Beatle Paul & President Obama...

Last Wednesday, July 28, I made it home just in time to catch Beatle Paul  performing at the White House  for President Barak Obama and guests. What a trip! <- to put it in the 60's vernacular =).

I came to find out later that "the most successful songwriter ever" had trouble getting through security!  Paul McCartney and his band had arrived at the White House early because they didn't want to be late for their important gig.

The Daily Express quoted McCartney as saying...

"Getting through the security of the White House (was memorable). For the rehearsal, we got through fine. But for the actual gig, we were sort of not let in," 

"At the gate we said, 'We're the entertainment.' He (the security guard) said, 'No, you'll have to walk around the other block.' 

"It was heavy traffic, so we're going, 'Oh geesh. Wouldn't you just know it'..."

Can you imagine billionaire Beatle Paul McCartney just walking down the street of Washington DC in broad daylight?  I wonder what kind of excitement that might that have caused?

Security guards finally let Paul in through a different entrance and everything turned out fine. President Obama presented Sir Paul with the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song - America’s highest award for popular music.

Paul performed some of his most memorable songs, including: Elenore Rigby, Yesterday, and Hey Jude.

Before presenting the award to Paul, President Obama said...

"Even as we gather here tonight to present this annual award for extraordinary contributions to American music and culture -- that's right, we stole you, Paul -- (laughter) -- it goes without saying that this has been a very difficult time.  We've gone through a difficult year and a half, and right now our thoughts and our prayers are with friends in another part of the country that is so rich in musical heritage -- the people of the Gulf Coast who are dealing with something that we simply had not seen before.  And it’s heartbreaking.  And we reaffirm, I think together, our commitment to see to it that their lives and their communities are made whole again.  (Applause.) 

But part of what gets us through tough times is music, the arts, the ability to capture that essential kernel of ourselves, that part of us that sings even when times are hard.  And it’s fitting that the Library has chosen to present this year’s Gershwin Prize for Popular Song to a man whose father played Gershwin compositions for him on the piano; a man who grew up to become the most successful songwriter in history -– Sir Paul McCartney."  the White House


President Obama went on to say that the Beatles "...weren’t the first rock stars.  They’d be the first to say that others had opened that door for them. But they blew the walls down for everybody else.  In a few short years, they had changed the way that we listened to music, thought about music and performed music forever.  They helped to lay the soundtrack for an entire generation -- an era of endless possibility and of great change."

And I, for one, am really grateful they did! Congratulations Paul!

Till next time...

Keep practicing!

Kathy Unruh
abclearnguitar.com

LEARN SOME ACOUSTIC GUITAR SECRETS

Would you like to learn some acoustic guitar secrets?

Well, I just got an "insider" tip that Dan Denley is offering a 50% discount on his Acoustic Guitar Secrets course...

In case you didn't know, this is one of his all-time best selling courses (it sold almost 600 copies in the first 12 HOURS after it was released.)

It has an extremely low return rate, which can only mean that his customers are very happy with the course and learning a lot from it!

Dan told me that from now until midnight on Saturday, July 24th, his entire Acoustic Guitar Secrets course would be available for HALF price...

Acoustic Guitar Secrets Course Now 50% Off!...

This course is jam packed with 5 DVDs (there are 7 HOURS of video), 2 jam-along CDs and a big 135-pg book... all 100% dedicated to ACOUSTIC guitar.

What if you are a beginner?

NO PROBLEM!

The Acoustic Guitar Secrets course is perfect for beginner to intermediate guitar players. You will learn the must-know strumming patterns, chords and progressions that will take you from someone who just "plays around"... to a REAL acoustic guitarist who can play nearly any song in any style.

You will also learn a TON of new songs AND finger picking patterns so you'll always be ready to grab your guitar and impress your friends when someone says, "Hey, play something for us!"

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL...

In addition to getting the entire course for 50% Off, Dan is also giving away SEVEN Free Bonuses! Here is what you'll get if you act fast...

FAST-ACTION BONUS #1 (First 25 Orders):

Get the complete online version of Blues Guitar Secrets (original version).Originally sold for $127, yours FREE!

FAST-ACTION BONUS #2 (First 50 Orders):

Triple Your Chords In 7 Days course ($97 Value).

FAST-ACTION BONUS #3 (First 100 Orders):

20 Finger Strength & Agility Exercises ($27 Value). These 20 exercises are the secret to building massive strength in your hands and fingers so you can easily fret any chord and eliminate "dead" notes!

BONUS #4: Chord Names Explained ($17 Value).

In this short, but powerful video you'll learn how to read,
pronounce and play the most important chords for acoustic guitar.

BONUS #5: Barre Chord Mastery ($27 Value).

In these six powerful videos you'll learn the most important barre chords, how to play them and how to move them across the fretboard!

BONUS #6: Progress Tracker ($18 Value).

Chart your daily progress and know exactly what to work on next.

BONUS #7: Quick-Start Guide ($12).

Shows you exactly how to use all the material in your course, and in which order to watch the DVDs.

WHEW!

That's a lot of goodies... and you get it all FREE when you try his entire Acoustic Guitar Secrets system for 50% off.

Click the link below to grab your copy and save 50%:

Acoustic Guitar Secrets Course Now 50% Off!...

Till next time...

Keep practicing!
Kathy Unruh

P.S. Don't forget... This special half off sale ends at midnight on Saturday, July 24, 2010.

IS YOUR GUITAR SETUP RIGHT?

Many people have discovered that buying a guitar online can be a great way to save money. But what happens after their brand-new instrument arrives and they can't play it because the action is too high or the intonation is off?

Well, if this has happened to you, don't panic or think you need to ask for a refund.  It may be that you just need to have a few adjustments done so that your guitar is setup correctly.

Guitars are sensitive instruments because they are made of wood. This means that they are pliable and easily effected by changes in temperature and humidity. So, if you ordered a new guitar that traveled through different climates and/or was exposed to changes in elevation, chances are, it will need some adjusting by the time it gets to you.

There are professional luthiers who can do this for you, but if it costs more than $100 then you might want to learn how to set up a guitar yourself.  Besides, it's normal for all guitars to need a periodic adjustment from time to time as they age. Learning how to setup your own guitar will help you keep it in good playing condition for years to come.

Even if you are not interested in doing your own guitar setup, you can benefit from knowing how it is done. Understanding the process will equip you with a better  means of communication whenever you have to take your guitar into the shop for maintenaince or repair.

So, keep these things in mind when you buy your guitar online (or off) and may it live long and prosper!

Till next time...

Keep practicing!

Kathy Unruh

abclearnguitar.com

SUMMER GUITAR LESSONS

If you're thinking of giving yourself, or your kids, guitar lessons this summer, then I suggest you at least consider the possibility of using a home study course.





There are several reasons why I recommend this, but probably the best one is that it will save you time and money. As you may know, private guitar lessons with a professional instructor can cost anywhere from $30 to $75 per hour, not to mention the time and gas expense it takes to drive back and forth to the lessons.

These expenses can add up fast and be hard to justify during difficult economy times. But, rather than deprive your child, or yourself, from having fun and developing musically, why not have a professional guitar instructor in your home (via DVD) for a fraction of the cost?

Right now you can get a complete 2-year Home Study course for guitar that comes with a 68 page Teachers Guide and 2-DVD Teachers Resource Set.  The  entire 2-year course is available, this weekend only, for what it would cost for just one month of lessons with a private guitar instructor.

With this award winning course you can give your child the opportunity to learn from a professional guitar teacher who holds a degree in music and has recorded in Nashville, Tennessee.

Why pay for ONE MONTH of guitar lessons when you can get TWO YEARS worth of quality guitar lessons for the same price?  The math is simple...  

Special Weekend Offer only good through Sunday July 11th

Learn and Master Guitar Homeschool Edition

All the best to your guitar playing success!

Till next time...

Keep practicing!

July 4th & The Star Spangled Banner

Well the fourth of July is just around the corner and it is a great time for music and celebration. For those of us who live in the USA, the fourth also means barbecues, picnics, and lots of noisy fireworks!

But it is more than that. It is a special day where people can come together and celebrate the freedoms they enjoy as citizens of America.

Francis Scott Key summed it all up when he wrote the words and music to our national anthem, The Star Spangled Banner...

Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air
Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say, does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

The words and music that Francis Scott Key wrote are truly beautiful and I love this song!

Of course, Jimi Hendrix added a new flair to The Star Spangled Banner when he played it at the Woodstock Festival back in 1969. It quickly became a popular anthem for those who were opposed to the war in Vietnam because Hendrix was able to make his electric Fender guitar sound like missiles were falling from the sky. No one had ever played a guitar like that before.

Well... I have a little "tradition" of listening to Jimi's version of The Star Spangled Banner on the 4th of July. After dark, when everyone else is shooting off fireworks and making lots of noise, I put this song on and turn it up really loud. It's great fun!

I'm planning on doing it again this year. It's one time when I can really crank-it-up without getting in trouble for disturbing the peace!

Till next time...

Get serious about learning the guitar!

Keep practicing!
Kathy Unruh
abclearnguitar.com