Mel Bay Merle Travis Guitar Style
Merle Travis was one of the greatest and most influential guitarists the world has ever known and is a very important figure in the history of American music.  The name Merle Travis, his songs and guitar style (thumbstyle), are well known and emulated throughout much of the world. The "Travis style" can be heard from Finland to the British Isles and from France to South Africa. His music is timeless. It transcends generations, styles, and fads. It encompasses many types of music from hillbilly, western and folk to pop standards, jazz, Dixieland, boogie-woogie, Cajun, honky tonk and country.  Travis was a prolific songwriter and his songs are still being recorded by many of today's young artists and brightest stars. "Smoke, Smoke, Smoke That Cigarette," written for Tex Williams, was the first million seller for the new (at the time) Capitol Records company. His "Sixteen Tons" which was recorded by "Tennessee" Ernie Ford was the first record to sell a million copies in thirty days. Merle was a pioneer in the truest sense of the word. He was an extremely creative musician, an inventor, a designer, an innovator, a trail blazer, ahead of his time in many ways. He was one of the first to use the electric guitar. He designed the first thin, solid body guitar with all the keys on one side, with P. A. Bigsby built for him. This was the forerunner of the Fender guitar. This famous Bigsby guitar is in the Country Music Hall of Fame Museum in Nashville, along side the well known Gibson Super 400 that has Travis' name inlaid in the fingerboard. Merle also designed the vibrato that Bigsby also built for him, which became the famous Bigsby vibrato. Travis' son, Thom Bresh, has this first Bigsby vibrato ever built.  Merle was in at least thirty-six western movies with Charles Starett, Smiley Burnette, and various other actors. He performed in the award winning film From Here to Eternity with Burt Lancaster, Deborah Kerr, Montgomery cliff, Donna Reed, Frank Sinatra, and Ernest Borgnine.  The name Merle Travis is in the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Gibson Guitar Hall of Fame. His name and songs are in the Smithsonian Institution, where he performed several years ago.  Merle Travis was many things -- guitarist, singer, songwriter, cartoonist, designer, composer, writer, raconteur and historian of sorts. Most of all, he was a wonderful human being, who gave hours, months, and years of happiness to many people.   Tommy Flint is an outstanding guitarist who is known worldwide for his musical achievements. He is an internationally acclaimed author of guitar instructional books, CDs, and videos. Tommy and his band have accompanied many major artists in concert halls, recording studios, and package shows. Tommy has shared the stage with artists such as Chet Atkins, Cher, Ray Charles, Roger Miller, Liza Minnelli, Dolly Parton and Glen Campbell. He and his band performed as an opening act for the late Elvis Presley.  Tommy's resume includes performances at the Grand Ole Opry and Country Music Hall of Fame, A Tribute to Merle Travis at the Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View, Arkansas, the Chet Atkins Appreciation Society in Nashville and the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas. Tommy has conducted clinics and workshops across the U. S. and Europe. He is well known for his work with the Music Educators National Conference, the Merle Travis Guitar Festival at Northeastern State University at Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and other venues. He has participated in workshops with a number of nationally recognized guitarists including his cousin Merle Travis, Mel Bay, Thom Bresh, Bill Bay, John Knowles, Buster B. Jones, and Muriel Anderson. Tommy has written 40 instructional books (with companion recordings) published by Mel Bay Publications. Many of his books are used in the nation's leading music schools. He also writes for Fingerstyle Guitar magazine. Tommy is heavily scheduled playing concer