HALS PROFILE
Although I have played the guitar for most of my life I have experienced something of a renaissance in these last few years. There have been several major motivations that have contributed to this situation.
The first must be my singing partner 'other half' Martin Parrott. We hit it off musically a couple of yours ago and Martin challenged me to get rid of my old Epiphone 12 string guitar. A great piece of kit but not really practical for what we wanted to achieve together.
After a birthday crisis which stopped me in my tracks and after 'permission from the management', I became the proud owner of a wonderful 'Fylde' 'Eric Bibb Signature' guitar which cost nearly as much as what my car's worth. It is a real beauty!
Part of my thinking was even at my late stage of life 'I am going to learn to play this guitar properly, something I have avoided doing these last forty years.
My friend Martin was taking lessons from a local teacher, musician and CD, producer Albie Harrup so it was natural for me to contact him and follow suit. Albie is great guy, a skilled teacher, a wonderful musician and an exacting professional music producer. My chord skills and knowledge are really improving and of course Albie has produced my first Album.
I also discovered a website called www.6-string-videos.com run by a guy called Mike Herberts. Mike's a down to earth straight shooter who has developed a practical easy to follow website using videos to help you learn to play the songs you want. My desire was to learn how to 'pick' the guitar proficiently, something I have never been able to do all my life (I even have my original thumb pick which is over thirty years old). Mike made it easy for me to learn and although I am still developing I can now carry a song competently with a couple of different styles.
Now add together a guitar picking with sweet sounding chords on a 'Fylde' guitar and "wham bam thank you maam". I love it.
I want to keep writing and singing and developing but I have to say to if you want to improve then get yourself a mentor a teacher who can help you get where you want to go. You may not even know at this stage know just what is possible for you to achieve till you try. But get some help and go to it!
Hal is a local businessman and an active church member who engages in numerous ways with the local community. He is a trustee on a couple of local charities of which he is also an active fundraiser. He has played squash for many years and all though his football career is nearly over he regularly plays eight a side every week. Of course the great love in his life 'apart form his wife' is music and his guitar.
Contact Hal at : halclarkson@googlemail.com