Raymond Morin of Pittsburgh’s Acoustic Music Works joins us this week for an insightful chat about running a guitar store, music and so much more.
At a time when things seem pretty bleak for mom & pop guitar stores, Pittsburgh’s Acoustic Music Works is a true success story. They have just relocated to a new, larger space, focusing on a select range of premium brands and hosting occasional in-house concerts.
https://acousticmusicworks.com
We talk about Raymond pivoting career-wise into the world of guitars; the guitar-building class he took before he became a salesperson; Collings and some of the other brands Acoustic Music Works carries; and Raymond’s own Pleinview line of instruments.
Our new, 57th issue of the Fretboard Journal is now mailing. Subscribe here to get it.
Our next Fretboard Summit takes place August 20-22, 2026, at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. https://fretboardsummit.org
We are brought to you by Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com (Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription with the promo code FRETBOARD at checkout).
Guitarist Paul Rigby joins us this week to talk about his 15-plus-year collaboration with Neko Case and so much more.
We hear about growing up in Calgary (and why it's an oddly great town for guitarists); meeting Neko; writing for Broadway; songwriting help from the Black Stallion; and why his favorite electric guitar is a $123 partscaster.
https://www.instagram.com/paul.rigby003/
Neko Case's new album, 'Neon Grey Midnight Green, is out now. https://nekocase.com
Our new, 57th issue of the Fretboard Journal is now mailing. Subscribe here to get it.
Our next Fretboard Summit takes place August 20-22, 2026, at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. https://fretboardsummit.org
We are brought to you by Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com (Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription with the promo code FRETBOARD at checkout).
Our new, 57th issue of the Fretboard Journal is now mailing. Subscribe here to get it.
Our next Fretboard Summit takes place August 20-22, 2026 at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. https://fretboardsummit.org
We are brought to you by Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com (Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription with the promo code FRETBOARD at checkout).
On this week’s Fretboard Journal Podcast, we’re joined by New York City-based guitarist and composer Vilray Bolles.
Alongside Rachael Price of Lake Street Dive, he's one half of Rachael & Vilray, a duo with an uncanny knack for writing brand new songs that feel like they came straight from Tin Pan Alley. On their latest release, West of Broadway, the duo was inspired by both classic musicals and West Coast jazz. They even roped in Stephen Colbert for a cameo on the album.
During our chat, we talk about Vilray’s love for jazz, his days of busking (and the downside of cell reception at subway terminals), meeting Rachael at Boston’s New England Conservatory of Music, how they recorded West of Broadway and so much more.
Bonus: Watch Vilray perform “Forever Never Lasts” from West of Broadway on our Fretboard Journal YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/oL85JbQXV6c
Our new, 57th issue of the Fretboard Journal is now mailing. Subscribe here to get it.
Our next Fretboard Summit takes place August 20-22, 2026 at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. https://fretboardsummit.org
We are brought to you by Peghead Nation: https://www.pegheadnation.com (Get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription with the promo code FRETBOARD at checkout).