GUITAR PLAYER MAGAZINE

GUITAR PLAYER MAGAZINE                   JIM & DARA CROCKETT

(Book). Guitar Player Magazine: The Glory Years is a reflection on Guitar Player 's often pioneering early days, from its 1967 founding through its 1989 sale by founder Bud Eastman and editor/publisher Jim Crockett. This book looks at the magazine's evolution from a 40-page semi-monthly to a monthly exceeding 200 pages, with a gross yearly income that grew from $40,000 to nearly $15 million. The story is told by many people important to Guitar Player 's history, including Maxine Eastman, Bud Eastman's widow, and Crockett, who edited this book with his daughter Dara. Also here are recollections of key personnel, including Tom Wheeler, Jas Obrecht, Roger Siminoff, Mike Varney, Jon Sievert, George Gruhn, and Robb Lawrence; leading early advertisers, such as Martin, Randall, and Fender; and prominent guitar players featured in the magazine, including Pat Travers, Country Joe McDonald, Pat Metheny, Steve Howe, Lee Ritenour, Johnny Winter, Steve Morse, Larry Coryell, Michael Lorimer, John McLaughlin, Stanley Clarke, Liona Boyd, and Steve Vai. Among the many illustrations are then-and-now shots of performers and staff, early ads, behind-the-scenes photos from company jam sessions (with such guests as B. B. King and Chick Corea), various fascinating events, and key issue covers. Rich in history and perspective, Guitar Player Magazine: The Glory Years is the definitive first-person chronicle of a music magazine's golden age.

HUBBY'S REVIEW:
This was a fascinating look at the beginnings of Guitar Player magazine. Which I have read mainly for the articles of either bands or guitar players. But one thing I have noticed with the magazine from early on is the focus of ads being only of music based. After reading this book the founders made that a goal from the start. Not to have car, perfume, cloths, etc. But only ads that dealt with music, guitars, strings, peddles, then drums, and other instruments. This really put a hurt on them at first financial, but after time that is just one of many things that set them apart from other magazines. They also put word out and ask for and got articles from people who were just starting out in the business either as a reporter or as a musician. There is an a story of how one journalist got a story with Eddie Van Halen after being stood up by another artist. That was just right after their release of their first album. Also how they came about unknown guitarists to the average person for example Steve Vai, how was someone that I had never heard about until he was featured in an article in their magazine, along with many other players before they became well known. This is a very interesting book on how a magazine got started on an idea and made 40,000 dollars then over a course of time over 200 million dollars. A good book. I got this book from netgalley.  I give this 4 stars.