I have been back from traveling for 5 days now, reflecting on the writing that i did in my journal while i was away, i decided to set up a study schedule for my guitar playing. Listening to a lot of early "Rock and Roll" and "Rockabilly" music while on my walks overseas, I decided that it would be good to put together a set list, starting with Elvis, Scotty Moore, Chet Atkins and other pioneers of "Rock music". While traveling, i brought a book with me called "Rockabilly Guitar" by Fred Sokolow, which is an introduction book. Learning songs like, "Train Kept a rollin", "Good Rock-in tonight", "Suzie Q", "Honey Don't". "Be-Bop-A-lula", and "Thats Alright Mama".
This music is the DNA of all the "Rock" music and "Rockabilly" that came after. While on my morning walks in the city of Chiang Mai, Thailand, i would listen to "The Stray Cats", "Eddie Cochran", "Gene Vincent", and "The Blasters". The styles of guitar playing of "Rockabilly" blend "Country", "Folk" and "Blues". that gave birth to "Rock and Roll". It is amazing how good all the players of this newly invented Electric guitar got over such a short time span. Listening to the bands from the !960's and the 1970s, we can hear how they cut their teeth on all of the icons like Chuck Berry and Ray Charles. I decided over the past few days, to get focused on a certain Genre of music.
Building up a repertoire of songs that are fun to do and get my chops a bit better sounded like a good plan. Being proactive about the direction i am going in learning music is essential to growing as a musician. I have two Gretsch Guitars and a Fender Telecastor and a Fender Twin Amplifier, that are great for playing "Rockabilly". By getting into a "Genre" of music from before i was born, opens up a new side of me. and gives me a great point of reference in music history. "Go Cat go"!