Crossroads Guitar Festival Q&A with Pete Huttlinger

With Sonja Grimmsmann, Jason Henke

Arranger, composer, bandleader, session player, songwriter, solo performer Pete Huttlinger has performed on numerous Grammy-winning and Grammy-nominated projects. Pete Huttlinger was invited to perform at an exclusive VIP Party the evening before Crossroads Guitar Festival 2010 and will be leading a Master Guitar Clinic on the Ernie Ball Stage at Guitar Center Village during Crossroads Guitar Festival. He took some time to answer our questions.

SG/JH: Describe what it means to you to be associated with this fundraiser for Crossroads Centre Antigua.

PH: It's a great opportunity to see and hear so many great players and to help a good cause in the process.

SG/JH: Many people are volunteering their time, energy and resources to this cause, including the artists. Why are you?

PH: An opportunity to help people is always a good thing. It's what we should all do.

SG/JH: What causes are you currently actively supporting? How? Why?

PH: Heifer International. Financially. Feeding people is the most basic need there is. With no food in your belly, there is no hope. I like to start with the basics of sustaining life.

SG/JH: In 2004, you performed at the first Crossroads Guitar Festival at the Dallas Cotton Bowl, and again in 2007 in Chicago. How did you experience this gathering of world-class guitar players?

PH: The one at the Cotton Bowl was easily the best. Almost surreal at time. The gathering of players was astounding. It was like a great history lesson in rock, blues and pop guitar playing.

SG/JH: Ernie Ball sponsored a Play Crossroads contest, which Ryan McGarvey won. He will do a set on the Ernie Ball Stage Saturday afternoon, during the Master Guitar Clinics. In 2007, Tyler Bryant won the Play Crossroads contest. By his own admission, Tyler Bryant doesn't read music. How important do you believe it is for a musician to be able to read music? How does a musician's ability, to read music reflect on their talent?

PH: I don't think reading music reflects on anyone's talent at all. I think they are two separate issues. However, if music is the language and you cannot read the language, then how far can you really go as a player, an artist, a musician? Does an author write books but not know how to read? Nope. Reading music is not hard. You could probably teach a monkey to read music. So why NOT learn to read? It can only enhance your playing, your understanding and ultimately, your enjoyment of music. There are only a handful of musician's who really get to "make it" in this world without knowing how to read music. For all the rest of us, it's a way to learn, to grow and, as a pro, a way to compete and survive. It's not hard so Just do it!

SG/JH: Tell us how your latest project, Fingerpicking Wonder: The Music of Stevie Wonder, came about.

PH: I've always loved Stevie's music and have arranged and recorded a few of his tunes over the years. I thought that the title was a funny play on words (humor is as important to me as anything) and after the title hit me, I was hooked.

SG/JH: What's next?

PH: Maybe a CD of Celtic music or some of my own tunes. I want to take a break from all the pop tunes for a bit.

SG/JH: Even at this stage in your career, do you feel you are improving? From a mentoring standpoint, what would you share with young, aspiring guitar players to encourage them and motivate them?

PH: I am trying hard to improve. Currently I'm in a heavy practice routine. Often when I'm practicing hard like this, I'll be driven to work on some techniques or tunes or a classical piece or Brazilian or whatever, I'll find that I don't really know why I'm doing this particular thing that I'm working on. Then out of nowhere a gig or a session or something will come up where I need that thing I've been practicing. It's kind of odd the way that works, but I'm glad that it does.

SG/JH: Of these three things, which is your favorite and why? ... Writing, playing studio sessions or performing live?

PH: I love writing the most. It's nice to see what happens with a tune when before there was nothing on the page and then there is. When it's a good tune, then it's icing on the cake.

SG/JH: You've performed on a number of Grammy-winning and Grammy-nominated projects, and have been nominated for an Emmy. Is there a favorite memory you recall from one or more of those sessions? How do you stay grounded knowing the acclaim your playing receives?

PH: I don't see myself as anything special as a player. All my heroes are so much better than me. And there is so much left to learn. If you stop and rest on your laurels then you are not moving forward.

SG/JH: You are a master of all trades - producer, engineer, performer, teacher, writer... In your opinion, how important is it for an artist to develop multiple skills? Is it necessary for an artist to be versatile in order to develop a successful career?

PH: That's funny. I'm no master or at least not in my opinion. I am blessed to have all these interests and to have so many of them work out for me. I think it is absolutely necessary to be versatile. Only a very few people get to be stars... The more versatile you are, the more opportunities. The more opportunities, the more chances for success - however you choose to define success.

SG/JH: Have you ever gone fly fishing in Montana? If so, where? How did you like it?

PH: I fished the Missouri river a few years ago. It provided one of the best fishing memories of my life. Floating and fishing for two or three days with a cousin and some of his friends was just the best. We caught a few nice ones and some not worth mentioning but that's not what fly fishing is all about anyway.

Photo courtesy of Paul Shatzkin