 About The Cigar Box Guitar Extravaganza
Songs Inside the Box takes viewers to the world's largest concert of cigar box guitar music and provides a unique glimpse into a popular hobby and growing movement of self expression participants call the cigar box guitar revolution.
Several years ago Pennsylvania biochemist David Williams made a cigar box guitar and got hooked on the hobby. Discussion in the forum led him to historic one-string instruments which he recreated with scientific accuracy. The normally reserved Williams took the stage as the outgoing One String Willie and showed that a primitive instrument with only one string can make beautiful music. "These guys gave me a reason to live," said Gerry Thompson from New Jersey. "I had a liver transplant 16 years ago and for the past four years my body has been rejecting it. I had a new transplant just a month ago and I wouldn't miss this event for anything." Thompson and his group, the Color of Skies, performed ballads from the stage and mingled with friends both old and new throughout the day long event.
When the other two members of Hamilton's group, the Low Country Messiahs failed to make it to the event because their car broke down, Hamilton was joined onstage by Shane Speal, the self-proclaimed "King of the Cigar Box Guitar." The two had never played together before, but they played in perfect harmony at this event. Speal is the glue that holds this widely diverse community together and he brought along his personal collection of historic cigar box guitars dating to the 1800s. When he took the stage, he played music ranging from punk rock to a Hindustani raga on his battered Macanudo box.  Shane Speal, King of the Cigar Box Guitar "These folks pride themselves on being able to play circles around a lot of musicians who use store bought instruments, but they use instruments they made themselves," said Shores. "It's something you just have to see and hear to believe," he continued. "Some of the performances are demented while others are profound, and the camaraderie experienced at this event is truly heart warming." In addition to performances from the Extravaganza, the documentary will include a visit with cigar box guitar builder and player Tomi-O Hartwell of Hinton, West Virginia. It will also include historical perspective and instrument building tips from Bill Jehle of Decatur, Alabama. Production for the cigar box guitar documentary began at the 3rd annual Cigar Box Guitar Extravaganza. It will premiere at the 4th annual Cigar Box Guitar Extravaganza on June 21st at 2:00 p.m. at the Flying Monkey Arts Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Songs Inside the Box is a production of the University of Alabama Center for Public Television and Radio. For more info: Become a friend of the film at MySpace.com Shane Speal's cigarboxguitar.com Shane Speal's Cigar Box Guitar Forum Ted Crocker's Cigar Box Guitar Headquarters at MySpace.com The Flying Monkey Arts Center in Huntsville, Alabama The University of Alabama Center for Public Television and Radio |
