Hurts So Bad
Written by Randazzo/Hart, this tune went to the Top 5 in 1965 when it was recorded by Little Anthony and the Imperials. I've taken some liberties with this arrangement so be sure and check out the original.
Ancestral Bells
Written by Roger Hudson, a talented composer and contributor to Fingerstyle Magazine. I think it was the Celtic feel that appealed to me most about this tune.
Cheek To Cheek
I first heard this while viewing a film called The English Patient but never knew the name of the tune until I heard Chet Atkins perform it on his CD Almost Alone (1996). Written by Irving Berlin.
Manha de Carnival
(A Day in the Life of a Fool) was written by Brazilian guitarist, Luiz Bonfa. It appeared in the soundtrack of a 1958 film called Black Orpheus and was credited with helping establish the Bossa Nova movement that swept the US in the late 1950s and 60s. This arrangement is by Ed Johnson, my former guitar instructor and a talented composer, arranger, and performer in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Tennessee Waltz
Written by Redd Stewart and Pee Wee King and popularized by Les Paul and Mary Ford in 1950. This arrangement is by Nashville guitarist, arranger, and composer John Knowles, who certainly breathed new life into a lovely old melody.
Yesterday
Written by former Beatle Paul McCartney, Yesterday bears the distinction of being the most covered song ever written. So, here's my take on a classic.
Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring
Jesu from Cantata 147 was written by Johann Sebastian Bach and is certainly one of the most famous melodies in the classical genre. This arrangement is by Jerry Snyder.
Blues in A
I've always enjoyed the blues and when I first started using nylon string guitars, I thought I'd have to leave the genre behind. Fortunately for me, I think I've found a way to make it work on plastic strings.
Laguna Sand
Apparently Doyle Dykes, the talented composer of this tune, wrote it to commemorate a guitar made for him by a California luthier named Kirk Sand.
Wicked Game
Written by Chris Isaac, Wicked Game appeared on his Heart Shaped World album in 1989. This remains one of the most evocative melodies I've ever heard — and one of my favorite arrangements.