The Albums That Made Me

This is a list of 10 albums most responsible for the guitarist I am today.  They are in no particular order, so this isn’t a “Top Ten”:

1.) John Renbourn—The Black Balloon
2.) Alexander-Sergei Ramirez—Sor: Compositions for Guitar
3.) John Williams—Spanish Guitar Music
4.) Pepe Romero—Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez
5.) Sharon Isbin—Bach: Complete Lute Suites
6.) Yo Yo Ma—Bach: Complete Cello Suites
7.) James Levine conducts Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana
8.) Sabicas—El Rey Del Flamenco
9.) Miles Davis—Kind of Blue
10.) Pepe Romero—Giuliani: Complete Guitar Concertos

John Renbourn’s “Black Balloon” comes first to mind.  My parents played it occasionally but I became fixated with it when I was 15 or so.  I had been playing guitar for about 3 years and my playing was in a rut.  I listened to that album and was blown away.  All that from just one guitar?  Back in the day the Shanachie label (which put out Renbourn’s albums) allowed for listeners to send away for his music. I did and, sure enough, 6-8 weeks later I got the tabs to play the album! Some of Renbourn’s albums even came with the music inside the LP or CD! I got hooked. I would listen to the recordings and try to play them back as best as I could. Little did I know that John Renbourn would be my gateway drug to classical guitar, which had a similar technique. The rabbit hole went deep, seemingly without end, and here I am today. Sometimes I ask myself, “Why didn’t I take the blue pill?” I’m glad I didn’t.