Kevin M. Kraft's Posts - Cigar Box Nation2024-03-29T05:19:26ZKevin M. Krafthttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/KevinMKrafthttps://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8148295494?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1https://www.cigarboxnation.com/profiles/blog/feed?user=1mbnhmyi3di9r&xn_auth=noNew Faith-Based Action-Adventure Novel Features Cigar Box Guitar-Playing Hero!tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2020-02-22:2592684:BlogPost:34477292020-02-22T18:00:00.000ZKevin M. Krafthttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/KevinMKraft
<p>Kevin M. Kraft's 2015 novel <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084DG17ZK/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0" rel="noopener" target="_blank">DOBORO THE BOTTLENECKER</a> has recently been re-released in an effort to gain a new audience AND attract financial backing for the motion picture, which is currently being developed by Kraft's production company, Heaven's Wheel.…</p>
<p></p>
<p>Kevin M. Kraft's 2015 novel <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084DG17ZK/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DOBORO THE BOTTLENECKER</a> has recently been re-released in an effort to gain a new audience AND attract financial backing for the motion picture, which is currently being developed by Kraft's production company, Heaven's Wheel.</p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3890502016?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3890502016?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p><em>(Image by Tyler E. Krraft. All rights reserved)</em></p>
<p><strong>VIEW THE BOOK TRAILER <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWtMh2pOVmU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HERE!</a></strong></p>
<p></p>
<p>DOBORO, available on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084DG17ZK/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon Kindle</a> in both ebook and print versions, is a Christian novel, which is cutting edge in both genre and execution, as may be evident from the description:</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><em>After surviving a devastating assassination attempt, family man Dave Granger is spirited away to South Korea to undergo intense rehabilitation under the harsh tutelage of a martial arts master by the grace of a merciful God.</em></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><em>Seven years later, with a sterling faith born out of adversity and a wit as razor sharp as the sword concealed within his walking stick, Granger returns to the U.S. and ekes out a modest living as a blind cigar box slide guitarist and street singer in Kansas City. But while he tries to live in peaceful anonymity, he is once again set upon by the very ruthless forces that killed his family and took his sight. But unlike the first time, Doboro is by no means defenseless, having been trained in the ancient Korean art of the Sulsa warriors.</em></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><em>But will his uncommon faith, indomitable spirit and breathtaking combat skills, pitted against highly trained assassins, be enough to save his life, let alone that of the one person whose life is dearer to him than his own?</em></p>
<p>Immediately unique for a Christian novel, DOBORO features a central character for whom the <strong>cigar box guitar</strong> is as important to him as his sword but is what builds a bond between him and the second lead protagonist. </p>
<p>"The cigar box guitar component is indispensable," says Kraft. "It's key to Doboro's character throughout."</p>
<p>Kraft, himself a cigar box guitarist and founder of what was the Annual Kansas City Cigar Box Guitar Festival, is currently developing his novel for the big screen through his family's production company, <a href="https://heavenswheel.wixsite.com/website-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heaven's Wheel</a>, and he hopes that high book sales will make the project attractive to financial backers.</p>
<p>"The response to the second edition has been great, even better than the initial release in 2015," Kraft says. "Since music plays such an important role, the story should translate very well to the screen. And the soundtrack should be fantastic, introduce to some for the first time the cigar box guitar in all its primitive glory."</p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3891259593?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3891259593?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p>Kraft's first EP, <em>Tales from the Bottleneck,</em> featuring songs inspired by <em>DtB</em> will be released later this year at a time to be determined. Included in this collection will be "Kinder Eyes," Doboro's theme song, which was featured on 2009's <em>Masters of the Cigar Box Guitar Volume Four.</em></p>
<p>"I'll be releasing a couple songs ahead to help promote the novel," he says. "I've been recording quite a bit over the last several months, and it's been really exciting to finally hear my songs rendered the way I had imagined."</p>
<p>The second edition of DOBORO THE BOTTLENECKER includes the first two books of a continuing series in a single volume. The third installment, <em>Doboro: Long Way from Paradise</em> (second edition) is tentatively set for release later this year.</p>
<p>Follow Kevin here on Cigar Box Nation or by name on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/authorkevinmkraft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facebook</a>. You can learn more about DOBORO THE BOTTLENECKER on the book series' <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DoboroTheBottleneckerSeries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facebook page</a> and at Kevin's website.</p>
<p>Check out Kevin's interview on <em><a href="https://perspectivebypeter.com/author-novel-spotlight-kevin-m-kraft-and-doboro-the-bottlenecker/#.Xje1AzJKiM8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Perspective by Peter</a>.</em></p>The second edition of my novel, DOBORO THE BOTTLENECKER is now available through Amazon Kindle! Get it now while it's at the lowest prices. Ebook and paperback!
Let's make this a bestseller!
Heaven's…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2020-02-07:2592684:BlogPost:34426462020-02-07T09:00:00.000ZKevin M. Krafthttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/KevinMKraft
<p>The second edition of my novel, DOBORO THE BOTTLENECKER is now available through Amazon Kindle! Get it now while it's at the lowest prices. Ebook and paperback!</p>
<p>Let's make this a bestseller!</p>
<p>Heaven's Wheel is developing this as a motion picture!!!!…<a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3851873721?profile=original" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3851873721?profile=RESIZE_710x"></img></a></p>
<p>The second edition of my novel, DOBORO THE BOTTLENECKER is now available through Amazon Kindle! Get it now while it's at the lowest prices. Ebook and paperback!</p>
<p>Let's make this a bestseller!</p>
<p>Heaven's Wheel is developing this as a motion picture!!!!<a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3851873721?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3851873721?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-center"/></a></p>Kevin M. Kraft answers the question: Who were or are your main musical influences?tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2019-10-29:2592684:BlogPost:1036922019-10-29T14:30:00.000ZKevin M. Krafthttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/KevinMKraft
<p>Q: Who were or are you main musical influences?<br></br> <br></br> Kevin: Many would probably laugh at the vast array of music that I love and has influenced me. The British band The Electric Light Orchestra epitomizes my typical hybridizing of musical styles and genres, with Jeff Lynne's always reliably captivating slide guitar work sealing it for me. I learned a lot from Lynne and the band about songwriting and arranging and unusual vocals and symphony, even something as "trivial" as the drumbeats…</p>
<p>Q: Who were or are you main musical influences?<br/> <br/> Kevin: Many would probably laugh at the vast array of music that I love and has influenced me. The British band The Electric Light Orchestra epitomizes my typical hybridizing of musical styles and genres, with Jeff Lynne's always reliably captivating slide guitar work sealing it for me. I learned a lot from Lynne and the band about songwriting and arranging and unusual vocals and symphony, even something as "trivial" as the drumbeats Bev Bevan used in their songs. Besides that, I would have to say John Denver was a huge influence. Don't laugh! That man was a fantastic songwriter and vocalist. I wept the day he died, because we lost a fine artist. How to write excellently crafted songs and melodies I learned listening to his music. I've been influenced by rock and roll artists more than blues artists, which may surprise some, given my passion for cigar box slide guitar. But I'll tell ya: I love the blues! I'm obsessed with slide and bottleneck guitar. Since I couldn't play lead guitar worth spit, due to having stupid fingers, I picked up slide guitar. Actually, the truth is, I was an insomniac for a lot of my life. A chronic one. Because of this, my fine motor skills, which I would have used to learn blistering slide guitar, was chronically challenged. I couldn't get my fingers to work the way I wanted, no matter how much I practiced. So, under the tutelage of Lynne, Dwayne Allman, Joe Walsh and other rock sliders' tracks, I picked up slide guitar--and did so like a fish to water. I can indeed play the Allman Brothers' "Statesboro Blues" riffs with him. I'm soaked with sweat and exhausted by the end, but I can do it! (laughs)<br/> <br/> Vocally, John Denver, Sam Cook, Russ Taff, Sherman Andrus and Daryl Hall start a lengthy list of singers I reveled in.</p>The DOBORO THE BOTTLENECKER Official Book Trailer #2 and Book Cover Reveal!tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2015-08-22:2592684:BlogPost:23745502015-08-22T10:00:00.000ZKevin M. Krafthttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/KevinMKraft
<p></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403532934?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403532934?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></p>
<p><br></br>Yes, after the long agonizing wait, the second to Kevin M. Kraft action novel, DOBORO THE BOTTLENECKER will finally be revealed via the second official trailer for the book!</p>
<p>The author who brought you the "contemporary religious fantasy" and the "inspirational thriller" now brings you the "heartwarming action drama."…</p>
<p></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403532934?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403532934?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"></a></p>
<p><br>Yes, after the long agonizing wait, the second to Kevin M. Kraft action novel, DOBORO THE BOTTLENECKER will finally be revealed via the second official trailer for the book!</p>
<p>The author who brought you the "contemporary religious fantasy" and the "inspirational thriller" now brings you the "heartwarming action drama." Kraft's long-time love for action tales, inspirational stories, cigar box guitars, fedoras and trench coats--so many of his passions converge with DOBORO.</p>
<p>Here's the logline:</p>
<p>After an assassination attempt nearly kills him, a man returns seven years later as a blind blues street performer to protect the daughter he had presumed dead from the man who had nearly killed him.</p>
<p>Lovers of good, moving novels will want to get a copy of DOBORO. Slated for an end-of-September (subject to change) release, DOBORO has already received exciting reviews from Kraft's beta readers with descriptions like:</p>
<p>“What I appreciate most in a good book is its ability to continually draw me back, and Kevin Kraft does just that with DOBORO! I couldn't stay away while at the same time hesitated to read more because I didn't want it to end, the perfect problem to have while reading a truly good book! "</p>
<p>and</p>
<p>"DOBORO THE BOTTLENECKER, is action packed from start to finish. You won't want to put it down. The characters are real and engaging, the details well researched, and his writing is simply a pleasure to read."</p>
<p>and</p>
<p>"Excellent! Original! I've never read anything like this before!"</p>
<p>Saturday August 11th is the day. Check Kevin M. Kraft's Facebook page on that day for a link to this...and perhaps much more, including THE OFFICIAL BOOK COVER, another sample chapter for your reading pleasure and perhaps a SAMPLE from Doboro from his forthcoming EP (title still pending)!</p>
<p></p>
<p><a class="profileLink" href="https://www.facebook.com/events/881325535279099/?ref=22&action_history=null&source=22" id="js_2b" name="js_2b">https://www.facebook.com/events/881325535279099/</a></p>
<p><span class="fsl"> </span></p>THE SPREAD OF THE CIGAR BOX GUITAR REVOLUTION!tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2011-08-09:2592684:BlogPost:7203982011-08-09T00:00:00.000ZKevin M. Krafthttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/KevinMKraft
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403488618?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403488618?profile=original" width="544"></img></a></p>
<p>Well, alongside my many accomplishments, among the many hats I wear in my busy life, I can now add one with great tears of pride: Founder of the Kansas City Cigar Box Guitar Festival. It took three years of pitching and talking and finally joining the Kansas City Blues Society itself, but our first festival occurred on July 31<sup>st</sup>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I…</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403488618?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403488618?profile=original" width="544"></a></p>
<p>Well, alongside my many accomplishments, among the many hats I wear in my busy life, I can now add one with great tears of pride: Founder of the Kansas City Cigar Box Guitar Festival. It took three years of pitching and talking and finally joining the Kansas City Blues Society itself, but our first festival occurred on July 31<sup>st</sup>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I felt like Kevin Costner in <i>Field of</i> Dreams....”If you build it they will come.” And I’d never done anything like this before!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Putting the festival itself together was a three-month effort that was largely without difficulty—until four days before the actual date of the festival. And then everything seemed to unravel. My friend Wichita Sam Wood, who was to emcee the event, emailed me to tell me that he couldn’t do it, due to a family emergency that made him unavailable. Not only was I saddened that I would not get to see Sam (as it had been a year or so since his last visit), but it meant I would need to find another emcee—and quick. Because certainly <b><i>I</i></b> couldn’t do it. I would be way too busy behind the scenes and needed the mobility. Nevertheless, as I called around and crawled around the Internet, looking for a fill-in, the mantra was, “You should do it, Kevin.” Before long, I assumed the role, for better or worse. That problem was solved. But a technical problem with my laptop computer, namely that it was so old they no longer sold certain accessories for it, prohibited me from running videos I had planned through it, and I could not burn any files to DVD. So, instead of several videos to be interspersed throughout the four-hour festival event, I only had two that were already formatted to DVD that I could run via a DVD player to the big screen already secured.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There were other problems as well, none worth mentioning, that added to my anxiety at being an emcee at an event of my planning that was so novel that I had no idea how many people, if any, besides my family and the scheduled performers, would attend. In truth, I didn’t know what to expect.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> Nevertheless, the next morning, my eldest son and eldest daughter set our for BB’s Lawnside Blues and Bar-B-Q, where festival was to take place, arriving just after noon to set everything up and allow for time, if I had to run to fix a problem. This was a small enough venue with a descent-sized stage front. (I had taken to heart the UK’s Chickenbone John’s advice to avoid choosing a venue larger than the number of people you expect.) Restaurant patrons looked on with curiosity, we brought in my guitars and amplifiers. I had my daughter hand out fliers to them, inviting them to the festival, if they didn’t know about it. Other members of the Kansas City Blues Society arrived at 1pm to set up their merchandise. And they had a surprise: the Blues Sistas, and offshoot of the Society came bearing buttons to be sold, which they had created, featuring our cartoon mascot cigar box guitar-playing cat, “Tabby Blue”, created and donated by Brady Scott specifically for the festival. This brought tears to my eyes, because I hadn’t expected it. The final poster struck, by Karen Baum from artwork donated by Brady Scott, featured Tabby, but as a very small element, and I silently wished we could have done more with the Cat. I was very touched at this surprise. If nothing else had gone well, that alone would have been enough.</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403489428?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403489428?profile=original" width="180"></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>An hour before the start of the festival, I had the privilege of meeting JP Swenson from Minnesota, whose name became familiar to me on the Cigar Box Nation website. He had brought some of his builds and wondered if he could exhibit them. I had already lined up my own guitars along the wall behind the stage, and invited him to set his up with mine. Later, Tim Covey (Stashbox Guitars), a heretofore unknown cigar box guitar maker and performer from nearby Blue Springs, Missouri introduced himself, asking if he could likewise sell his guitars, and before long he, too, displayed his work with ours. Thus, the back of the stage was lined by a wonderful array of cigar box guitars and diddley bows, each one different from the one before. Perfect! And it was entirely unplanned.</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403490509?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403490509?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></a><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403492330?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403492330?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Also from the Nation, Uncle John from Iowa introduced himself. He had contacted me some weeks earlier and said he was a “definite maybe” as far as his attendance. I was happy to finally shake his hand as well. He also presented me with one of his beautiful cigar box guitars, donated for the raffle drawing, which was to benefit the Blues in the Schools program. Same story with Mike Anderson (Blues Box Guitars), from Oklahoma, whom introduced himself briefly just before the festivities were to start. The very sweet Linda Morrison, also from Kansas City, whom I’d met on the Cigar Box Nation, introduced herself to me as well—such a nice lady! It was so great to meet my fellow participants in the so-called Three-String Revolution.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Autograph seekers, of all things, handed me flyers to sign and the understandably curious were moving in for a closer look at the odd and wonderfully primitive instruments lining the wall. Snapshots were taken, questions posed, a few brave souls even picked up some instruments to try out. I found myself wondering if things were happening a little too fast before the festival had even begun. And people were quickly filling the place. But were they here for the festival or simply patrons?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Thank God for Mike Elrod, who was kind enough not only to let us use his sound equipment, but he set it up—a HUGE deal to me.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>2:00 PM. BB’s was filled to capacity. Unable to prepare myself before performing like I normally do, I took the stage with my Cohiba box guitar and began to play. I decided to begin big with the rousing “Bottlenecker Part Two” a blue-rock number I’ve opened most of my recent shows. I watched the faces and saw the eyes widen of those who didn’t expect such a big sound to come from such a weird little instrument. By the end of the song, I had everyone’s attention. The applause was appreciative, after which I said, “I would like to welcome you to an history event: Kansas City’s very first Cigar Box Guitar Festival!”</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403493149?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403493149?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></a></p>
<p>I don’t remember anything I said after that. But...I do remember the fantastic performances by the scheduled artists – Shae Lee, whom I had to honor of accompanying, weighing in at twelve years old with a voice and charisma that belied her youth. Pharaoh Tarot, who <i>tore up</i> the Thummim Handmade Cigar Box Slide guitar I built him and sang with the unbridled gusto that has consistently energized audiences all over the city. <a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403494292?profile=original"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403494292?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></a>And Jason Vivone...the consummate showman, with his cigar box guitar, memorable tunes and personable style, reminded us just why he was the winner of the Kansas City Blues Challenge and our city’s representative to the International Blues Challenge in Memphis last year. And the there were the open microphone opportunities that honored us with some truly worthy performers including Uncle John, Tim Covey and Lee McBee and the Confessors. I personally enjoyed these moments especially, as did an appreciative audience.</p>
<p> <a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403496683?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403496683?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></a></p>
<p>Between these short videos were played on the big screen television, including the first two segments of Max Shores documentary <i>Songs From Inside the Box</i> and my short motion picture <i>Drifters</i>. I wasn’t quite certain how much these presentations were appreciated in this setting, but I hope they were.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And then there were the numerous raffle drawings throughout the four-hour event. A signed Garfield cartoon panel from its creator Jim Davis, three cigar box guitars furnished by Thummim Guitars, two more provided by Mike Anderson and Uncle John, several event posters autographed by the musical artists and music CDs were presented to winner (a couple of them multi-winners!) whose tickets were drawn, the purchases of which all went to benefit Blues in the Schools.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The first Kansas City Cigar Box Guitar Festival ended at 6pm with my benediction suggesting another festival in 2012 and hearty agreement from the audience. I was surpsied at just how many stayed for the entire four hours—and some even longer than that, having come early. We were packed to capacity most of the time. And you would think that would be the end of the story. However, it was the outpouring of genuine <i>gratitude</i> from attendees that touched me most. Many of those who greeted me and congratulated me on a successful festival did so emotionally moved, which likewise moved me. And it became clear that this festival, a rave success by most standards—especially for the first in this city, was the beginning of something, not the end. Had I not experienced these expressions, I would not have believed them. It felt good (as it still does) to have been responsible, God-willing, for something historical and consequential such as this.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>After cleaning up, preparing the stage for the following act for the night, I headed out with my children to the car, greeting Toby Tolbert, himself a CBG builder, whom I had exchanged emails with as a member of the Independent Film Coalition. Just as I was about to enter my car, Mr. Michael Anderson, from Oklahoma, whom I had met briefly, approached me. “I can’t let you leave without talkin’ to you!” he said with a hearty handshake. And for the next half-hour, he and I became acquainted. I met his lovely wife and beautiful (and verrrry shy) daughter, and he met my two eldest. He repeated expressed his appreciation for the festival. It left him feeling “really good” and he expressed his desire to see something similar in his own state. His wife was equally personable. Blues Sista and fellow Kansas City Blues Society board member Micki Baron surprised Mike and me by offering to pay the cover charge so that he and his family could enjoy the evening show! Mike was really touched, as was I. I complimented Mike on his “builds”—several of his homemade cigar box guitars were displayed on the veranda. “If I had the money, I’d buy one myself!” I said. “Tell ya what,” he said seriously, “Go pick one out.” “What? Are you serious?” I practically yelled. After several more inquiries, I realized that, yes, he was serious. “We’ll do a trade,” he said. “You go over and pick any one of my guitars...and in return you promise to [have another festival] next year.”</p>
<p> <a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403497279?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403497279?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></a></p>
<p>Deal. Next year. Bigger and Better.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Permit me a fitting epilogue. A story reached me about a little boy, who had never played a guitar before, taking up one of the CBGs out on the veranda and wailing on it like he was born to do so. A picture was snapped of the boy, but the only thing known about his identity is a first name: “Charlie”. As luck would have it, his face is partially obscured. But I can’t help but wonder if his exposure to the cigar box guitar, because of this festival, might affect him as my first experience with the instrument did me and many others...and that the virtues of the primitive chordophone might spurn the little tyke onto legendary status in the music world one day.</p>
<p> <a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403498671?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403498671?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></a></p>Hi Everyone!
I'm still accepting cigar box guitar-related items (cigar box guitars, cigar box guitar music or instructional CDs or DVDs--anything!) from my cigar box guitar brothers and sister wh…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2011-07-14:2592684:BlogPost:6655142011-07-14T22:43:04.000ZKevin M. Krafthttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/KevinMKraft
<p>Hi Everyone!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'm still accepting cigar box guitar-related items (cigar box guitars, cigar box guitar music or instructional CDs or DVDs--anything!) from my cigar box guitar brothers and sister who would care to donate such things for items for drawing during the Kansas City Cigar Box Guitar Festival. All proceeds go to Benefit the Kansas City Blues Society's Blues in the Schools program--a worthy cause!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Thanks for caring!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-…</p>
<p>Hi Everyone!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'm still accepting cigar box guitar-related items (cigar box guitars, cigar box guitar music or instructional CDs or DVDs--anything!) from my cigar box guitar brothers and sister who would care to donate such things for items for drawing during the Kansas City Cigar Box Guitar Festival. All proceeds go to Benefit the Kansas City Blues Society's Blues in the Schools program--a worthy cause!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Thanks for caring!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>- Kevin<a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403476703?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403476703?profile=original" width="544"></a></p>Kevin M. Kraft answers the question: When did you learn how to play the guitar?tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2009-08-29:2592684:BlogPost:1020082009-08-29T05:15:37.000ZKevin M. Krafthttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/KevinMKraft
Q: When did you learn to play the guitar?<br />
<br />
Kevin: That's a difficult question to answer, especially since we're over here at the Nation. I'll answer it in a few ways...<br />
I took a few lesson when I was about twelve or thirteen from a guy in town. I used a Hawaiian guitar strung with thick steel acoustic guitar strings! (laughs) Yeah, ultimately those strings destroyed that guitar! Anyway, after three lessons, the teacher just wasn't teaching me what I wanted to learn, so I slacked off on…
Q: When did you learn to play the guitar?<br />
<br />
Kevin: That's a difficult question to answer, especially since we're over here at the Nation. I'll answer it in a few ways...<br />
I took a few lesson when I was about twelve or thirteen from a guy in town. I used a Hawaiian guitar strung with thick steel acoustic guitar strings! (laughs) Yeah, ultimately those strings destroyed that guitar! Anyway, after three lessons, the teacher just wasn't teaching me what I wanted to learn, so I slacked off on practicing enough that my mother ended the lesson. I learned on my own from there. I learned to play listening to John Denver records--but don't laugh! I think John Denver was a wonderful artist and teacher. I learned a lot about songwriting from him--his melodies were fantastic and chord progressions sensible. I later learned slide guitar, but at first I didn't know what it was. I saw steel pedal guitar on HEE HAW, an old country-oriented tv variety show that came on Saturday nights. But I didn't like country back then, and I didn't relate it to what I heard coming from, say, Jeff Lynne, of the Electric Light Orchestra, which was my favorite band and other rock musicians. I figured they just had the strings right up close to the fret board or something, but could never get my guitar to sound that way. It was much later, as an adult, that I caught a Bonnie Raitt concert on MTV and saw--"Ah-ha! That's how they do that!!!" I went out and bought a glass guitar slide and tortured many others learning how to play--and there's nothing worse than listening to someone LEARN how to play slide guitar! But I eventually grew to be very good, again listening to rock artists like Lynne, Joe Walsh and, of course, Dwayne Allman. In fact, I worked hard at mastering Allman's licks on "Statesboro Blues", which shows you how ambitious I was. Anyway, I mastered the slide, which was good, because I couldn't play lead worth spit. I must have been one of the first to introduce electric slide guitar as a lead instrument when I lead the worship service at church, much to everyone's surprise. I really blew them through the back doors. Some hated it, couldn't understand why I did it. Others loved thew sound. But I could never get the sound I wanted from any of the normal guitars I owned, even when I altered them. It wasn't until I stumbled upon cigar box guitars one day, while look for information on building guitars, that my world brightened. I saw some plans online, wondered if I could do it. I tried it, although I actually used an antique silverware box I bought for a dollar at a thrift store. I built myself a guitar, and from the first strum of the completed instrument, I knew I was home. Cigar box guitar became a major part of my life from that time on. I've built some for other people and now sell them to anyone wanting me to construct one for them. My favorite box so far is the COHIBA. I love its tone. Both slide guitar and using cigar box guitars almost exclusively now, as more methodology than style. It's simply the way I'd rather play and the sound I'd rather produce. I don't study a lot of blues artists, preferring rock and songs I just love. I just learn how to play them on the box.