2009 GT Player of the Year

Well, it was tough. I mean really, really tough. But when you’re choosing between thoroughbreds, it always is.

This year I had some great candidates for the 2009 GT Player of the Year Award. All of them were players of the month this past year and all exhibited the traits necessary to win this prestigious …

Well, it was tough. I mean really, really tough. But when you’re choosing between thoroughbreds, it always is.

This year I had some great candidates for the 2009 GT Player of the Year Award. All of them were players of the month this past year and all exhibited the traits necessary to win this prestigious award: dedication, dependability, excellent work ethic, singular drive to continually improve and a can-do attitude. But in the final analysis, there was only one man who, in my mind, stood out as the guy. His name? Jon Smith.

Jon has been a GT member since October of 2008. When he came to me, had no working knowledge of the guitar and was a slow starter. But often, slow starters end up being the best in their chosen discipline. Michael Jordan was a slow starter. Albert Einstein was a slow starter. Conan the Barbarian was a slow starter (that last reference was a joke, Jon). You get the idea. From humble beginnings often comes greatness and Jon is showing that with hard work, the potential to be great can be tapped.

I have seen a phenomenal increase in Jon’s proficiency with the instrument and his understanding of music concepts in general in just the last 6 months or so. He just took off like a rocket and it has been awesome to see.

But probably one of the biggest tests of a student’s metal (no pun intended) is how much they influence their own instructors. For example, not long after Jon began taking lessons from me, he asked if I taught slide guitar. My answer was an emphatic “No.” I told him I bought a slide a couple of centuries ago, but sort of lost interest in it, gave up, or whatever…So what does Jon do? The very next week he brings in a George Thorogood tune he wants to learn. I said, “Jon, you know I don’t teach slide.” Undaunted, he replied, “Well, just see what you can do with it.” I was thinking, “Yeah right…’just see what I can do with it’…Now where is that slide I purchased eons ago?” I decided that if I humored him on this point, he would eventually quit pestering me and we could move on to…you know…something I knew how to teach. But then he just kept coming back to that Thorogood tune every week until it was complete. If that weren’t bad enough, once that project was complete, Jon returned with another request, a ZZ TOP classic called Just Got Paid. If you’re not familiar with it, you’re missing a rude, down and dirty tutorial on slide (played well) served up by the one of the undisputed kings of riding the glass, Billy Gibbons.

Jon was relentless…and the result? I not only learned to play slide (along with Jon) but I grew to love it. Jon has literally changed the way I approach the guitar and improved himself in the process. Therefore (you know what I’m going to say next.) I am proud to name Jon Smith as the 2009 GT Player of the year. For his hard work and dedication Jon will be awarded his choice of either a high quality effects device or a new Fender Squire Telecaster, all courtesy of Guitar Therapy, of course. Jon will also have bragging rights as the GT Player of the Year for 2009 and have his avatar featured in a prominent place on the Guitar Therapy website for the entire year. That way he can drive all his jammin buddies crazy.

Congratulations Jon and to all GT Players of the Month, thank you for your dedication and commitment to excellence.