We're excited to be hosting the great Guthrie Trapp here in the ArtistWorks studios for the next couple days. Returning to record more country guitar lessons for his students, we've been planning this for a while now and are fully prepared. Here's a look at some of what he'll be covering in the new lessons:

• Essential Fundamentals of Jam Etiquette
• Building Solos in Several Keys
• Tasteful use of Country licks in other Genres
• Hybrid Picking Techniques
• Playing over Slow Songs
• Playing in Waltz time
• Country Ballads
• Backing up a Singer
• Memphis style R&B licks
• Fixing Common Mistakes
• Breaking out of the Pentatonic Box

…and much more, plus Guthrie always has a trick or two up his sleeve so you never know what may come out of these sessions. Many of these topics came at the request of his students here, so thank you all kindly for your ideas. Stay tuned for more updates as events unfold!

I'm sad to report the death of the English guitar genius Allan Holdsworth. Allan was one of the most influentail electric guitarists of all time.

He rose to prominence with the prog band 'Igginbottom, who released their sole album, 'Igginbottom's Wrench in 1969. After stints with early prog bands Nucleus and Tempest he later would work with Soft Machine, Tony Williams' Lifetime, Gong, Jean-Luc Ponty and Bill Bruford. He was an original member of the prog band U.K. alongside Bruford, John Wetton and Eddie Jobson, but left following their 1978 debut album.

Although Velvet Darkness was released in 1976, Holdsworth did not recognise it as an official release, so 1982's I.O.U. was what he viewed as his debut solo outing. His solo work has recently been the subject of a box set, The Man Who Changed Guitar Forever, and a compilation CD Eidolon: The Allan Holdsworth Collection, both released on manifesto Records.

As a guitarist he was cited by the likes of Eddie Van Hlaen, Joe Satriani, Alex Lifeson and John Petrucci as a major influence, while Mahavishnu Orchestra guitarist John McLaughlin once said of him: "I'd steal everything Allan was doing, if only I could figure out what the heck it was that he was doing."

Holdsworth was working on a new solo album at the time of his death.

Condolences to Allan's family, Louise, Sam, Emily & Rori.