ONE TOOTH RECORDS: Press

I have to get this off my chest: I was initially terrified of this record, and that’s saying a lot coming off last week’s bout with the Zombie Bazooka Patrol.

I learned in Sunday school not to judge a book by its cover, but a sin’s a sin. And damn, brother, that’s one ugly album cover.

Whew. I feel better, and I think you will too if you can get past the off-putting artwork and into the meat and taters of this gem.

And meat and taters is what you get. All the good stuff and no fluff. I’ve lambasted artists in these pages for appropriating Southern musical heritage and affectation for the sake of cashing in on what seems to be a growing trend. No so, for Brother Aaron Raitiere. Solid songwriting on top of mountain narrative, allowing enough room for the listener to roam and meander along at the pace of chicken-pickin’ banjo goodness gives way to soul-selling delta blues mystery.

Pretenders take note. This is the real deal. Somehow Raitiere still manages to avoid the pitfall of pretension. All I’ll say is anyone who writes a song with a lyric like, “If she’s got an apple, she’s got a bannaner,” doesn’t have the problem of taking himself too seriously.

The playfulness gets a little out of hand with what seem to be commercials for local barbecue and catfish establishments.

As a whole, this is how bluegrass (newgrass?) ought to be done. Raitiere is that “high lonesome sound” with a mouth full of barbecue.

Ironically, the last song is a lament on the one flaw he found with a girl named Butterface. You can see where this is going, right?

This record is a decent effort, butterface. Man, that cover art has gotta go.

If Guitars Could Talk: Student musician gathers stories for upcoming book

-Jodie Campbell 11.DEC.08
As a third-year graduate recording student at MTSU, Aaron Raitiere needed a substantial project to submit for the master’s program. The idea for a book about people and their guitars originated after Raitiere had a conversation with his dad. His dad was telling him about an old Guild guitar that was stolen from his home and later recovered in Texas.

“I just thought, ‘If that guitar could talk . . .,’” says Raitiere.

The story sparked the concept for a book that will feature accounts from various people, telling stories about their guitars that range from extraordinary to downright bizarre.

“I have hundreds of responses from all over the country, and I’m trying to weed out the best stories,” says Raitiere.

Raitiere is still compiling the countless interviews as the narratives divulge the significance of each individual’s inimitable instrument.

The book includes NSAI Hall of Fame songwriter Red Lane, who talks about his guitar that was built for him by Merle Haggard. Haggard recorded 32 songs written by Lane.

Also, Raitiere interviewed a man that claims his guitar saved his life.

Smyrna resident Tommy Hart was on his way home from a band practice on Feb. 19, 2008, when a motorcyclist fleeing from police collided with his truck, impacting the pick-up so greatly that it flipped the truck. Hart had his guitar in its case in the passenger side of his vehicle. Upon impact, the guitar wedged itself between Hart and the motorcycle, providing enough resistance to keep the motorcycle from hitting Hart.

“That was always my favorite guitar, and I never really knew why until that day. That guitar saved my life,” declares Hart.

Hart tells me he heard about Raitiere’s book through a friend and contacted him. The project has created buzz, and all kinds of stories such as Hart’s are pouring in.

Raitiere also interviewed Richard Starkey, a bluegrass musician and long-time employee of Martin Guitars. He actually designed the D18 Martin Clarence White guitar and owns the second one ever made.

“After visiting the grave of the late, great Clarence White, I was inspired and actually wrote the guitar specs for the D18 CW guitar right in my hotel room,” says Starkey.

Starkey worked for Ovation Guitar Co. for several years, and then went to work for Martin Guitars in 1992.

“I grew up in a musical family and though neither of my parents played the guitar I was first fascinated by its sound when my parents took me to see Kingston Trio,” says Starkey, a self-taught guitarist who has been playing for nearly 38 years.

Starkey is currently recording an album with the help of Raitiere and resides in Franklin, but continues to do all sorts of technical work for Martin Guitars and owns his own instrument repair shop.

In addition, the story of Larry Rice, a man who considers himself “an old rock-n-roll musician from the ’60s,” has been chosen for the book. Rice, 62, and now a retired shop teacher, built a workshop in his garage and started making guitars from scratch.

“I was surprised that Aaron picked me for the book, but I really love what I do and was happy to share that,” says Rice.

Rice insists that he is just a hobbyist who has built 12 guitars, both acoustic and electric. While he has made guitars for others, he only charges for the supplies because he believes “making it into a business would take all of the fun out of it.” Rice plays an electric bass that he made for himself with his own bare hands.

These are merely a glance at the fascinating stories that Raitiere has stockpiled.

Currently, Raitiere is searching for more stories and for a potential publisher.

Raitiere is pleased that what began as “nothing more than a great idea” transformed into something that has “generated a lot of interest nationally.”

Raitiere is still welcoming anyone and everyone who has a fascinating story to tell about their guitar.

For more information on the book or Aaron Raitiere’s own music and recording projects, visit onetoothrecords.com.

Monday January 5, 2009

Got a guitar with a story? Danville native's project explores instruments with tales to tell

By JENNIFER BRUMMETT
jenb@amnews.com

Middle Tennessee State University graduate recording student Aaron Raitiere conducted a series of interviews about "guitar stories." The stories, Danville native Raitiere says, will be compiled into a book.

Raitiere (aaron@onetoothrecords.com), a recording artist and performer as well as student, says he has a lot of "interesting characters" on board with this project, which "is proving to be very special," he adds.

He took time out from editing interviews and other activities to talk about this book project.

A-M: Why are you doing this book project?

AR: In May, I will hopefully get a Master of Fine Arts in recording arts. This is my final project. Also, I'm in it for the people and the stories. I've had cups of coffee and written songs with people I would've never met otherwise.

A-M: How did this venture get started?

AR: I needed a project. I've been working on a lot of kids' songs lately and was originally planning on traveling the country to record elementary school music classes. I still may do that. But I changed my mind at the last minute. At least 20 years ago my Mom and Dad had a house in Lancaster that got cleaned out. Dad had an acoustic Guild guitar that was stolen. Months later, it was discovered in a ditch somewhere in Texas. I told that story to a friend one night and then thought, "What if that guitar could talk? I imagine it would have a hell of a story to tell." The book idea followed.

A-M: What are the goals of this book?

AR: I've never written a book. I want to do a good job. I've got some very special stories and memories to preserve, and I plan on doing it well. Originally I intended to finish the book in May. Now, with the support of the graduate faculty, I am planning on investing more time, travel and adventure into the book. I have enough potential interviews to keep me busy for the next three years. I'd also like to get some sort of serious publishing deal eventually. I have ideas for many other books and would be happy writing full time.

A-M: What have the challenges been with this project?

AR: It was a slow start. I tried to just ask around and only got about five good stories over the course of six months. Then I started hanging posters and concentrating on publicizing the project, and since then, it has taken off on its own.

A-M: Who will the book be geared toward?

AR: Anyone and everyone. The pictures and stories are entertaining. They are about the things these guitars have seen. The places they've been. The people who spent hours making them. The fingers that spent hours playing them. If you can read, it's geared toward you.

A-M: What else are you working on?

AR: Right now I'm head coach of the MTSU Masters swim team. So I'm swimming a lot. I'm finishing up a new solo album. It's called "Kissin' Machine," and is a collection of songs for the current and long-lost women in my life. I've even been painting a lot lately.

I've also been working a lot with other writers and artists. I've compiled, edited and self-published a book of poetry by an unknown Kentucky poet named Herf Lonkelshtein. I'm also producing a record for Danville native Jamie Sommers, as well as a few others for One Tooth Records.
Copyright:The Advocate-Messenger 2009