Inside the Songwriting and Guitar Craft of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings
Rawlings and Welch go deep about the writing and recording of their latest songs and the vintage guitar discoveries that helped shape them.
Jerron Paxton, Tray Wellington, and Yasmin Williams Reflect on Expanding the Boundaries of Black Country Music
Multi-instrumentalist and historian Dom Flemons hosts a roundtable discussion with three talented artists who represent different aspects of American roots music.
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Passion and Fire: How Russian-Born Virtuoso Grisha Goryachev Became a Flamenco Guitar Master
In a wide-ranging phone interview, Goryachev discusses his early training, interactions with Paco de Lucía, arrival in America, and approach to performing.
Nylon-String Virtuoso Niwel Tsumbu Blends Congolese Roots with Global Sounds
No matter how far the Ireland-based guitarist travels, both physically and musically, his connection to Congo is ever-present, as this Zoom interview reveals.
Ani DiFranco Takes Her Guitar and Voice in a Radical New Direction
DiFranco sits down with Peter Mulvey to discuss her new record, writing, touring, her love of tenor and rubber bridge guitars, and the meaning of the term “umwelt.”
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How the Acoustic Guitar Kept the Pulse of the Swing Era
We’ll examine the techniques and approaches that made the acoustic guitar an essential component of the swing era, while tracing its journey through the big band era and its lasting impact on jazz.
Remembering Folk Legend and Educator Happy Traum, 1938-2024
In this series of remembrances, some close friends and collaborators—and Happy’s musician son, Adam—share their reflections on the man and his music.
50 Years into His Career, Pat Metheny Explores a New Landscape of Sound on the Baritone Guitar
The groundbreaking guitarist goes deep on his latest solo ventures—and why every one of his 50-plus releases feels like a single album.
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Guitar Talk: Singer-Songwriter Maya de Vitry Sees Her 000-Sized Blueridge as a Trusted Friend
Maya de Vitry discuses her formative musical years, her deep rhythmic relationship with the acoustic guitar, and her love of instruments that don’t feel delicate.
Margaret Glaspy Connects with Her Younger Self—and an Old Gibson L-00—on ‘The Sun Doesn’t Think’
It wasn’t until a recent solo acoustic tour that Glaspy played for a public audience with just her steel-string guitar for the first time in her professional life, a format she found freeing both literally and metaphorically.
Approaching His 80th Birthday, Legendary Roots Singer-Songwriter Chris Smither Reflects on Lessons from the Stage, Studio, and Woodshed
When Acoustic Guitar invited me to interview Smither, I was delighted to sit down in his study to talk about how his performance and writing have evolved over the years.
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UK Guitarist-Composer Laura Snowden Combines Instrument and Voice for Fresh Classical Sounds
Snowden shares reflections on her education, the extramusical disciplines that inform her practice regimen, and her adventurous work as a composer-arranger.
Eclectic Fingerstylists James Elkington and Nathan Salsburg Blend Seamlessly on ‘All Gist’
On a long, jovial Zoom call, Elkington and Salsburg spoke to Acoustic Guitar from their respective homes about the nuts and bolts of their work as a duo.
Remembering Happy Traum (1938–2024)
Happy Traum was a Renaissance man in both senses of the term, a person of wide and deep interests and pursuits and a man capable of invention and reinvention throughout the long life that just ended after 86 eventful years.
Hurray for the Riff Raff’s Alynda Segarra Looks Ahead, and Reconnects with Acoustic Guitar, on ‘The Past Is Still Alive’
Segarra’s return to the acoustic guitar marks a new integration of the band’s American folk roots with a more sophisticated level of songcraft.
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How Acoustic Musicians Are Carrying Forward the Songs of the Grateful Dead
Sam Grisman Project, Andy Falco and
Travis Book, Wake the Dead, and Grahame Lesh share thoughts on what the Dead's songbook means to them, and how they approach it as a living tradition.
Madi Diaz Brings Her Intensely Personal Songwriting to the Big Stage
The Nashville-based singer-songwriter reflects on her musical journey from the early days to touring with Harry Styles.
Classical Guitar Phenom Jiji and Her Polystylistic Adventures
The South Korea born guitarist/composer reflects on her diverse influences, shares practice techniques, and previews some upcoming projects.
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These Four Young Players Are Advancing the Art of Fingerstyle Guitar
Fingerstyle guitar is in good hands, judging by the diverse talents of Jontavious Willis, Janet Noguera, Hayden Pedigo, and Muireann Bradley.
Remembering Innovative Guitar Repair Guru Frank Ford
The legacy Ford leaves behind is much greater than just the story of his work—it is also one of community, innovation, education, and friendship.
Chris Eldridge Revisits His Bluegrass Roots with Mighty Poplar
“Critter” chats about his bluegrass travels, lessons learned from Tony Rice, and the discovery of his holy grail guitar.
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Wolfgang Muthspiel Embraces Both the Western Tradition and the Nylon-String Guitar in His Work as a Jazz Improviser
The acoustic has found its way back into the classically trained Austrian guitarist’s studio and live work over the past decade.
Singer-Songwriter and Fingerstyle Guitar Wizard Willy Porter Goes Deep on ‘The Ravine’
Porter sat down with AG to discuss his inventive playing, his latest record, his creative process, and his dedication to practice and preparation.
Fingerstyle Composer Peppino D’Agostino Connects the Steel- and Nylon-String Guitar Worlds
D’Agostino uses unorthodox tunings, percussion, and other techniques to open up new vistas on the instrument. Yet his compositions feel driven by melody.
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Remembering Legendary Luthier Frank Ford, 1944–2023
The legacy Frank leaves behind is much greater than just the story of his work—it is also a legacy of community, innovation, education, and friendship.