A small but very quite and attentive audience watched and heard a variety of fingerstyle guitar gems from the likes of Erwin Schack, John Washington, Mike "Hurricane" Thompson, Brian O'Sullivan, Paul Brooks and Bob Vopni. The styles encompassed Classical, Blues, Folk, Jazz (and 2 different Django Rienhart tunes - from 2 different players!) A little dobro from Hurricane and a Cole Porter medley from host Bob Vopni. (Upcoming dates for the YRFG Open Stages - Events/Gigs.)

We know there are many musicians that enjoy and play fingerstyle guitar here in the York Region which includes Markham, Aurora, East Gwillimbury, Georgina, Keswick, King, Newmarket, Richmond Hill, Thornhill, Vaughan, Whitchurch-Stouffville, and is not too far from the good folks in both the Durham and Peel regions. We'd love to see our good friends from Uxbridge too. Alot of good fingerpickers there.

Each one of us that plays fingerstyle guitar knows the joy and satisfaction that comes when you have finished learning a piece. Many hours are spent perfecting the fingerings on both hands, going over tough parts, and applying the nuances needed to play the piece from beginning to end, and in somekind of fluid manner. Whether it's Classical, Jazz, Blues or Folk, when mastered, it becomes a very precious gem to us. A possession that is ours to keep for life.

We may also learn that fingerstyle guitar is usually not the favorite music of the masses. That is why it is so special to have a venue to perform your gem for a supportive and appreciative audience who all know the road you walked down to learn that piece.

So come one, come all! Whether you're from Toronto, the York, Durham or Peel Regions come on out and support fingerstyle guitar. We can't leave out Whitby, Oshawa and Ajax either. Toronto Pickers, get your bodies up here!