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When Humility And Greatness Meet
In the fall of 1981 I performed at an outdoor concert in the park in the little college town
of Chico, California. My friend, Jim Miller, and I played acoustic guitars and sang original songs in a
folk vein, calling our duo "The Yukon Brothers" in honor of the summer we had spent in Alaska
the year before. Also appearing at the show that day was our friend, Leslie Riley, an excellent
local singer/guitarist. After the concert, Leslie told us that she had been approached by a guy
from the audience who said he had just graduated from the Peabody Conservatory of Music and was
about to record an album of solo guitar for Windham Hill Records. He had heard her set and wanted
to know if he could sit-in at her gig that night, accompanying her on flute, for fun. She said,
"I don't know if this dude is for real or not but he seemed pretty cool so if you guys aren't
doing anything, come check it out." When I first walked into the bar that night at Jake's Steak
House I was disappointed because Leslie appeared to be talking to a woman and the mystery
guitarist must be elsewhere. But when I reached their table I realized the figure whose
back was to the door was actually a man with very long hair and this was Mr. X. They had only
been talking a few minutes, but, being the impetuous 18 year old I was, I immediately asked
this guy with the impressive story if he would play guitar for us. He said he would be glad
to if he could use Leslie's old Gibson J-45, as he hadn't brought an axe. What followed was
about 15 minutes of the most amazing and beautifully articulate playing I have seen in my life.
His fingers danced over the frets with a singular authority through a series of stunning harmonics,
taps, slaps, and moves that left one with the impression that the performance was as much magic
as musicianship. Afterwards, I found in conversation then and on subsequent occasions, this man
of sublime skill was so kind, humble, and genuinely concerned with the music of others less gifted,
that he left an indelible mark of inspiration on me.
All these years later, I have finally completed my first self-produced CD of original
music and I'm sorry I won't be able to share it with him in this world.
But I just wanted to say thank you and goodbye Michael Hedges.
Hence Phillips 7/98
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