Cal Denison |
I started playing the bass guitar when I was 11 years old. My parents had a gospel group at the time The Gospel Gleaner Family. My grandmother, Hildred Hall, was pianist for the group and decided that I was going to play the bass guitar. I was really more interested in the guitar but thought this would be a great start. My grandmother would show me the notes on the piano that I needed to play on the bass. When I would make the slightest mistake she would make me play the line over, and over again until it was perfect! One day my mother brought home an album she had purchased at a discount store of guitarist Dwayne Friend. Wow! What a player! I knew then I was going to learn to play the guitar. My mother called a local guitarist by the name of John Mardis who agreed to give me lessons. John was a big Chet fan and got me off to a great start. One day while I was trying to get down a lick off of a Dwayne Friend album, my Father interrupted me and said "Cal guess who just called?" My mother and father had met Dwayne Friend a few years prior when they sang at the dedication ceremonies of the Happy Goodman Families church. Dwayne traveled and played with the Goodmans at that time. Dwayne had been so impressed by their singing he tracked them down and hired them to back him up in concert. Now I was traveling and playing bass guitar with my Idol. I went on to play with the Gospel Lads and the Helmsmen. Later on I started a recording studio and produced and played on close to 400 albums, including Grammy Award winner Jody Miller, and Multiple Dove Award winner Dwayne Friend. I have been blessed by having my instrumental music used for numerous national airing TV documentaries, and radio & TV themes. In 1997 I was privileged to accept the International Country Gospel Music Associations Instrumentalist Of The Year Award. I would have to say my greatest musical influences besides my fantastic family have been John Mardis, Dwayne Friend, Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed, Tony Mottolla, and Richard Kiser, a guitarist that is not only great he is like a brother to me .I think you will hear a little of all of these guitarists in my music, and I am forever grateful to all of them for sharing one of Gods greatest gifts music! Cal Denison |
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