Guitar players may not recognize Joe Carr's name at first, but his face is probably familiar. That's because he appears in over twenty different instructional guitar videos ranging from country to western swing, bluegrass and even heavy metal! Add to these his videos on mandolin, fiddle, banjo and ukulele and Joe may be the most recorded video music instructor anywhere.
Joe is a self taught musician who started guitar at age 13. "My guitar heroes were the stars of the sixties, especially the folk musicians," recalls Carr. "One day, a high school friend played a Doc Watson record for me and flatpicking became my life."
Joe must have learned his lessons well...a few years later he was hired to play guitar in Alan Munde's internationally known bluegrass group, COUNTRY GAZETTE. During the next six years Joe recorded three group albums, numerous sideman projects and produced his own critically acclaimed solo guitar album, "OTTER NONSENSE."
Joe left the Country Gazette in 1984 and joined the music faculty in the unique commercial music program at South Plains College in Levelland, Texas. Since then, he has worked with many young talented guitarists including the late Chris Austin of Reba McEntire's group, Ron Block with Allison Krauss and newly signed recording artist Heath Wright of Ricochet.
Joe continues to perform nationally in a duo with former Gazette leader and South Plains College colleague, Alan Munde. "Alan and I have a great artistic communication that leads us into many new areas of music," Joe says. In addition to a new album on Flying Fish entitled "Windy Days and Dusty Skies," Joe and Alan have recently completed a book about West Texas Country music called "Prairie Nights to Neon Lights" from the Texas Tech University Press.
"Videos are still my favorite teaching method, " Carr says. "I can reach so many guitarists and they can review the lesson as much as they like."
I got my first guitar and a "Colour Way" play-along guitar course for Christmas in 1964 when I was 13.
Who do you consider to be some of your greatest influences?
In chronological order:
Debbie Bridgewater- A great flatpicker from Fort Worth who showed me the basics of flatpicking.
Gerald Jones - A great guitarist and banjo player who has been a constant source of musical inspiration.
Clarence White - flatpicking with heart, fire and soul. His music speaks to me like no other guitarist.
Slim Richey - He opened my mind and my ears to the music.
Alan Munde - A great artist, musical friend and mentor. Being around Alan keeps me on the path towards excellence.
Are you a self-taught player?
After "Colour Way" I learned by playing with the best musicians in the world...on my record player. I slowed down the licks and stole them one by one.
What was the most difficult thing for you to learn about playing the guitar?
I think developing an ear to learn from records was the most difficult and most rewarding task I have undertaken. To transcribe, I've used records, reel to reel tape recorders and now, two speed cassette players. This is the most difficult skill I try to teach my students here at South Plains College.
Describe any techniques you feel are essential.
I start all my students out with an exercise designed to teach correct pick direction. Random pick direction is the leading cause of picking problems with my beginning and intermediate students. With practice, students can correct these problems in as little as two weeks.
How does the equipment you use now compare with what you have used in the past?
My first "good" guitar was a Regal which was sold by Fender in the 1960's. It was basically a Harmony Sovereign, which was the best cheap American made guitar you could buy in those days. Later I stumbled on to a 1952 Martin D-18 which I played for several years.
Around 1977, I bought the first Taylor guitar I ever saw. It had a large "D" type body and the fastest slimmest neck I had ever seen on an acoustic! I later sold that guitar (Dumb move) and had a custom guitar built for me by Danny Ferrington. I played that guitar until I quit Country Gazette, moved to West Texas and started teaching at South Plains College in Levelland.
I now play a Bohannon 12 fret triple O style guitar built by Harry Miller of Oregon. Its sound is loud and beautiful and since I'm a small guy, its smaller body seems to suit me. My first professional mandolin was a Randy Wood f-5 copy. A wonderful instrument! I now play an X - braced Gilcrest A model. This little mandolin plays and records great.
What do you consider your greatest experience as a musician?
Playing music with great players is the biggest kick I can think of. One such experience was a concert in Colorado when Roland White, Roger Bush, and Billie Ray Latham (three quarters of the original Kentucky Colonels) asked me to play guitar with them for an impromptu set. During the set I suddenly realized I was Clarence White! Although I didn't even come close to filling his shoes, it was a great musical moment for me.
What do you consider to be some of the greatest highlights of your career to date?
Touring nationally with Alan Munde and Country Gazette was a great period of music making for me. Recording with incredible musicians such as Roland White, Alan Munde, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, David Grier, and others was also a great kick.
Certainly the opportunity to teach the music I love at the world's largest college program in Country, Bluegrass and Commercial music rates up there as a high point.
Playing on the Grand Ol' Opry stage with Bill Monroe, Del McCoury, the Osborne Brothers and others was the thrill of a lifetime.
I am also thankful for the opportunity to have produced over twenty different music instructional videos for Texas Music and Video and Mel Bay. The response to these products has been very gratifying.
Describe your first professional playing jobs.
One of the first was at the Dallas folk club "The Rubiyat" in a group called "Mom's Bluegrass Preserves." This was around 1974. We played the opening set every night for a week. The headliner was Texas Song writing legend Townes VanZandt. Gerald Jones was our mandolin player at the time and he noticed that every night about 10 minutes into his first set, VanZandt told the same joke. The last night of the week Gerald told that very joke to our audience just before the end of our set. After a five minute intermission, VanZandt started his set and 10 minutes later told the joke. I wonder if VanZandt ever suspected why his joke went over so badly that last night. The only people laughing were our band members and for a totally different reason.
What sort of projects keep you busy at this time?
Alan Munde and I tour and perform throughout the nation and our new Flying Fish release "Windy Days and Dusty Skies" has been well received. Alan and I have also written a book for the Texas Texas University Press entitled "Prairie Nights to Neon Lights: The Story of Country Music in West Texas." Our latest project is a theater piece featuring original music entitled "Joe and Al: Two Swell Guys from Texas." This work will debut in 1996.
Do you have any inspiring words for new musicians that might get them through the potentially frustrating times of practicing?
First be aware that you are not the first or last player to experience problems. If you have specific problems (speed, spastic little finger, etc.) develop a plan to reach your goal. Then put that new exercise into your practice schedule. Once you have spent 10 minutes or so on the problem area, move on to the next thing. If you get depressed and bogged down because you can't perform a certain technique or you can't play as fast as your heroes, you'll just slow yourself down. Remember why you started playing in the first place...to have fun. Make sure every practice session has some fun built into it.
Sooner or later all players reach what they think of as a plateau. During this period (A month, a year?) you feel like you are not progressing at all. Try this suggestion: Make a tape of your playing and hide it in the drawer. Dig it out in a few months. You may be amazed at how much you have developed in a short time.
Click here to return to the Biographies and Interviews.
Click here to return to the Creative Arts home page.