There is a radio show on CBC here in Canada that occasionally does a feature called SYNTH: Songs You Need To Hear.
CBC MUSIC, Central · Mornings with CBC Music
Now, I can’t say to someone, “You’ll like this song” (or book for that matter) because I can’t presume that others will share my taste in music (or books), so it is safer to say, “You might like this” and if they don’t like it, so be it. Maybe you will find a new favorite.
The first guitarist that wowed me was Eddie Van Halen (you might have heard of him) it was around 1979, and my friend played me a tape of Eruption off the first album.
Next was Jimi Hendrix, followed by Jimmy Page, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and Jeff Healey (I featured him on April 4, 2022).
I then entered my Heavy Metal phase and was drawn to a different caliber of players, not always melodic, and often fast … very fast.
But American guitarist Eric Johnson brought me back to reality showing that you could be both technically proficient and musically brilliant. He is still putting out recordings, but this is how I remember him.
Same performance, but unfortunately not the best quality. What I like about it is that a few minutes in, Eric aborts and begins again. Why? He does hit a stinker of a chord and continues for a few notes, but obviously it was enough to bother him.
At one point I did learn much of “Cliffs of Dover” but not all the crazy parts. “Trademark” on the other hand was more manageable.
-Leon
Leon Stevens is a multi-genre author, composer, guitarist, songwriter, and an artist, with a Bachelor of Music and Education. He published his first book of poetry, Lines by Leon: Poems, Prose, and Pictures in January 2020, followed by a book of original classical guitar compositions, Journeys, and a short story collection of science fiction/post-apocalyptic tales called The Knot at the End of the Rope and Other Short Stories. His newest publications are the novella trilogy, The View from Here, which is a continuation of one of his short stories, and a new collection of poetry titled, A Wonder of Words.
My new book page: http://books.linesbyleon.com/
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Lines by Leon 
Technically skilled, but incredibly dull to listen to! I was born in Dover – the real one, with the White Cliffs – and can’t see how this has any relation to my home town! Even if there had ever been any bluebirds there I think he’d have frightened them away 😊
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