Well, I Think Part Of My Gift,

The First Guitar I Ever Had Was A Gut-string Spanish Guitar, And I Couldn't Really Get The Hang Of It. I Was Only 13, And I Talked My Grandparents Into Buying It For Me. I Tried And Tried And Tried, But Got Nowhere With It.

My Original Interests And Intentions In Guitar Playing Were Primarily Created On Quality Of Tone, For Instance, The Way The Instrument Could Be Made To Echo Or Simulate The Human Voice.

I Have Always Been Resistant To Doctrine, And Any Spirituality I Had Experienced Thus Far In My Life Had Been Much More Abstract And Not Aligned With Any Recognized Religion. For Me, The Most Trustworthy Vehicle For Spirituality Had Always Proven To Be Music. It Cannot Be Manipulated, Or Politicized, And When It Is, That Becomes Immediately Obvious.

I Remember When I Thought Of Singing As The Bit That Went Between The Guitar Playing - Something I Couldn't Wait To Get Out Of The Way. Singing Was Originally Like A Chore That I Didn't Really Enjoy.

I Mean, The Sound Of An Amplified Guitar In A Room Full Of People Was So Hypnotic And Addictive To Me, That I Could Cross Any Kind Of Border To Get On There.