Every year Kalamazoo has the Fretboard Festival at the museum. They have guitar builders from all over the area and a lot of free workshops and music. Today I saw this 16-year-old kid play with his band and shot this video. Pretty amazing, especially since he said he’s been sick all week.
Jake Kershaw at the Fretboard Festival
That Firebird is brand new. He also played an old Les Paul and a older strat.
He is a nice kid.
We talked about an upcoming gig he has in support of some national/regional act in Grand Rapids. He said it was going to be tough because it was on a school night.
Jake has come a long way in this last year. He’s playing big venues and opening up for national acts now.
He’s still got a couple more years of high school, but he’s going places.
Here’s a shot of him playing his custom Heritage.
This year’s Fretboard Festival was great too.
Highlights for me were May Erlewine and the Moxie Strings.
Photos courtesy of Derek Ketchum Photography.
I went to the Heritage Guitar get-together and factory tour today. Jake Kershaw, the high school kid from down the road demo’d a few of their guitars during the tour.
My friend Arnie that worked at Heritage for many years built this custom Flying V that he brought out later. He built a baffled sound hole into the upper wing (you can barely see it in my lousy photo). I designed the Embrrs logo for him that he had etched onto a piece of brass for the headstock.
Jake played this guitar at Ribfest Thursday night during a ZZ Top medley.