How to go
Who: Cityfolk presents The Scotty Anderson Band
Where: Canal Street Tavern, 308 E. First St., Dayton
When: 8:30 p.m. Friday, March 26
Cost: $12
More info: (937) 461-9343 or www.canalstreettavern.com
Artist info: www.scottyanderson guitar.com
Scotty Anderson was 19 years old when he left Whitley City, Ky. to make his name as a musician. It was a musical move the nimble-fingered guitar picker was preparing for as long as he can remember.
“I’ll be 56 in April and must’ve been younger than 6 years old when I started playing guitar,” Anderson said. “I guess that’s about 50 years of trying to play it.”
Anderson is modest. The Northern Kentucky resident is one of the most revered guitarists on the instrumental circuit.
“Scotty is a musician’s musician,” bandmate Mike Kervin said. “There’s not hardly anybody out there worth their salt that doesn’t know of Scotty. He’s internationally known. Chet Atkins was a big fan. He told people Scotty played Chet Atkins-style better than Chet Atkins did.
“Ricky Skaggs and people like that all know him and brag about how great he is,” Kervin added.
Anderson is known as a master of the Fender Telecaster, but he played other guitars for years before adopting what became his signature instrument.
“I was a diehard Gibson guy for most of the ’70s,” he said. “I played Les Pauls, hollow bodies and stuff. I loved them, but I always felt like there was something missing. Then I started playing Telecasters in about 1980.
“It was a hard sell, but once I got it teamed up with the right amp and everything, I found out it’s probably the most versatile guitar you can play,” Anderson continued. “Fender just had that open, springy sound I could get out of the bass strings that I could never get out of the Les Paul.”
Cityfolk brings Anderson back to town for a performance at Canal Street Tavern on Friday, March 26, with his band: Kervin (guitar), Jimmy Miles (bass) and Sammy Sinatra (drums).
“Canal Street is a great run business,” Anderson said. “I’d like to try to play there at least once a year. It’s just a fabulous bunch of folks, and they really know how to make you feel welcome.”
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