Unknown and Remembered

by Tim Roark
(USA)

1) William Powell - Bill was my first classical guitar instructor for two years in the mid 70's at Powell and Clark Music in Parkersburg W. Va.
Olen A MacCutcheon was Bill's teacher from the early 50's onward.

2) Olen MacCutcheon was light years ahead of Segovia whom he met in '28 and blew away in '35. Segovia muttered 'Impossible' all day long at Sophocles Papas's studio in DC when Mac played a Bach Prelude and Fugue as if he played it all his life after looking thru Segovia's transcription with fingers just one time.

3) Andy Ketterman was my second guitar teacher (1 year), passed on to me by Bill. Andy had a truly musical soul. Listening to Andy play a song for the first time was incredible. You could hear it come alive and it would sound as if he had played it all his life.

Andy started with Rock and Roll when he was 16 and was asked to sudy with Ray De La Torre when Del La Torre heard Andy play at Denison University when Andy was 20.

Andy was passed on to Mac from Bill after studying less than a year with Bill. Andy died in an auto incident. Mac decided the Lord meant for him to teach all of Andy's students, about a dozen of us from 5 to 70. Mac was my third instructor. Mac taught the craft, not just the music.


I remember Mac, Andy and Bill.

After hearing Segovia perform in the mid 70's I went backstage afterward to pay homage. When I asked Segovia if he remembered Red MacCutcheon, Segovia's face beamed with a huge smile as he nodded yes enthusiastically. I've been told that was a miracle as Segovia was not usually kind to competition.