BOOK: ‘Guitar Player: The Inside Story of the First Two Decades of the Most Successful Guitar Magazine Ever’ by Jim Crockett with Dara Crockett
They were the Apple of the guitar world, though more reflecting the craftsmanship of Steve Wozniak than the shrewdness of Steve Jobs. A group of musicians fascinated with their instrument and looking for a way to connect with one another. They created the first global communication vehicle for guitar craftsmen, long before the Internet gave us the ability to instantly create niche fan communities. Guitar Player: The Inside Story of the First Two Decades of the Most Successful Guitar Magazine Ever tells the story of the people and the passion that created a phenomenon among guitar players and enthusiasts.
The book chronicles the beginnings and the magazine’s heyday, the 20 years between its inception and its corporate buyout in 1989. More like a yearbook or an extended family scrapbook, the focus is on the people and the culture that fostered an environment of fun, excitement, and ultimately, great success. This is no dry history book; the story of the magazine — it’s beginnings, struggles, and triumphs — is secondary to the stories of those who lived it.
Guitar Player was the brainchild of L.V. “Bud” Eastman, a musician and teacher who owned a guitar store in the mid-‘60s. Recognizing the needs and frustrations of the guitar players he served, Eastman started a player organization, initially advertising in packets of guitar strings. His organization’s centerpiece would be a magazine to connect members with the latest knowledge, products, and insights in the field. Knowing nothing about the magazine business, he launched his publication through innovative ideas, hard work, and an incredible amount of trial and error. And despite the many ups and downs of starting a business, Guitar Player never missed an issue and quickly became the industry standard.
More than one person recalls a story that encompasses Eastman’s philosophy. A staff member suggested that magazine’s name should be changed to Guitarist or Guitar; something more eye-catching and marketable. Eastman’s response was a resounding “no.” This magazine was about guitar players — those who cared about their instruments and those who mastered them, not showmanship or fame. The name stayed, and his vision permeated the organization: Guitar Player was created for musicians, by musicians, of every skill level.
The book is edited by Jim Crockett with his daughter Dara, who persuaded her father to collect these stories. Jim Crockett was Guitar Player‘s editor and president/publisher from 1970 to 1989, and was the driving force behind the magazine’s success once Bud Eastman took a step back from day-to-day management. He opens the book with his own reminiscences, giving an overview of how the magazine went from Eastman’s brainchild to the gold standard for guitar players with global circulation and the most sought-after advertising space in the industry. Yet Crockett’s story is truly fleshed out in the stories of his peers and colleagues, who highlighted his dedication, innovative strategies, and the sense of fun that made Guitar Player into the success it became.
Like any yearbook, this is a collection of personal reflections, supplemented by pages of photos. People from every level of the magazine — editors, writers, office managers, salesmen, columnists, lawyers, and marketers — tell their personal story, giving a comprehensive view of Guitar Player‘s evolution and culture. Readers learn more about Guitar Player from reminiscences of first jobs, big chances, celebratory jam sessions, and the staff’s internal parody magazine, Mag Rag, than from any biographical information.
There are plenty of famous names and faces (especially to guitar aficionados) scattered throughout; yet they’re not in the story for the purpose of name dropping, but because they became part of the extended Guitar Player family. Jefferson Starship’s Craig Chaquico, for example, tells the story of the influence of Guitar Player on his career, that, as a kid, he bought the magazine before he even had a guitar and once cut up his father’s driver’s license to make a guitar pick shaped like one he saw there. The Guitar Player advisory board, which included guitar luminaries like Eric Clapton, Doc Watson, and Chet Atkins, were on call to give readers advice and even answer the phone.
The final section is perhaps the most unusual part of the book: the Guitar Player story told from advertisers’ perspectives. As with every decision they made, Guitar Player‘s advertising policy put the reader first, only allowing music-related ads. But rather than backfiring or limiting their revenue, the policy was beneficial to both the reader and the advertiser. Readers were legitimately interested in the advertised products, which made Guitar Player the most sought-after advertising venue in the industry. These stories are also told on a personal level; how the relationship with the magazine helped grow, and even save, fledgling businesses. And readers get the added perk of looking at pages and pages of vintage music ads.
Though many names won’t be familiar to the guitar novice, Guitar Player: The Inside Story of the First Two Decades of the Most Successful Guitar Magazine Ever, is highly recommended for any music fan interested in the history of this extraordinary era. Above all, it’s a story about people, places, and friendship. It’s also a story about leadership, an example of the culture that businesses across the world are so desperately trying to infuse into their own organizations. The stories in this book show that no strategy can foster success more than passion, commitment, dedication, and fun.
Get your copy of Guitar Player: The Inside Story of the First Two Decades of the Most Successful Guitar Magazine Ever from Hal Leonard’s online store!
