his beloved hometown of Bakersfield. I felt honored to be asked, and I actually played at his 5th concert. Rick’s amazing confidence and exuberant personality won me over. I played there a year or two later, but the Guitar Masters concert series has gotten so popular that agents and musicians have been knocking on his door to get in on the fun. Guitar Masters was a hit!
When Rick asked me to play his 75th show at Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace, I recommended that he should bring in Nashville fiddling virtuoso Andy Leftwich. I’ve done a number of shows with Andy through the years. This by far was my favorite. For me it was not only a great musical experience, but an inspirational evening as we played to a warm, wonderful and exciting audience on a stage created and built by our country music hero, Buck Owens. When a place was created by a man’s dream for people to perform and enjoy this wonderful gift of music and another man’s dream to bring in great musicians like Tommy Emmanuel, Steve Wariner and Jerry Douglas, it causes a reaction. I just feel that when we played The Guitar Masters concert at the Crystal Palace... it was as though Heaven and Earth kissed and my buddy Andy and I got caught right in the middle of the smack!
(Photos courtesy of Katie Kreiser.)
