Hey from your Slide & Steel Artistic Director…

This is Orville Johnson and I'm stopping by the blog to remind you what an exciting program we've got coming up in the Slide & Steel arena. I'm psyched about the fine group of instructors coming to the Dobro Intensive on July 10-13. I tried to gather great players who are also great teachers and who can illustrate the diversity of styles and genres that the dobro can slide between.

A lot of folks think bluegrass when they think dobro and we have a master to cover that subject in Michael Witcher. Michael comes from a family of fine bluegrass musicians and he carries on that tradition while, at the same time, breaking new ground with his group Missy Raines and the New Hip. They have a new EP just released. Check it out!   Stop by Michael's website for info about his music AND his beautiful photography.

Mike Neer will be giving us a taste of 30s style swing-jazz-Hawaiian slide reminiscent of Sol Hoopii, King Benny Nawahi, and Bob Dunn. He's a master of this slide guitar style, having played with New York City's premier 30s swing band the Moonlighters. I'll let him give you more details about what he'll be teaching on his MySpace page.

The format will be similar to the Bottleneck Slide Intensive in January with opportunities to take classes from all the instructors and get some one-on-one time as well. I'll be there all weekend and, while I'm not teaching a formal class, I'll be available to help out people on the more beginnerish (is that a word?) side of slide. Space is limited so if you're thinking about coming, stop thinking and sign up!