Truetone Lounge

Today, we catch up with the mighty Redd Volkaert and see how he has been doing since he moved from Texas to Virginia, and what he has been doing while he has been isolating at home.

In part 2 with Reggie Young, we discuss his work with Elvis, and what lead to the end of American Studios in Memphis. We continue with his move to Nashville in 1972, and how a session...

Rob McNelley is one of the very few "first call" session guitarists in Nashville, TN. In part 1 of 2, we discuss his musical upbringing in Ohio, his move to Nashville, working as a touring guitarist, and how he began to get called for studio work . McNelley recalls how his playing on Lady Antebellum's chart topping hit, "Need You Now," single-handedly launched his recording career. Rob also shares...

Ryan Wariner is a touring and session guitarist in Nashville, TN, who has blazed his own trail by focusing on harder-edged playing and tones in a town mainly known for twang.

In part 2 of our Truetone Lounge interview with guitarist Rob McNelley, we talk about the gear he uses both on the road, and in the studio. Rob talks about, and then demonstrates 3 of his most used instruments; his 1953 gold top Les Paul, his P90 equipped Senn Pomona, and his prized 1965 Stratocaster that was formerly owned and played by his father. He also goes in-depth with his pedal board, and...

Scott Bernard is a respected touring and recording guitarist who has spent the last 8-years touring with pop icon Kenny Loggins. In our Truetone Lounge interview, we cover his early years, his move to Tennessee, and how he established himself as a working guitarist in Music City. Bernard also demonstrates his Melancon guitar, his touring pedal board, and the proper way to play the guitar parts for...

In part 2 of our Truetone Lounge episode with Ryan Wariner, we look at some of his favorite pieces of gear.

In Part 2 of our Truetone Lounge interview with Shawn Tubbs, we discuss his touring with Carrie Underwood, and how his gear has changed over the past 10-years to meet the tonal and logistical demands of the gig. Shawn also talks about his gear demos, and his thoughts as he contemplates making a guitar-focused solo record. Tubbs also goes through his grab-and-go pedal board and demonstrates his Suh...

In Part 1 of our Truetone Lounge interview with Shawn Tubbs, we cover his early years, how he established himself as a session guitarist in Los Angeles, and his appearances with the Stone Temple Pilots on MTV's Unplugged and NBC's Saturday Night Live. Tubbs also discusses how a red-eye flight to Nashville led him to touring with Country Music Superstar Carrie Underwood.

Truetone Lounge Episode #2 included some great guitar work that had to be chopped down for running time reasons. here are the guitar demo clips from Episode 2 as well as footage that never made the final cut. Enjoy!

J.D. Simo has been recognized by Rolling Stone, Guitar Player, Premier Guitar, and Vintage Guitar Magazine as one of the finest young rock guitarists of his generation. In Part 1 of our Truetone Lounge interview with J.D. Simo, we cover his musically eclectic journey from Chicago to Nashville, and how he came to form his trio, Simo.

In Part 2 with J.D. Simo, we delve into his trio, and his thoughts as they begin working on their next album. We also dive headfirst into his gear, beginning with his recent switch from Plexi Marshalls to mid 60's blackface Fender amps, and touch on his love for lesser-known combos such as the Epiphone Futura, and the Traynor YGM. We end the episode spotlighting Simo's 1962 ES-335, affectionately...

In Part 3, J.D. talks about his long love of the Fender Telecaster and demonstrates the 1955 Telecaster that he currently tours with. We finish out part 3 with his prized 1960 Les Paul nicknamed "Candy."

Steve Wariner’s crazy musical odyssey is filled with characters with names like Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed, Reggie Young, Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Mark O'Connor, and many others that are either titans or demigods of the music world. In our Truetone Lounge interview, Steve discusses all of the musical giants above, while also taking us from his early years in Indiana, all the way to commercial and ar...

Steve Gibson is one of the most recorded guitarists in the world, having played on over 200 # 1 singles across a variety of musical genres.

JD Simo returns to the Truetone Lounge to talk about his forthcoming blues album and his work with Phil Lesh and Friends. Along the way, Simo discusses some of his favorite blues players demonstrating many of their playing styles for good measure.

Stu G is one of the most influential guitarists in the history of modern Christian/Worship music. His band, Delirious?, completely changed the sound and direction of Christian music in the mid-1990s, and their indelible stamp is still felt to this day. In our Truetone Lounge interview, Stu takes us through his early years, to Delirious?, and how they toured with rock and pop bands, even sharing ma...

In this Truetone Lounge episode, we speak with Todd Sharp, veteran guitarist and more recently, acclaimed amp builder. In part one, we speak with Sharp about his working musician family and teenage gigs in the 60's, to working up to being a high-profile sideman with Hall & Oats, Mick Fleetwood, and Bob Welch in the 1970's. He also shares the enviable experience of writing with Fleetwood Mac's Chri...

In today's Truetone Lounge Quarantine Edition, we sit down with the great jazz/solo guitarist and educator, Tim Lerch. A key member of the modern Tele-Jazz cats, Tim talks tone, and how he gets a jazz sound from solid-body guitars. Along the way, we discuss his time at GIT, and the private lessons he had with two legendary players, Lenny Breau, and Ted Greene. We also spotlight his new Truefire se...

Part 3 with Todd Sharp delves into why he started Todd Sharp Amplifiers, and what sets his JOAT 20RT amp apart from other designs. Todd also walks us through the features and tones of the JOAT 20RT using his 1959 Stratocaster, '56 Les Paul, and his funky "tuned down" El Dorado.

In Part 2 of our Truetone Lounge interview with Todd Sharp, we take a look at his 1986 solo album for MCA, Who Am I, and his days playing stadium gigs with Rod Stewart using a pair of 150-watt custom Dumble amp heads. We also cover Todd's move to Nashville, roadwork with Carlene Carter, Delbert McClinton, and Richard Marx, and how he transitioned into Nashville's amplifier guru to the stars.

Tom Hemby is a highly respected touring and studio guitarist based in Nashville, TN. His hard work, talent, and versatility equipped him to work with Amy Grant, Vince Gill and Wynonna on the road, and musical icons Michael McDonald, Cliff Richard, Glen Campbell, Kenny Loggins, Peter Cetera, and many others in the studio. In our Truetone Lounge interview, we tell his story from rural Missouri to st...

Will McFarlane is one of the creators and torch bearers of the Muscle Shoals sound. He was recognized for this by his induction into the Musicians Hall of Fame as one of the Swampers in 2008. In our Truetone Lounge interview, we cover the impact his family had on his musicianship, his rise to fame as a sideman with Bonnie Raitt in the ’70s, his time spent in L.A. doing session work, and his move t...

Tyler Chiarelli is one of the finest young guitarists in Nashville today, who has quickly assimilated the chops, gear, and attitude that are necessary to make it here in Music City. In Our Truetone Lounge interview, Tyler takes us from his beginnings as a drummer, how he shifted to guitar, the tale of Tom Bukovac convincing him to move to Nashville, the lessons learned from getting fired from gigs...

Xact Tone Solutions is at the forefront of the musician service industry offering flexible pedalboard and rack builds, highly sophisticated system integrations for the biggest touring acts, and a full-line of tonally rich pedals. In our Truetone Lounge interview, we sit down with owner/founder Greg Walton, to discuss the beginnings of XTS and some of their guiding philosophies. We then add chief e...