As a third-year graduate recording student at MTSU, Aaron Raitiere needed a substantial project to submit for the master’s program. The idea for a book about people and their guitars originated after Raitiere had a conversation with his dad. His dad was telling him about an old Guild guitar that was stolen from his home and later recovered in Texas.
“I just thought, ?If that guitar could talk . . .,’” says Raitiere.
The story sparked the concept for a book that will feature accounts from various people, telling stories about their guitars that range from extraordinary to downright bizarre.
“I have hundreds of responses from all over the country, and I’m trying to weed out the best stories,” says Raitiere.
Raitiere is still compiling the countless interviews as the narratives divulge the significance of each individual’s inimitable instrument.
The book includes NSAI Hall of Fame songwriter Red Lane, who talks about his guitar that was built for him by Merle Haggard. Haggard recorded 32 songs written by Lane.
Also, Raitiere interviewed a man that claims his guitar saved his life.
Smyrna resident Tommy Hart was on his way home from a band practice on Feb. 19, 2008, when a motorcyclist fleeing from police collided with his truck, impacting the pick-up so greatly that it flipped the truck. Hart had his guitar in its case in the passenger side of his vehicle. Upon impact, the guitar wedged itself between Hart and the motorcycle, providing enough resistance to keep the motorcycle from hitting Hart.
“That was always my favorite guitar, and I never really knew why until that day. That guitar saved my life,” declares Hart.
Hart tells me he heard about Raitiere’s book through a friend and contacted him. The project has created buzz, and all kinds of stories such as Hart’s are pouring in.
Raitiere also interviewed Richard Starkey, a bluegrass musician and long-time employee of Martin Guitars. He actually designed the D18 Martin Clarence White guitar and owns the second one ever made.
“After visiting the grave of the late, great Clarence White, I was inspired and actually wrote the guitar specs for the D18 CW guitar right in my hotel room,” says Starkey.
Starkey worked for Ovation Guitar Co. for several years, and then went to work for Martin Guitars in 1992.
“I grew up in a musical family and though neither of my parents played the guitar I was first fascinated by its sound when my parents took me to see Kingston Trio,” says Starkey, a self-taught guitarist who has been playing for nearly 38 years.
Starkey is currently recording an album with the help of Raitiere and resides in Franklin, but continues to do all sorts of technical work for Martin Guitars and owns his own instrument repair shop.
In addition, the story of Larry Rice, a man who considers himself “an old rock-n-roll musician from the ’60s,” has been chosen for the book. Rice, 62, and now a retired shop teacher, built a workshop in his garage and started making guitars from scratch.
“I was surprised that Aaron picked me for the book, but I really love what I do and was happy to share that,” says Rice.
Rice insists that he is just a hobbyist who has built 12 guitars, both acoustic and electric. While he has made guitars for others, he only charges for the supplies because he believes “making it into a business would take all of the fun out of it.” Rice plays an electric bass that he made for himself with his own bare hands.
These are merely a glance at the fascinating stories that Raitiere has stockpiled.
Currently, Raitiere is searching for more stories and for a potential publisher.
Raitiere is pleased that what began as “nothing more than a great idea” transformed into something that has “generated a lot of interest nationally.”
Raitiere is still welcoming anyone and everyone who has a fascinating story to tell about their guitar.
For more information on the book or Aaron Raitiere’s own music and recording projects, visit onetoothrecords.com.
