Al Petteway

[Queequeg]

With great sadness I post this news of the passing of Al Petteway.
R.I.P.
The following is from WIKI:
Al Petteway was an American guitarist known primarily for his acoustic fingerstyle work both as a soloist and with well-known folk artists such as his wife Amy White, Tom Paxton, Jethro Burns, Jonathan Edwards, Cheryl Wheeler, Debi Smith, Bonnie Rideout, Maggie Sansone and many others. His own compositions rely heavily on Celtic and Appalachian influences and he is known for his use of DADGAD tuning.
Petteway's music has been featured on NPR and on PBS television specials by Ken Burns, most notably The National Parks: America's Best Idea (2009). His recordings, music books, and instructional videotapes have gained him a large following of devoted fans around the globe. His playing is featured on more than sixty recordings by some of the world's best known folk and Celtic musicians. Since 1996, he has performed exclusively with his wife, Amy White. They have been Artists in Residence at The Kennedy Center and at Warren Wilson College. Petteway is also the Guitar Week coordinator for the world-famous "Swannanoa Gathering" music camp at Warren Wilson College near Asheville, N.C.

In 2005, Al Petteway's rendition of "The Thornbirds" appeared on the Grammy Award-winning compilation of solo guitar renditions of Henry Mancini compositions titled Henry Mancini: Pink Guitar. Before that he and Amy were awarded an Indie award for their duo guitar album Gratitude. Al Petteway has been awarded 45 "Wammies" by the Washington Area Music Association including the top honors of "Artist of the Year" and "Musician of the Year". He was the recipient of two Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Awards for Music Composition and performed at the Vice President's House and The White House during the Clinton administration.

In 2012, he was given the "Master Music Makers" award by Warren Wilson College and the Swannanoa Gathering.

Petteway lived with his wife Amy White near Asheville, North Carolina. He passed away September 25, 2023.

I'll leave you with this:

[ducktrapper]

I'm not very familiar with him but I understand he was a generous player with his involvement at Swannanoa. I have friends who knew him and are quite affected. RIP.

[mike in lytle]

This makes me sad.
Petteway is my favorite non-superstar guitar player, beyond all. His picking is advanced, yet understandable and accessible. I have probably spent an hour a week for the last several years listening/watching him and never ran out of stuff to listen to or watch. His fingerpicking rhythm work is really cool. He died young.

edit: https://www.facebook.com/alandamy
Amy talks about Al's sudden downturn.

Mike

[B0WIE]

So sad. Al had this effortless way of making complex playing look so fun and accessible. Definitely a "too soon" moment. But, I'm thankful he left behind a wealth of learning resources. I'll be picking up tips from him for years to come.

[ronmac]

Like many, I was first introduced to his playing by watching the demos he did for Dream Guitar. I loved his smooth, flowing lines in DADGAD and was thrilled that I could get access to some of his tablature to have a go.

It was a great inspiration to see how accessible his tunes were, and they seemed to fit with my own style and skill level. Getting as fluid as he, well that takes some time. ;)

One of my favourites is "Waltz For Rebecca". In DADGAD, it is a good piece for an intermediate to advanced player. He voices it capoed at the 5th fret. I like it at capoed at the 2nd or 3rd fret, depending on how an individual guitar responds and creates overtones. It has a varied range of chord voicing and lines, and is usually the first tune I play to assess an instrument when I am window shopping.

Al was more than a great guitar player. Even though I had never met him, I knew that he was the kind of guy I would love to have as a teacher and mentor. Accomplished player, well rounded artist and someone who maintained a "student mindset", exploring each instrument in his hands and making it sing.

There are very few days when I don't listen to his music or try to get close to something in my own playing that he has inspired.

Thanks for the gift of your music, Al.   

[247hoopsfan]

Very sad news, a great guy.

[eded]

I saw him solo, with Amy White, and shows he shared with Robin Bullock (mostly xmas/winter solstice shows) several times.  Always a delight. 

I've said it before...  sometimes it feels like my lifetime is falling away in front of me.

Ed

[Silence Dogood]

I've said it before...  sometimes it feels like my lifetime is falling away in front of me.

Ed

You are not alone. 

[gtrplayer]

 I e-mailed him several years ago about one of his songs and he was very gracious and helpful and answered at great length.  I also have a couple of his Homespun videos on Celtic music and other Tabs.

Nice guy, sad to hear, his wife wrote up a beautiful obit, may he rest in peace.