Mike Hare
by Mike Hare
(Cedar Lake, Indiana)
Universal Vacation
Hello, my name is Mike Hare.
I started playing guitar back in 1974, however it was not classical guitar that I started learning.
Back in the seventies, electic & accoustic guitar were very popular. The simplicity of electric guitar created a desire to go deeper in my learning. After realizing that rock and country music only had a few chord changes aside from some fast riffs, I felt there must be something more.
Then I was exposed to Al Dimeola, John McLaughlin & Paco Delucia. Their perfomances were astounding. This was the beginning of a new language for me.
I started learning the classical guitar from a teacher whose name was Mel Wilhite. He started me on the Aaron Shearer method and Carcassi methods. At the time I was away at college in South Carolina.
Later I moved back home to the Chicago land area in Illinois. I went to work and met a guy named Angelo. He introduced me to his dad who made classical guitars in his basement. He also played classical guitar very well. Angelo had a sister who was taking classical guitar lessons and she played better than any other local male guitarists in the area.
Her dad intoduced me to Norman Ruiz who was teaching classical guitar at Morton College in Chicago. I soon joined his class and attended concerts that he performed. That was over twenty years ago. I've since then married and had two sons.
After the death of my oldest boy (age 15) I lost my passion to play guitar. It has been some years now and my passion for classical guitar has returned. It's not as easy as riding a bicycle but I have more determination than ever before.
These on line classes give me an opportunity to get better. I'm not as advanced in sight reading as I'd like in higher positions. That was always tough on me, but I know that holds true of most classical guitarists.
