Ohio Fingerstyle Guitar Club Inspires Another Regional Guitar Club

This is a letter we received from Randy Finney from Toronto, Canada in January, 2005:

Hi Palmer

You may not remember me, and you almost certainly don't realize the impact
you have had on me, but, I thought it was high time I made you aware of it.

We met at CAAS last year, late night/early morning, as you were packing up
from the Picker's Club Room. I had been admiring the goings on in this room
since I first started going to CAAS in 2001. The great feelings of
friendship I observed in this room between you and others who hang out here
inspired me to start a fingerstyle guitar club in Toronto.

I began organizing the Toronto Fingerstyle Guitar Association after
returning home from CAAS last year and officially launched it with a concert
performance by Bob Evans on September 1. Since this, we have organized two
concerts and masterclasses featuring Pat Kirtley and Tony McManus, hold
bi-weekly Fingerstyle Open Stages at a pub here in the city, and hold
monthly Pickin' Parties at the Royal Conservatory of Music.

Our membership is at 188 and we get about 120 out to the concerts, 15 out to
the masterclasses, and 20 to 25 out to the Pickin' Parties and Open Stages.
Our next big event is an all-day workshop with Tommy Emmanuel on April 24.
We will likely do one feature concert between now and then.

Anyway, Palmer, I just wanted to let you know about something which you
played a large role in inspiring, and to say thank you.

Randy Finney

http://www.torontofingerstyleguitar.com/