Opportunities are everywhere for enterprising, creative performers who are not afraid to make something happen.
Oh, PG Nation, these are indeed strange times. The type of gigs we’ve been used to are drying up as fewer and fewer places continue to book live music, and even fewer of those to book acoustic music. And yet, opportunities are everywhere for enterprising, creative performers who are not afraid to make something happen.
Sam Knutson is one such enterprising Iowan who became intrigued by the old opera houses that were once the centerpieces of so many of our small towns. A friend invited him to attend a concert at an opera house in a little town named What Cheer, Iowa. Sam was immediately fascinated with the space, and within a matter of days, The Iowa Opera House Project was born.
A Confluence of Events
Sam had recently stopped working with a band, and was busy studying “what people who play country blues do with their right hand, because that seemed like an important thing to know how to do.” Country blues guitar was developing at around the same time that the opera houses were flourishing, so he was unconsciously steeping himself in opera house culture already.
When he attended his first opera house concert in What Cheer, he noticed that both the audience and those staffing the opera house were quite elderly. What if, he wondered, younger generations aren’t being given a reason to be passionate about these spaces? Will they once again fall into disrepair and disuse? He was also thinking, “How could I put on a show here?”
Being familiar with stages and sound from several years working at the University of Iowa’s Hancher Auditorium, he asked for a tour of the building. “It was rebuilt after a fire in 1895, and it’s still all original,” Sam enthused. “Big hemp ropes, tall timbers, huge pulleys . . . It looks like a tall ship.”
The staff in What Cheer recommended that he check out the Pella, Iowa, opera house, so he called them up the next day. The manager of that space asked, “Have you read the book?” He responded, “There’s a book?” Published in 1994, Opera Houses of Iowa is a little dated now, as some of the opera houses are gone, and others have been refurbished and are functioning again, but it was an excellent place to start.
Sam put out some feelers to a few places, and within days three opera houses got back to him. “They said, ‘Come here and play, here’s how much it costs to rent the space,’ and I thought, Wow, that’s not very much ... We could do that.” And so Sam Knutson, Dave Moore, Dustin Busch, and Jordan Sellergren did, in September and October 2011.
Sound
engineer Pete Becker gets Dave Moore and Dustin Busch set up behind
the original curtain at The Wieting, Toledo, Iowa.
A Living, Breathing Thing
The more people hear about this project, the more they want to be part of it. Main Street Iowa, a program of the Iowa Economic Development Authority, reached out to The Iowa Opera House Project because they felt the two had similar goals, and wondered what they could do to help. The Preucil School of Music in Iowa City offered meeting space for free. Other organizations and even manufacturers have also come onboard. “I think people are thrilled with the romantic notion of the whole thing and want to embrace it,” Sam explained.
The team also came together very quickly. Pete Becker was an ideal choice for sound engineering because he has a strong affinity for traditional and acoustic music, and a great deal of experience recording in a multitude of spaces. Becker is recording every concert, in addition to running sound. Filmmaker Ken Moehn then joined the cause—the first two concerts were filmed and recorded, and he made a beautiful promotional package from them.
Iowa communities are also getting very excited about the project. “Because a lot of these theaters are in really small towns,” Sam continued, “some of them far apart, part of the plan is to figure out how to bring lots of people there, make it like a tourist event, where you can camp over there, or you can stay in that hotel, here are the restaurants you can eat at, and you can go fishing over there, and there’s going to be a great show of acoustic music in a space that’s acoustically awesome and beautiful to look at—a whole package.”
Ear Trumpet Labs, a manufacturer of very vintage-looking microphones, has signed on to the project as well, working with Pete Becker to create what they’re calling an Ear Trumpet Labs stage. Sam saw the Portland string band Foghorn recently, and they were using a single Ear Trumpet Labs mic at the front of the stage, with everyone gathered around. He was immediately taken with not only the look and the vibe of that approach, but by the quality of the sound. “When you’re using a single large diaphragm mic on the stage with a monitor pointing directly at it, there are going to be feedback issues. But feedback issues are controllable if you have a few tricks up your sleeve. So I ran it through its paces, made it do all of the bad behaviors that microphones in that situation will do, and dipped out all the frequencies that I needed to dip out in the space to make it so that it wouldn’t be possible to make that mic feedback. But I needed to present so little gain to that microphone when it came time for them to play into it, that I was able to put all those frequencies back in and there were no feedback issues at all. And after I thought about it for a day, I thought, it’s old-timey looking, it sounds great, it’s perfect for this show. Playing in a big, ring-like space with a large diaphragm mic at the front of the stage would be perfect.” After seeing the promotional materials and having a conversation with Sam, Ear Trumpet was ready to be part of the project, too.
This Show is Ready to Hit the Road
Shows start this month, at the Wieting Opera House in Toledo, Iowa. The project is gathering momentum on a daily basis now, as more and more communities with opera houses reach out, or reach back. They’ve had some very good press lately, and are looking at more opportunities to get the word out. “We did a show at the Englert [Theatre, Iowa City] in February. They did a great job and we got a lot of attention from that, and it’s made a lot of things possible. We want to have these relationships in place when we want to do a show in Blairsburg, or Eldon, with maybe some decent hunting and fishing nearby.”
There are unused venues, opera houses, theaters, and other music-friendly spaces, all over the country. Some require major surgery to be put back into use; some require just a little TLC and some elbow grease. It’s amazing how a project like restoring an opera house can unite a community, and how much pride, joy and renewal a functioning space like that can offer. Plus, there is no sweeter gig for an acoustic musician than to stand on a stage that was designed for real acoustic music, and play to a full house of happy, emotionally invested music lovers.
Visit theiowaoperahouseproject.com or facebook.com/TheIowaOperaHouseProject for more information, and maybe a little inspiration.
Gayla Drake Paul is a guitarist, songwriter and writer, working as a soloist and with the Gayla Drake Paul Trio. Her CD, How Can I Keep From Singing, is in the Ten Essential CDs for Acoustic Guitarists at digitaldreamdoor.com. Her new CD, Trio Plus Three: The Luckiest Woman, can be purchased at CDBaby.com.
Fralin launches custom Prewired Tele Deluxe ’72 Pickguard featuring Lindy Fralin’s Wide Range Humbuckers.
"Our custom pickguards are not just upgrades; they are transformations. Each pickguard is skillfully built with the legendary Lindy Fralin’s Wide Range Humbuckers, renowned for their rich, full-bodied sound that will take your tone to the next level.
Paired with CTS Pots that provide unmatched reliability and precise control of your sound, every strum and pick will resonate with clarity and depth."
Features
- The ultimate “Build Your Own” Telecaster Deluxe ’72 Pickguard
- USA-Made pickups & electronics for superior quality
- Hand-wired with USA-Made vintage cloth lead for a traditional look
- Fully customizable – from appearance to function
- Hand-assembled, signed, and dated by our pickguard craftsman
- 10-year warranty on materials and craftsmanship
For more information, please visit fralinpickups.com.
With buffered bypass and top-mounted jacks, this compact pedal is perfect for adding punch to your playing.
Carl Martin has introduced the Tone Tweaker, a 12dBboost pedal designed to unleash the full potential of your favorite gear. This subtle yet powerful booster pedal is built with an internal voltage booster that provides extra headroom and makes your beloved tube amp sound even better. It is perfect for cutting through the mix during solos and adding extra punch to your rhythm playing.
Tone Tweaker features an efficient 3-band equalizer, allowing you to fine-tune your sound with dedicated controls for Mid, Treble, and Bass. Whether you want to add warmth to your midrange, more sharpness to your treble, or extra depth to the low end, Tone Tweaker gives you the tools to shape your sound with exceptional effect – subtle yet powerful.
Key Features
- 12dB Boost: Instantly enhance your signal with a clean, transparent boost that preserves the integrity of your original tone.
- Internal Voltage Booster: Increases the amount of voltage sent into the pedal’s circuitry, providing extra headroom and boost.
- 3-Band Equalizer: Customize your sound with precise adjustments using the Mid, Treble, and Bass controls. It's far more powerful than you think.
- Buffered Bypass: Preserves signal strength and tone quality, ensuring your sound remains consistent even when the pedal is not engaged.
- Top-Mounted In/Out Jacks and Compact Design: Designed to take up minimal space on your pedalboard, with top-mounted jacks saving space and providing a cleaner setup.
You can purchase The Tone Tweaker for $149 directly from Carl Martin and, of course, also at leading music retailers worldwide.
For more information, please visit carlmartin.com.
Carl Martin Tone Tweaker | Simple and Effective - YouTube
The Alabama-born country-rockers bring some custom gear from their home state to the stage of Nashville’s Ryman.
Mobile, Alabama’s Red Clay Strays started out as a local cover band. In 2016, they officially formed as the Strays, adding a couple players to round out the five-person outfit. After a few years gigging around the state and some festival slots, the band hit it big in 2023 when their song “Wondering Why” went viral on TikTok. It climbed up the Billboard charts and landed the band a deal with RCA Records. That led to their Dave Cobb-produced second studio LP, Made by These Moments, which was released on July 26.
In September, the band made their debut at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on tour behind the record, and guitarists Drew Nix and Zach Rishel brought a beautiful stable of American-made 6-strings for the occasion. They gave PG’s John Bohlinger a tour of the goods.
Brought to you by D’Addario.Faylands from Fairhope
Both Nix and Rishel play Fayland guitars, made by Chris Fayland in Fairhope, Alabama. Nix gives a quick, Ricky Bobby-esque rundown of his Fayland T-style: “It’s good wood, it plays real good. I don’t know what to do with my hands.” He strings it with .010s.
Memphis-Made
For semi-hollow “squishiness,” Nix turns to this Gibson ES-339, made in Memphis. This and Nix’s other guitars, including his Fayland and his 2017 Les Paul Classic with PAF-style Geppetto pickups, carry striking, detailed straps made by Jon Wye.
Drew Nix's Amp
Nix tours with two “run of the mill, Guitar Center” Fender Twin Reverbs, which he switched to after “blowing up” Rishel’s Fender Hot Rod Deville. The Ryman gig was being recorded, so Nix had a second one on hand in case the first ran into any issues.
Nix’s Straightforward Board
Nix runs a Pedaltrain Metro 24 board, which is loaded with an Ernie Ball VP JR, Peterson Strobostomp, JHS Whitey Tighty, Browne Amplification Atom, JHS Morning Glory, Xotic EP Booster, Strymon El Capistan, and Strymon Flint.
Fairhope "Firebird"
Rishel loves his Faylands, too. He tours with a baby blue “Mark II” Fayland Strat, equipped with stainless-steel frets and a Tele-style bridge pickup. His Fayland “Firebird” Tele is even more of a stunner, with its candy-red finish and firebird decal. This one has a trio of Lollar pickups, and a traditional three-way Tele switching system. A button between the volume and tone knobs activates the middle pickup for Strat-style tones and modified switching.
A Fine Vintage Super Reverb
Rishel picked up this 1968 Fender Super Reverb from Carter Vintage Guitars in Nashville, which he calls “the best guitar shop in the world.”
Zach Rishel's Pedalboard
On his board, Rishel runs a TC Electronic Polytune 3, SRossFX Sun King, MXR Custom Badass Modified O.D., Greer Super Hornet, SRossFX Echo Flex, TC Electronic Hall of Fame, SRossFX Dual Roebuck, and Keeley Dark Side. It’s all powered by a Mooer Macro Power S8.
This year marks a watershed for Taylor Guitars as the company celebrates its 50th anniversary of building high-quality instruments and contributing to the global music community. Over the past five decades, Taylor has grown from a small guitar shop in California to one of the world’s most innovative and respected guitar manufacturers. This milestone is being commemorated with several exciting initiatives, including a limited-edition anniversary guitar collection and the launch of American Dreamers, a new podcast miniseries featuring Taylor’s co-founders, Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug.
A Limited-Edition 50th Anniversary Collection
Three standouts in Taylor’s new 50th Anniversary Collection.
To kick off the celebrations, Taylor has introduced the first wave of models from its limited-edition 50th Anniversary guitar collection. These instruments, featuring exclusive appointments and designs, are crafted to honor Taylor’s tradition of innovation and excellence. Throughout the year, additional models will be released, each representing a chapter in Taylor’s journey over the past half-century.
In addition to the guitar collection, Taylor has launched a detailed timeline on its website that chronicles the company’s major milestones, innovations, and breakthroughs. This interactive resource allows fans and guitar enthusiasts to explore the evolution of Taylor Guitars and learn about the advancements that have set the company apart in the industry. From pioneering guitar designs to their commitment to sustainability, Taylor’s history is a testament to the company’s enduring passion for quality and innovation.
American Dreamers: A Podcast Miniseries
One of the most exciting parts of Taylor’s anniversary celebration is the release of American Dreamers, a podcast miniseries that offers listeners a unique glimpse into the history of the company through candid conversations with co-founders Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug. The podcast, hosted by Taylor’s Director of Sales, Dave Pelletier, dives deep into the personal and professional lives of Bob and Kurt, tracing their early beginnings and exploring the journey that led to the creation of Taylor Guitars.
The podcast starts with Bob and Kurt’s childhoods in San Diego, where they developed an interest in music and craftsmanship. Bob recalls how, during his teenage years, he became obsessed with making guitars, a passion that would later define his career. In American Dreamers, listeners get to hear the story of how Bob and Kurt first met at the American Dream guitar shop in Lemon Grove, California, when they were just 19 and 21 years old. The shop, with its free-spirited, hippie vibe, was a hub for musicians and guitar enthusiasts in the area. It was here that the seeds of their partnership were planted, leading to a business venture that would last over 50 years.
Bob Taylor (left) and Kurt Listug (right) circa 1973 – on the cusp of launching Taylor Guitars.
The Journey from a Small Shop to a Global Brand
In the inaugural episode of the podcast, titled “Episode 1: The Road to the American Dream,” Bob and Kurt reminisce about those early days, sharing the challenges and triumphs they faced in launching their own guitar company. After meeting at the American Dream shop, the duo eventually decided to buy the business and turn it into something even greater—a company dedicated to creating innovative, high-quality guitars.
Throughout the podcast, Bob and Kurt reflect on the pivotal moments that shaped the company’s growth, including their decision to implement groundbreaking guitar designs and their commitment to sustainability in later years. Taylor Guitars became known for its patented bolt-on neck, a feature that improved playability and ease of maintenance, as well as its forward-thinking use of responsibly sourced tonewoods. These innovations have solidified Taylor’s place as a leader in the guitar industry, setting new standards for craftsmanship and environmental responsibility.
Bob Taylor (left) and Kurt Listug (right) enjoy some of their new instruments in 1985.
American Dreamers isn’t just a historical retelling; it’s a treasure trove of insights for fans of Taylor Guitars and those interested in the art of guitar-making. The conversations between Bob, Kurt, and host Dave Pelletier offer a rare behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build a successful guitar company from the ground up. For aspiring entrepreneurs, guitar enthusiasts, and anyone curious about Taylor’s success, this podcast provides invaluable lessons in creativity, perseverance, and the spirit of innovation.
A Year of Reflection and Looking Ahead
As Taylor Guitars celebrates its 50th anniversary, the company is using this moment to both reflect on its past achievements and look ahead to the future. The limited-edition anniversary guitar collection and the American Dreamers podcast are just two ways Taylor is commemorating this milestone year. By sharing the personal stories of its founders and showcasing the craftsmanship that has made its guitars world-renowned, Taylor is giving fans and musicians an opportunity to connect with the brand on a deeper level.
New episodes of American Dreamers will be released periodically throughout the year, and listeners can tune in on their favorite podcast platforms or watch video versions of the interviews on Taylor’s website. Whether you’re a longtime fan of Taylor Guitars or someone interested in the art and business of guitar-making, this podcast promises to be an engaging and informative series that highlights the passion and dedication that have driven Taylor’s success over the past 50 years.
Be sure to follow or subscribe to American Dreamers to stay up to date on the latest episodes and visit Taylor’s website to explore the full range of anniversary guitars and learn more about the company’s 50-year journey.