Skinny Devil Music Lab - credits {...f r o m . w h e r e . t o . w h e r e ...}

Web-site
My sincerest thanx to Rob Goodson, who hosts this site and is a great teacher and friend, and to Jami Desrosiers, who is friend, creator of Skinny Devil Radio Flash players & much of the Skinny Devil art seen here, and works tirelessly on Q-A (meaning she holds my silly hand throughout the evolution of the site). My brother, Joshua McLean, also works hard on Q-A and he designed the awards graphics & certificates for "Guitar Excellence" issued by SDML as well as the Virtual Guide on the left, and a shout out to Tim Hoover and the others who provided photos that appear here.

To Joe McGuire at Tinfoil Music & Joel Wanasek at Insane Guitar for giving me a public voice long before it was evident that the "Guitar Gods" or "Insanity 101" series would be so successful. You guys rock!

Education
How do you say "thank you" enough to the folks who opened the world to you? I thought I was cool when I was 16 because I could plunk through the main notes of the solo to "Cat Scratch Fever". Then I met Elizabeth Roth (she wasn't Roth at the time), who at 17 was blazing effortlessly through Bach & Kansas & Pink Floyd. She taught me, sans the pain, that I wasn't so cool after all - then patiently taught me how to play "Stairway to Heaven".

By the time I wanted to go to college, I couldn't afford it. Some folks at EKU came to the rescue, especially Alan Beeler. While Dr. Beeler probably doesn't remember me at all, I can never thank him enough. He opened my eyes to the world of music theory and gave me an appreciation of more than just rock & blues guitar. Through our long conversations, he built the foundation of everything I know "deeply" about music, and his quiet yet fearless attitude towards excellence & experimentation pushed me beyond my mere rebellious rock-n-roll attitude & have effected me beyond measure.

Then I met Mike Froedge. By the time Mike & I hooked up, he was a student at UK & I was already playing with ideas put forth by Cage & Xenakis, and experimenting in tribalism. Mike brought it all into perspective and taught me damn near everything I know about percussion (which I also teach, in addition to guitar). I also had the good fortune to play with Mike (my thanx to Jim Campbell at the University of KY) for 3+ years in Aur'a-Sen, a wildly experimental metal-fusion band, and (like Dr. Beeler & Elizabeth) his impact on my musical development cannot be over-stated.

The YMCA, which is mistakenly known as "gym & swim" by most people, actually started as a social group committed to arts & humanities. They have, in recent years, begun returning to these roots by providing top-notch programming outside of the already wonderful sports programs they've offered for years. This new programming includes (but is certainly not limited to) various music programs, dance, visual arts, and so much more.

The diversity of programming and charitable efforts the YMCA engages in is far too wide in scope to properly cover here, but their commitment to community and to excellence is something they've quietly worked at for years while the rest of us have just talked about it. My hat is off to all the wonderful folks at all the YMCAs, & especially the YMCA of Central Kentucky.

If your local Y doesn't yet offer music education, ask them to include it and tell them to drop me a line if I can be of any service.

Family
Enough can never be said. To my children Nik, Damien, Elizabeth, & Christopher; to Ria, my wife & best friend; to my mom & dad & siblings Vicki, Joshua, & Adam - and to those friends like Glenn Smith & Greg Francis & Mike Rubey & so many others who, it seems, have always been there....

Finally, to all my family & friends & students & former students & fans of my work who push me to do articles, books, more interviews, & new musical projects: you are the reason...