Crown of the Continent | Guitar greats take the stage in Bigfork
Published: August 21, 2011
Steve Lukather, Joe Bonamassa, Lee Ritenour, Scott Tennant and David Wilcox share their considerable guitar finesse during classes and six concerts at the second annual Crown of the Continent Guitar Festival and Workshop, Aug. 28-Sept. 4 at Flathead Lake Lodge in Bigfork.
Lukather has consistently remained on the honor roll of the world's top guitarists. He’s a peer and pal to the likes of Jeff Beck, Eddie Van Halen, Jimmy Page, Larry Carlton and other fabled players.
Legendary Grammy Award-winning guitarist/composer and producer Ritenour participated in last year’s festival; his all-star guitar CD, 6 String Theory, has been named Guitar International’s Best Album of 2010, and Ritenour recently received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Guitar Player magazine.
Bonamassa was named Best Blues Guitarist by Guitar Player for three consecutive years; and Tennant returns to the workshop after becoming one of the favorite performers and instructors in 2010. He is a co-founder of the Grammy Award-winning L.A. Guitar Quartet and on the faculty of the University of Southern California.
Wilcox was described in Acoustic Guitar as "the best known of the brilliant crop of singer-songwriters to emerge in the late ’80s,” and the magazine praises him as a combination of James Taylor and the late Nick Drake.
Ritenour’s drummer Dave Weckl and elite bass player Melvin Lee Davis are participating as artists-in-residence.
The workshop portion, which offers master classes and jam sessions for serious and casual guitar students in jazz, rock, blues, acoustic and classical genres, has been filled up for more than a month. Fortunately, however, the public is invited to hear some of the world’s top guitarists during a series of six concerts, all at the lodge’s Meadow Tent (unless noted):
Competition to Bigfork.
Crown of the Continent Guitar Festival Allstar Kickoff Jam, 1 p.m. Aug. 28: local talent joins guitar festival faculty and students. Tickets are $10.
An Evening with Blues Master Joe Bonamassa, 8 p.m. Aug. 29: acclaimed blues guitarist provides a workshop and demonstration, backed by world-renowned drummer Weckl and bassist Davis. After his presentation, Bonamassa and the band will be joined by guitarists Lukather and Ritenour for a jam session. Tickets are $25.
An Evening with Steve Lukather and Lee Ritenour, 8 p.m. Aug. 30: rock guitarist Lukather and Grammy-winning jazz artist Ritenour provide a workshop and demonstration, backed by Weckl and Davis. Tickets are $25.
Yahama Lee Ritenour Six String Theory International Guitar Competition Finals, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 31 at the Bigfork Center for the Performing Arts: six finalists from around the world compete in this event that Ritenour launched, and brought to the Flathead Valley. Tickets are $50; visit http://www.sixstringtheory.com for details.
Scott Tennant and David Wilcox, 8 p.m. Sept. 1: Grammy-winning classical guitarist Tennant joins pioneering singer-songwriter Wilcox in this concert ($25).
Guitar Extravaganza, 7 p.m. Sept. 3 at the lodge’s Lake Harbor Stage: the Crown of the Continent Guitar Workshop and Festival faculty, friends and guests bring the festival to an end with this concert and jam ($22).
For tickets and information, call 800-595-4849 or visit www.cocguitarfoundation.tix.com.
