01/16/2019
Yesterday, January 15, marked the third anniversary of American Guitar Master Pete Huttlinger's passing. Pete was an incredible musician and a great guy. I met Pete in 1999 at the Chet Atkin's Appreciation Society Convention in Nashville. The next year I invited him to play in the newly created Acoustic Guitar Masters Concert Series. He said "yes" then and every time I ask him. He was not only one of the fan's favorites, But one of the performer's favorites. When I ask someone to play in the Series and ask them who they would like to join them on stage, the response many times was "Pete Huttlinger"! We paired Pete with Todd Hallawell, Antsy McClain, Tim Grimm and Pat Kirkley. On an Antsy McClain and The Trailerpark Troubadours' boat cruise we already had Bobby Cochran (he was in the band) and Antsy let me invite Pete along with Michael Kelsey. What a wild three days that was and the round-robin on Friday night with our three featured guitar players was a musical mind blower. I still can't believe Antsy, Brian Gavron and I sat there listening with our jaws dropped wide open and never once thought of turning on a tape recorder!
I was with Pat Kirtley on September 11, 2001 in Wichita, Kansas headed for the Walnut Valley Music Festival in Winfield. We had driven from Kentucky doing some workshops along the way and after the Festival Pat was to continue on to Oklahoma alone and I was to fly back to Kentucky. Nice plan, but all flights were cancelled. My new friend Pete Huttlinger had rented a pickup truck to get to Winfield and invited me to ride back to Nashville with him. So for 13 hours Pete and I traveled I-40 listening to all the music I was carrying in my back-pack. The CD we most enjoyed on that trip was by Max Carl and The Big Dance called "One Planet – One Groove". Wow, I don't know how many times we played that CD but we enjoyed it every time. And every time he came to the house we played it again! By the way, Pete took 1st Place in the International Fingerpicking Championships that year in Winfield!
Pete stopped by to visit several times when he found himself in Kentucky on I-65 traveling between gigs. It was always a surprise and quite wonderful. He and I shared the music but he was also a big fan of Carol Reesor and her artwork. When Carol was "Artist of the Year" for the Central Kentucky Art Guild, Pete and Erin drove from Nashville to Elizabethtown, KY to attend her reception. They sat next to my mother and Pete "charmed the socks-off-her"!
Pete kept me up to date with news in the guitar world. When Michael Kelsey took 1st Place at the Cross-Road Festival's Guitarmageddon, Pete called from side-stage to let me know. He and I were big Michael Kelsey fans. Pete called to let me know he was to play Carnegie Hall and he also called so I wouldn't miss him playing on "Dancing With The stars" with LeAnn Rimes.
To say I miss Pete, his wondeful smile and his great music would be a serious understatement. He was a dear friend and he will always live on in his music and in my memories.
