Several months ago, I purchased some music from guitarist, teacher, and music journalist Mark Small.  We made phone contact with each other and had the pleasure of talking about all things guitar. Mark is a published journalist and occasionally writes for Acoustic Guitar Magazine.

Long story short. Mark was working on an article to describe the allure of the classical guitar for professional and amateur guitarists over 65, the boomer generation, and the ways they have stayed focused on the instrument as the aging process moves on. He had seen my YouTube Channel and thought he might feature me in this article. I was surprised and honored to be included.

Mark writes:

“Many players from this age group who, chose careers in classical guitar continue, touring, recording, and teaching. They, as well as those returning to playing later in life, have learned that it’s important to adjust practice regimens or adopt new ones as their bodies age. In this feature, Benjamin Verdery, Andrew York, Stephen Robinson, and Raphaella Smits–all high-achieving professionals share observations about how they maintain and  continually improve their skills, while offering advice applicable to players of all ages and styles, including steel-string guitarists. Rick Lord, a player who made guitar his focal point after retiring from a non-music profession, also shares his experiences.”

If you would like to read the article, download the pdf file here.