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etta -> RE: looking for blanca Hernandez y Aquado, l959. (Jun. 29 2010 20:28:49)
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I will try to answer your question about buying the guitar from Montoya briefly. As a kid in TN I was somehow attracted to albums I picked up by Montoya and Sabicas; I finally got hold of a cheap classical, and listened and tried to copy the sounds from the albums with no instruction, no books, tapes, etc. This was the late 50's, and no one had a clue what flamenco was in my small town. A friend recorded me on reel to reel, and my mother, without my knowledge, sent the tape to my aunt in another state. The aunt saw Carlos on TV, called the network, got his address, and again without my knowledge, sent the tape to the Montoyas', Carlos and wife Sally. Aunt Fay sent the nice letter she received from Sally to my mom. She said she and Carlos were glad to see someone in our part of the country interested in flamenco. I was humiliated to think that the tape was heard by C. Montoya, but with the letter, I got his address, called information NYC (1960), and got through to them to see if they could tell me where to buy a real flamenco guitar which was unheard of in TN. To my great suprise they offered to sell me the Hernandez y Aquado which they said they had just brought back from Madrid that summer. I was dumbfounded, said I would call back, did some quick research at the library, and did make a deal. Delivery took a long time; they hired a carpenter to come to their appartment, build a wooden crate, and the guitar was shipped by rail to me. I have never been so excited as I was the day the depot called. I knew it was a great guitar even though I was never to see a real one again for many, many years. On weekends when everyone left the dorm, I would get at the top of the stairwell, and let it roar. I never found a teacher, a book, tape, etc. but here in TN no one really knew anymore than I did at that time. I only performed 2-3 times, but did win a talent contest at my university my senior year. By the mid 70's my nails gave way, and my musical interest turned another direction. I cannot forgive myself for letting that great instrument go. Only fifteen months ago, new to retirement, I tried flamenco again. Now there are wonderful internet resources, etc. etc. I have probably learned more these months than I did many years ago in the TN "black hole" of flamenco. I now have several nice flamenco guitars, just returned from two weeks in S. Spain, and the guitar has again become a driving force of my existence. Please excuse me for this long, and perhaps too personal, reply. thanks, Jack PS In 1982 I was playing music for three weeks, not flamenco, at the Knoxville World Fair. Carlos performed a major concert, and I was able to get to their dressing room to meet them. He still did not speak English, but I was able to visit briefly with them, but could not bring myself to tell them I no longer had the guitar.
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