Guitar Master Class
June 5, 2010
Allen Shadd started playing guitar at the age of 7. He learned to play by ear, playing along with the radio. At the age of 10 he attended his first bluegrass festival and from then on it has remained as his favorite music. Inspired by several local guitarists, he started finding recordings by Doc Watson, Tony Rice, Mark O’Conner and Clarence White. Inspired by O’Conner’s live performance at Winfield, Kansas, on his record “Pickin’ in the Wind”, Allen went there in 1979 at the age of 14 to compete. He was not ready for this but it remained as a driving force in his music for years to come, as well as becoming a self-set goal to win this prestigious title.