Hello Duke! I saw this photo of Eric Clapton listening to the Albert King album with "Don't Throw Your Love On My So Strong", and thought you might enjoy seeing it! Best, Bruce

Hey Duke! So I'm just catching up with this lesson. Great song, of course. My favorite version has always been one of Billie Holliday's. So in the Holliday Spirit, I give you my version of "All Of Me". ;-)  

Hey, thanks a lot, Duke! Your ears are certainly as sharp as ever! I recently watched a documentary about Bloomfield and have been listening to some of his stuff. I wasn't deliberately trying to copy anything, but I guess I'm at a very impressionable stage in my guitar development. He seems like he must have been a very intense guy. Thanks again!! Bruce

Hey Duke! I found this great video of T-Bone Walker doing "Don't Throw Your Love On Me So Strong" and wanted to share it with you and everyone. Hope you liked my version! Thanks, Bruce.

Hey Duke!  Oops! I realized after recording it that I said "Put" instead of "Throw". To paraphrase Simone Biles, the great gymnist who said, "Sometimes your foot slips", well, sometimes your verb slips. ;-)  As you'll hear, I'm going much more for emotion that technical perfection on this one, though I really think it's not too bad. Would love to hear your thoughts! Thanks so much for the really excellent lesson. So many great ideas. I feel like I'll be processing this for years to come. Thanks again! Bruce

Hey Duke! So as promised here's one using your backing track with some improvisation. It felt like I had to learn the tune all over again, going from "playing along with Freddie" to taking the responsibility on my own. But that feels exactly right too, somehow. It gave me a chance to try and make it a little more like my own phrasing. It was a challenge initially to lock in with the track, but I think I finally got it. I'd love to hear your thoughts on it! Thanks a lot, Duke! Travel safely! Bruce

Wow, thanks so much, Duke!! It sure means a lot to hear it. Bruce

Hey Duke! Glad to hear that the tour is going great! If you get a chance to listen to this one while on the road, I'd love to hear your thoughts. I'm playing what I *think* is that super-fast lick -- that's what it sounds like to my ears, anyway. 

I used Freddie's recording as a backing track, as the one you made hasn't been uploaded yet. Since I was "playing along with Freddie", I tried to play it as close to Freddie as I could, and when the track is ready, I'll try it again with some improvisation. 

Thanks, Duke! 

Bruce

Thanks, Mike!! That is *very* much appreciated, and I'm extremely grateful for Sonic Junction.

Hey Duke! Having a LOT of fun working on this one. I did my best at copping the chorus fills. What do you think? Regards, Bruce

Thanks very much, Duke! That's really nice to hear. I don't play out anymore, so I usually don't have anyone but my wife to tell me if something was good or not so good. I'm kind of thinking that I might go back to it in a few years when I retire from my day gig, and I'm hoping to be good enough by that time to get a regular gig on guitar. So that's my goal. I'm tired of carrying around keyboards!!! ;-) Thanks again! Bruce 

Hey Duke! Hope you're doing well. Here's my take on Avalon. Please let me know what you think! I've had a lot of fun working on it. Thanks, Bruce.

Hey Duke! Always loved this tune. I hope you are going to do a track for this one, it would *really* help a lot. I'm looking forward to the challenge of solo! How's the feel on this? I've never been a particularly strong swing player. Hope you're well! Thanks, Bruce

Thanks, Duke! 

Hey Duke! So, my buddy Dave suggested I think more about throwing in some major pentatonic licks, and I decided that adding in some chords really does sound nice too. I think it's some of the best playing I've done. I would love to hear what you think about it! Thanks, Bruce

Hey Duke! Here's my video again, since you didn't get a chance to comment on it last lesson. Hope you're well! Best, Bruce

Hey Duke! 

So, I was starting to sing the 2nd verse, and I realized that I was singing the same lyrics as I sang in the 1st. Oops! ;-)

When I was a kid, I used to amuse my family with my impression of Louis Armstrong. You need to picture me as a 12 year old doing this impression. It's done with great affection for Pops, I assure you. :-) My favorite version of this song was always Billie Holiday's, so I was kind of thinking of how Louis might sing it to Billie when I sang it. 

Hope you're well! Thanks for the great lesson and backing track.  It's such a wonderful classic tune. 

Take care!

Bruce 

Wow, thanks so much, Duke! I'm totally blown away by that. I would never have made all this progress in my playing without Sonic Junction.

I *love* my LP! It's a '75, but made with full size humbuckers like a Standard, even though the neck says it's a Deluxe. I bought it last November when I was playing it in a shop and vibrato started coming out of my fingers. I'd never been able to play vibrato before, so I thought, "I'd bettet get this guitar!"    

Anyway, thanks again for the kind remarks; they really means a lot to me. 

Take care,

Bruce

Hey Duke! I'm so excited to share this one with you. I'm really pleased with how it came out. It's really nice to be able to say that, Thanks a lot, Duke. 

Always loved the Specialty Guitar Slim record -- so many great songs: I Done Got Over It, Bad Luck Blues, Sufferin' Mind, Reap What You Sow, etc. I believe I read once that The Things I Used To Do and some others from the LP were arranged and produced by a very young Ray Charles. Incredible song, of course, and I always loved hearing you play it. Thanks, Duke.