Guitar Player V: ‘THE GREAT GIBSON’

I just happened to be in Dublin, Ireland when I finished this piece the other day. I’d started it in the US a couple weeks ago, but it took longer than expected. This is interesting for a couple reasons. One is that the subject is a company named after its founder, an Irish American: Orville Gibson. The other is that I had named the piece after the work of another Irish American, F Scott Fitzgerald. Both lived at the same time, late 1880’s, early 20th century and both had a profoundly positive impact on American culture.

Finishing the last edits over pints of Guinness at a pub in Dublin couldn’t have been more fitting- here I was, an American in Ireland, reflecting upon these two great Irish Americans. I love coincidences like this (and sometimes wonder if they really are all just coincidences).

So now, in the spirit of F. Scott’s ‘The Great Gatsby’ (a tale of wealth amidst moral impoverishment), I humbly present to you, courtesy of Guitar Player, the sad but true tale of what has unfortunately become of the company Orville started. Here it is… THE GREAT GIBSON