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Walnut Valley Festival ::
Pete Huttlinger -- panstyle from classical to jazz
By Rex Flottman
RockKansas guest columnist
As a must-have sideman, Pete Huttlinger occupied some pretty choice real estate: The Hollywood Bowl and London’s Royal Albert Hall with John Denver, Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas with George Burns and stadiums across America in Alan Jackson’s “High Mileage” tour.
Now Pete will be bringing his reputation as a player who excels in virtually every style of music to Winfield and the 30th Annual Walnut Valley Festival. Pete performs styles ranging from classical and jazz to Latin and country, a talent that has have won him touring and special-event slots beside such notables as Brenda Lee, Brad Paisley, America, Sara Evans, composer Lee Holdridge, Engelbert Humperdinck and Chad Brock.
These days, the dazzling guitarist is stepping solo into the spotlight. Huttlinger has recorded two albums of instrumental masterpieces (many of which he composed). And lately he has become a favorite guest artist for the Nashville Chamber Orchestra, the versatile ensemble that integrates classical music with rock, folk and bluegrass. In addition, Huttlinger has been a featured artist with the San Diego and Houston symphonies.
While guitars plugged and unplugged are his specialty, Huttlinger is also accomplished on the banjo, mandolin and harmonica. In 2000, he won the National Fingerpick Guitar Championship at the Walnut Valley Festival, beating out 37 other world-class opponents.
Born in Washington, D. C. and raised in California, Huttlinger began learning the banjo when he was 12. Two years later, he switched to guitar. After finishing high school in North Carolina, he enrolled at Berklee College of Music in Boston. Here he “soaked up” a broad palette of styles and techniques before graduating cum laude with a degree in professional music.
During the early ‘90s, John Denver’s tour manager and producer Kris O’Connor heard Huttlinger on another project and was so impressed that he recommended him for Denver’s band. Huttlinger toured, recorded and performed on television with Denver from 1994 until the singer’s death in a plane crash in 1997.
Among the Denver albums Huttlinger played and sang on were the gold-selling John Denver: The Wildlife Concert and The Best Of John Denver Live and the Grammy-winning John Denver: All Aboard. Subsequent recordings include John McEuen: The Wild West, soundtrack for the HBO special; A Paul Brandt Christmas, for the CMT/Canada network special; Lori Mecham and Ritmos Picantes’ Welcome To Brazil; and the Grammy-nominated album, Squeezebox, by LynnMarie.
Pete’s solo albums are Catch & Release and Naked Pop. He has also recorded two John Denver tribute CDs titled Colors In Time and Colors In Time, Volume II with keyboardist Chris Nole.
On television, Huttlinger performed in the A&E special, John Denver: The Wildlife Concert and music from his Colors In Time was used in the PBS documentary about Denver, Nature: Let This Be A Voice. The music he composed and performed for the PBS special, Tennessee Traveling And Treasures, earned him his first Emmy nomination, and he created the theme song for Flyfishing America for ESPN. (Huttlinger is a flyfishing enthusiast.)
During a recent appearance with the Nashville Chamber Orchestra, Huttlinger’s performance of the Steely Dan classic, “Josie,” caught the ear of famed producer Peter Asher (Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor). Asher praised Huttlinger for his arrangement of the song and, learning that the guitarist had recorded it on his Naked Pop album, asked for a copy to present to Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen.
Pete Huttlinger lives in Nashville and plays everywhere, but from September 11th till September 15th he will be in Winfield. While in Winfield Pete will be a guest of the Winfield Arts and Humanities, meeting with students at Southwestern College in the morning on September eleventh. He is also set to appear at a free evening concert with The Walnut River String Band in downtown Winfield. There will be a hamburger fry to benefit the Winfield Main Street Association.
The following day, (September twelfth) Pete will be teaching a “hands on” all day guitar workshop with fellow National Fingerstyle Guitar Champion Pat Kirtley. Folks can enroll in the class through the Walnut Valley Festival. The day will conclude on Stage 4 at the Walnut Valley Festival with Pete joining Beppe Gambetta, Pat Kirtley, Dan Crary and others for a concert sponsored by “Taylor Guitars”.
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