My favorite guitarist ever. 

Funny story... many many moons ago I had a roommate who, while he had somewhat similar musical tastes as I did, tended more towards heavy metal. I told him about this guy Michael Hedges who was coming to the Lawrence Opera house. I told him he played solo acoustic and warned him that while he could be mellow at times, but as a guitar player, I was pretty sure he'd enjoy the show regardless. We went and Hedges started the show with a blistering version of AC/DCs Back in Black. My friend's mouth dropped open and he became a big fan.

When Hedges died years later, it was really the first time the death of a famous person (who I had only met briefly after a show - another good Hedges story) really affected me and made me feel the world was a lesser place without him in it.

RIP, king of the acoustic guitar

My favorite guitarist ever. 

Funny story... many many moons ago I had a roommate who, while he had somewhat similar musical tastes as I did, tended more towards heavy metal. I told him about this guy Michael Hedges who was coming to the Lawrence Opera house. I told him he played solo acoustic and warned him that while he could be mellow at times, but as a guitar player, I was pretty sure he'd enjoy the show regardless. We went and Hedges started the show with a blistering version of AC/DCs Back in Black. My friend's mouth dropped open and he became a big fan.

When Hedges died years later, it was really the first time the death of a famous person (who I had only met briefly after a show - another good Hedges story) really affected me and made me feel the world was a lesser place without him in it.

RIP, king of the acoustic guitar

Great playing and helps understand how this tune is played.

Love the leopard print pants! Shades of Mr. Dave Lindley. 

Thanks for the link.

And... There's actually a video of Michael playing this at Wolf Trap, in Vienna, VA in 1986...  Amazing...

Because It's There -Michael Hedges

My favorite guitarist ever. 

Funny story... many many moons ago I had a roommate who, while he had somewhat similar musical tastes as I did, tended more towards heavy metal. I told him about this guy Michael Hedges who was coming to the Lawrence Opera house. I told him he played solo acoustic and warned him that while he could be mellow at times, but as a guitar player, I was pretty sure he'd enjoy the show regardless. We went and Hedges started the show with a blistering version of AC/DCs Back in Black. My friend's mouth dropped open and he became a big fan.

When Hedges died years later, it was really the first time the death of a famous person (who I had only met briefly after a show - another good Hedges story) really affected me and made me feel the world was a lesser place without him in it.

RIP, king of the acoustic guitar

He reinvented acoustic guitar playing and now there are lots of fingerstyle players who do the tapping and slapping. They are all technically very good, but Michael Hedges was first and foremost a composer.

I was also at that Carnegie Hall show where Michael opened for Leo and they jammed on Eight Miles High as an encore.  That was my first of many Hedges shows in a variety of clubs/theatres.  

I was lucky enough to see Michael Hedges several times in 1986 and 87. The first time was at my alma mater SUNY New Paltz at our Earth Day Festival. Actually spoke with him briefly. The second time was at Carnegie Hall in a double bill he did with Leo Kottke. The third show was in Terrytown NY. All three shows were amazing but the first time at school was such a surprise. I was an instant fan. Not enough superlatives for his guitar work. Why do the great ones leave so soon??

My favorite guitarist ever. 

Funny story... many many moons ago I had a roommate who, while he had somewhat similar musical tastes as I did, tended more towards heavy metal. I told him about this guy Michael Hedges who was coming to the Lawrence Opera house. I told him he played solo acoustic and warned him that while he could be mellow at times, but as a guitar player, I was pretty sure he'd enjoy the show regardless. We went and Hedges started the show with a blistering version of AC/DCs Back in Black. My friend's mouth dropped open and he became a big fan.

When Hedges died years later, it was really the first time the death of a famous person (who I had only met briefly after a show - another good Hedges story) really affected me and made me feel the world was a lesser place without him in it.

RIP, king of the acoustic guitar

...

Cool, but if you went to New Paltz you should know that the village down and across the river from there is "Tarrytown", not "Terrytown".

Possibly true, although they are 60 miles apart. You could spend a lifetime in New Paltz and never visit Tarrytown, except to pass through on the train on your way into the city.

Cool, but if you went to New Paltz you should know that the village down and across the river from there is "Tarrytown", not "Terrytown".

I was lucky enough to see Michael Hedges several times in 1986 and 87. The first time was at my alma mater SUNY New Paltz at our Earth Day Festival. Actually spoke with him briefly. The second time was at Carnegie Hall in a double bill he did with Leo Kottke. The third show was in Terrytown NY. All three shows were amazing but the first time at school was such a surprise. I was an instant fan. Not enough superlatives for his guitar work. Why do the great ones leave so soon??

If only Michael and Jeff Beck could have played together. Now that would have been even better! 

I'll bet that Michael and Jimi are having a rocking good time
 

Sadly...was.

Yes... Hedges is an incredible artist...

 

Very Reminiscent of John Butler (or Vice Versa).  Only Butlers "Ocean" knocks the socks off of this song.

Michael Hedges is my all time favorite acoustic player. Discovered the Aerial Boundries LP when in college in the eighties and was blown away. Almost twenty-five years later and I'm still blown away every time I hear him. Very disappointing that I never got to see him live. More Michael Hedges on RP!

Check out Andy McKee on Youtube. He's carrying the torch in an admirable fashion.

He seems to be playing directly from the heart of the Universe.

As a musician, I don't know of any other musician, especially my guitarist friends, who would agree with this.

I had the pleasure of seeing him perform twice in a tiny venue here in the Hudson Valley (The Towne Crier) in a room of about seventy or eight people. He was so amazing to watch. Eyes closed most of the time. He just about picked you up and took you for a ride with him.

Stunt guitar. Impressive and pretty, but not very memorable.

beautiful. a long time ago this was the first michael hedges song i had heard and i thought it was at least two guitarists playing. for those of you not familiar with mountain climbing lore, the title of this song refers to Sir Edmund Hilary's explanation as to why he would risk his life to climb the highest mountain in the world.

I had the pleasure of seeing him perform twice in a tiny venue here in the Hudson Valley (The Towne Crier) in a room of about seventy or eight people. He was so amazing to watch. Eyes closed most of the time. He just about picked you up and took you for a ride with him.

i love being in his music

beautiful. a long time ago this was the first michael hedges song i had heard and i thought it was at least two guitarists playing. for those of you not familiar with mountain climbing lore, the title of this song refers to Sir Edmund Hilary's explanation as to why he would risk his life to climb the highest mountain in the world.

Amazon.com Torched is the album Michael Hedges was reputedly working on when he was tragically taken from us in a car wreck in November 1997. It reveals Hedges exploring his fervent desire to be a singer/songwriter, rather than the virtuoso guitarist who influenced a generation of string-pickers. Hedges played the whole guitar, not just the strings, turning it into a tribal orchestra that rendered his gorgeous and often quirky melodies. That Hedges is rarely heard on Torched. Instead Hedges's vocal side prevails. Torched is a scattered collection of nearly completed songs and rough tracks, all highlighting his spiritual search and romantic yearnings. As a singer/songwriter, Hedges was influenced by the 1960s and '70s Jackson Browne-James Taylor axis of earnest proclamations. He's even joined by '60s veterans David Crosby and Graham Nash, who added their harmonies to "Spring Buds" after Hedges passed. On the title track, he sings of spiritual transformation by fire, adding some distorted fuzz guitar to scorched effect. On "Promised Land" he waxes biblical. There are a few instrumentals as well, including "Fusion of the Five Elements," an early, triple-speed demo for the song that wound up as the title track to Oracle, Hedges's last official album. Other pieces like "Dream Beach," "Arrowhead," and "Ursa Major" would have fit comfortably on Oracle with their wistful melodies and arrangements that have Hedges playing flutes, percussion, and keyboards in addition to guitar. Posthumous albums are always problematic. We'll never know if Hedges actually wanted these tracks to be released, and over all the vocal songs don't match his more carefully articulated Road to Return vocal album from a few years back. With Torched we're left with embers from a musician who usually gave us bonfires of brilliance. --John Diliberto From Jazziz While Hedges brought a new sonic architecture to the acoustic guitar that stunned even his fellow guitarists, he also loved to sing. The posthumously released Torched presents the late, much-loved musician in both roles, with moving results. In progress at the time of his 1997 death from a car accident, these tracks are largely unfinished home recordings of Hedges'. In many cases though, Torched presents realized compositions, not just promising sketches; a clarity of purpose is communicated that feels whole. Many of the 14 tunes reveal what must have been a tremendous amount of work on Hedges' part. There are beautiful, overdubbed vocal harmonies on "Rough Wind in Oklahoma" and "The Holy Flame," wonderful keyboard coloration on "Sapphire," and, on "Ursa Major," a mix of gentle chords, harmonics, and sampled wind that sounds like Redwood trees strung with guitar wires, resonating in the breeze. With the sinewy power of his guitar and the direct appeal of his singing, Hedges also put grit into a singer/songwriter genre. He had the ability to frame emotions so they glowed with both sophisticated intelligence and primal passion, and his lyrics offered a penetrating vision that struck at the heart of meaning. this guy was truly tuned into something else.

I could stand to hear some more from this fellow.

That's not true. George Winston gets some amazing sounds out of his piano. I've seen him in concert with the hood of his piano up, plucking the strings by hand! Sounds great.

What does Bill have against lyrics, one instrumental an hour is way too much, two in a row is just awful.

Stunt guitar. Impressive and pretty, but not very memorable.

Probably the only Windham Hill artist who pushed the limits of his instrument...

Been into Michael since I first discovered the Windham Hill LP collection at our local library. Thanks to the inspired librarians of Traverse City, MI!

Stunt guitar. Impressive and pretty, but not very memorable.

Talented? Yes. Interesting? ...huh? Oh, I think I dozed off.

Um, what do you have against instrumentals?

What does Bill have against lyrics, one instrumental an hour is way too much, two in a row is just awful.

What does Bill have against lyrics, one instrumental an hour is way too much, two in a row is just awful.

The quote is actually from British mountaineer George Leigh Mallory, who ended up dying on Everest in 1924. No proof either way if he made it to the peak or not. Hedges was simply amazing.

beautiful. a long time ago this was the first michael hedges song i had heard and i thought it was at least two guitarists playing. for those of you not familiar with mountain climbing lore, the title of this song refers to Sir Edmund Hilary's explanation as to why he would risk his life to climb the highest mountain in the world.