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One of the most memorable evenings I’ve spent happened a few weeks ago when I met guitar legend Hank Garland.  His brother, Billy, and sister-in-law, Amy, invited me over, and I’ll admit I learned more about Hank and his career in one short visit than I ever knew since I heard the name…Hank Garland.

     My friend, David Plummer, of Cypress Recording Studios in Jacksonville Beach, FL, showed up to surprise me and handed me one of Hank’s guitars and asked me to play “Sugarfoot Rag.”  That was not a nice thing to do in front of Hank since he wrote the very song when he was seventeen years old.  I ran outside and got my DDSM and took it in and explained that this was “my” signature guitar.  I’m always embarrassing myself that way.  After all, Hank Garland has his own signature guitar as well…the Gibson Byrdland.  One of my favorite guitars of all time.

     He seemed to really like my DDSM.  He immediately began to play “Moonlight in Vermont,” and then, of course, “Sugarfoot Rag.”  I played rhythm on his guitar as seen in the picture.

    Hank Garland has played and recorded for more artists and their hit records than you could ever imagine in his short career before a near-fatal automobile accident crippled him and robbed him of a lot more fame than he ever got to enjoy.  But in my book, Hank Garland is a star and guitar hero and I’ll never forget meeting him and getting his autograph.  You can too at www.hankgarland.com and order an autographed collection of his music on CD.  It’s great stuff!  “Hank, we love you!”

 Doyle