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El McMeen

Elmer Ellsworth McMeen, III (known as El McMeen) (born June 3, 1947 in Lewistown, Pennsylvania), is an acoustic steel-string fingerstyle guitarist. His specialty is fingerstyle arrangements of sung or strongly melodic pieces, ranging from the Irish genre, to hymns, gospel tunes and pop music. He has also composed instrumentals for guitar, and has published a book of Irish and Scottish instrumental music that he arranged for classical string trio (violin, viola and cello). That book is called Celtic Treasures for String Trio (Piney Ridge, 2005). He plays and arranges guitar music almost exclusively in the CGDGAD tuning. (That tuning, developed by English guitarist Dave Evans in the 1960s, is similar to a Hawaiian slack-key tuning [CGCGAD] called "C Ni'ihau" tuning.) Acoustic Guitar magazine (Oct. 2001, No. 106) called McMeen "the king of CGDGAD tuning".

McMeen has also arranged many pieces of music in Dropped D tuning (DADGBE), and has written The Art of Dropped D Guitar, published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc. He is profiled in Marquis’ Who’s Who in the World.

McMeen practiced law as his primary vocation in New York City for many years, and was a partner in the New York City law firm of LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae, LLP for 21 years, until his retirement in 2000. After retirement from law, he has pursued music and Christian ministry work full-time.[1]

Biography edit

El McMeen was born in Lewistown, Pennsylvania in 1947, and moved with his family to Huntingdon, PA in 1960. Through freshman year in college, he played clarinet as a solo instrument, as well as in band and orchestra settings. He studied piano, and sang in choral groups. He attended public schools in Lewistown and Huntingdon, PA, before attending Mt. Hermon School (now called Northfield Mt. Hermon School), graduating in 1965. He graduated from Harvard College in 1969, and the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1972, in each case with Honors. He was an Editor of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review. He has been married to the former Sheila Taenzler since 1971, and has three sons—Jonathan, Daniel and James—and a daughter, Mary.

McMeen started learning guitar as a senior at Mt. Hermon. At first, he did not approach the guitar primarily as a solo instrument, but used it as accompaniment for his singing. Upon reapplying himself in the early 1980s to the instrument, he encountered what he saw as an incredible breadth of music that one could try to render on guitar. He found himself attracted to Irish and Scottish music, alternative tunings, and different approaches to rendering and arranging music. McMeen’s playing is characterized by melodic emphasis, economy and great beauty of sound. His natural voice-like phrasing and skill at ornamentation and improvisation create a musical flow that gives the listener the impression he is hearing the piece for the first time, each time it is played. His improvisational approach to pieces creates an atmosphere of warm and personal immediacy. Guitar Player Magazine (Vol. 29, No. 2, 1995) referred to his music as "drop-dead gorgeous".

Discography edit

Solo albums edit

  • Of Soul and Spirit (Shanachie 97012; 1991)
  • Irish Guitar Encores (Shanachie 97017; 1992)
  • Solo Guitar Serenade (Piney Ridge 104; 1994)
  • Playing Favorites (Piney Ridge 105; 1996)
  • Acoustic Guitar Treasures (Piney Ridge 106; 1998)
  • El McMeen Live (Piney Ridge 107; 2000)
  • The Lea Rig (Piney Ridge 108; 2001)
  • Breakout (Piney Ridge 109; 2002)
  • Dancing the Strings (Piney Ridge 110; 2004)
  • The Soul of Christmas Guitar (Piney Ridge 111; 2004)
  • Amazing Grace (Piney Ridge 112; 2006)
  • At-Home Picking...and Talking (2010)
  • The Spirit of Christmas Guitar (Piney Ridge 114; 2018)
  • Celtic Guitar Treasures (Piney Ridge 115; 2018)
  • Gospel Guitar Treasures (Piney Ridge 116; 2018)
  • Fingerstyle Americana (Piney Ridge 118; 2020)
  • For the Ladies (Piney Ridge 119; 2020)
  • Guitar Favorites in 3/4 Time (Piney Ridge 120; 2020)
  • El McMeen Live and Personal (Piney Ridge 121; 2020)

Compilations edit

  • Celtic Treasure (Narada; 1996)
  • A Celtic Tapestry (Shanachie; 1996)
  • Ramble to Cashel (Rounder; 1998)
  • The Blarney Pilgrim (Rounder; 1998)
  • High on the Mountain (Acoustic; 1999)
  • Great Strings, Great Music (W. L. Gore & Associates; 1999)
  • Acoustic Music Resource Sampler (AMR; 1999)
  • Great Strings, Great Music, Vol.2 (W. L. Gore & Associates; 2000)
  • Narada Presents the Best of Celtic Christmas (Narada; 2002)

DVD edit

  • Guitar Artistry of El McMeen (Vestapol 13112)

DVD guitar lessons (Stefan Grossman's guitar workshop) edit

  • Irish Guitar Encores (GW 916)
  • Christmas Carols and Songs for Fingerstyle Guitar (GW 923)
  • Sacred Music for Fingerstyle Guitar (GW 911)

Books edit

Guitar edit

  • The Art of Dropped D Guitar (Mel Bay, 20467BCD)
  • Celtic Guitar Treasures
  • The Soul of Christmas Guitar
  • Of Soul and Spirit (Mel Bay)
  • Irish Guitar Encores (Mel Bay)
  • Solo Guitar Serenade (Mel Bay)
  • Playing Favorites (Mel Bay)
  • Acoustic Guitar Treasures (Mel Bay)
  • The Mel Bay Complete Celtic Fingerstyle Guitar Book (Mel Bay,95217BCD;co-author w/Stefan Grossman and Duck Baker)
  • Mel Bay Master Anthology of Fingerstyle Guitar Solos, Volume 1 (Mel Bay,98370BCD;contributor)

String Trio edit

  • Celtic Treasures for String Trio

Other edit

  • Hard Times: A Christian Guide for Getting Through Them (2007)
  • Do You Have Time for Some Good News! (2007)
  • Unforgiveness: A Christian Guide to Tearing Down That Wall (2008)
  • The Good News Is ... Freedom (2007)
  • Two Snowflakes Walk Into a Bar (BookLocker; 2014)
  • Objection! Overruled! (Or, Two Lawyers Have a Little "Chat" about God and Hell) (with Steve Baughman)(BookLocker; 2013)
  • Growing Up in God's Country" (BookLocker; 2018)
  • Holy Holophrase! Naming Your Favorite Aggravations (BookLocker; 2021)

References edit

  1. ^ "El McMeen: New Jersey-based acoustic guitar virtuoso - El McMeen". www.crossrhythms.co.uk. Retrieved March 2, 2017.

Sources edit

  • Interview by Mel Bay Guitar Publications with El McMeen, http://elmcmeen.com/El%20Mel%20Bay%20Interview%202000.pdf
  • The National Law Journal (July 1, 1991),"Strumming Along With the Law" (by Sheryl Nance)
  • Guitar Player (October 1992),"El McMeen: Irish Ears Are Smiling" (by Kevin Ransom)
  • Acoustic Guitar (May–June 1993), "Solo: Six-String Choir" (by Patrick G. Grant)
  • Fingerstyle Guitar (Sept–Oct 1996),"Artist Profile" (by Jeff Miller)
  • Acoustic Guitar (Sept.-Oct. 1998),"Hit List" (by Russell Letson)
  • Acoustic Guitar (No. 106, 2001),"Hit List" (by Art Edelstein)
  • Acoustic Guitar (June 2004),"CD Review" (by Celine Keating)
  • Dirty Linen (Dec.2004– Jan. 2005),"Holiday Releases" (by Michael Parrish)
  • Acoustic Guitar (Nov.2007),"Private Lesson" (by Doug Young)
  • NJ Herald (Feb.22, 2008), El McMeen: A Different Kind of Musician" (by Robert Price)

External links edit

  • Official website

mcmeen, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, december, 2014, learn, when, remove, this, message, elmer, ellsworth, . This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations December 2014 Learn how and when to remove this message Elmer Ellsworth McMeen III known as El McMeen born June 3 1947 in Lewistown Pennsylvania is an acoustic steel string fingerstyle guitarist His specialty is fingerstyle arrangements of sung or strongly melodic pieces ranging from the Irish genre to hymns gospel tunes and pop music He has also composed instrumentals for guitar and has published a book of Irish and Scottish instrumental music that he arranged for classical string trio violin viola and cello That book is called Celtic Treasures for String Trio Piney Ridge 2005 He plays and arranges guitar music almost exclusively in the CGDGAD tuning That tuning developed by English guitarist Dave Evans in the 1960s is similar to a Hawaiian slack key tuning CGCGAD called C Ni ihau tuning Acoustic Guitar magazine Oct 2001 No 106 called McMeen the king of CGDGAD tuning McMeen has also arranged many pieces of music in Dropped D tuning DADGBE and has written The Art of Dropped D Guitar published by Mel Bay Publications Inc He is profiled in Marquis Who s Who in the World McMeen practiced law as his primary vocation in New York City for many years and was a partner in the New York City law firm of LeBoeuf Lamb Greene amp MacRae LLP for 21 years until his retirement in 2000 After retirement from law he has pursued music and Christian ministry work full time 1 Contents 1 Biography 2 Discography 2 1 Solo albums 2 2 Compilations 3 DVD 3 1 DVD guitar lessons Stefan Grossman s guitar workshop 4 Books 4 1 Guitar 4 2 String Trio 4 3 Other 5 References 6 Sources 7 External linksBiography editEl McMeen was born in Lewistown Pennsylvania in 1947 and moved with his family to Huntingdon PA in 1960 Through freshman year in college he played clarinet as a solo instrument as well as in band and orchestra settings He studied piano and sang in choral groups He attended public schools in Lewistown and Huntingdon PA before attending Mt Hermon School now called Northfield Mt Hermon School graduating in 1965 He graduated from Harvard College in 1969 and the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1972 in each case with Honors He was an Editor of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review He has been married to the former Sheila Taenzler since 1971 and has three sons Jonathan Daniel and James and a daughter Mary McMeen started learning guitar as a senior at Mt Hermon At first he did not approach the guitar primarily as a solo instrument but used it as accompaniment for his singing Upon reapplying himself in the early 1980s to the instrument he encountered what he saw as an incredible breadth of music that one could try to render on guitar He found himself attracted to Irish and Scottish music alternative tunings and different approaches to rendering and arranging music McMeen s playing is characterized by melodic emphasis economy and great beauty of sound His natural voice like phrasing and skill at ornamentation and improvisation create a musical flow that gives the listener the impression he is hearing the piece for the first time each time it is played His improvisational approach to pieces creates an atmosphere of warm and personal immediacy Guitar Player Magazine Vol 29 No 2 1995 referred to his music as drop dead gorgeous Discography editSolo albums edit Of Soul and Spirit Shanachie 97012 1991 Irish Guitar Encores Shanachie 97017 1992 Solo Guitar Serenade Piney Ridge 104 1994 Playing Favorites Piney Ridge 105 1996 Acoustic Guitar Treasures Piney Ridge 106 1998 El McMeen Live Piney Ridge 107 2000 The Lea Rig Piney Ridge 108 2001 Breakout Piney Ridge 109 2002 Dancing the Strings Piney Ridge 110 2004 The Soul of Christmas Guitar Piney Ridge 111 2004 Amazing Grace Piney Ridge 112 2006 At Home Picking and Talking 2010 The Spirit of Christmas Guitar Piney Ridge 114 2018 Celtic Guitar Treasures Piney Ridge 115 2018 Gospel Guitar Treasures Piney Ridge 116 2018 Fingerstyle Americana Piney Ridge 118 2020 For the Ladies Piney Ridge 119 2020 Guitar Favorites in 3 4 Time Piney Ridge 120 2020 El McMeen Live and Personal Piney Ridge 121 2020 Compilations edit Celtic Treasure Narada 1996 A Celtic Tapestry Shanachie 1996 Ramble to Cashel Rounder 1998 The Blarney Pilgrim Rounder 1998 High on the Mountain Acoustic 1999 Great Strings Great Music W L Gore amp Associates 1999 Acoustic Music Resource Sampler AMR 1999 Great Strings Great Music Vol 2 W L Gore amp Associates 2000 Narada Presents the Best of Celtic Christmas Narada 2002 DVD editGuitar Artistry of El McMeen Vestapol 13112 DVD guitar lessons Stefan Grossman s guitar workshop edit Irish Guitar Encores GW 916 Christmas Carols and Songs for Fingerstyle Guitar GW 923 Sacred Music for Fingerstyle Guitar GW 911 Books editGuitar edit The Art of Dropped D Guitar Mel Bay 20467BCD Celtic Guitar Treasures The Soul of Christmas Guitar Of Soul and Spirit Mel Bay Irish Guitar Encores Mel Bay Solo Guitar Serenade Mel Bay Playing Favorites Mel Bay Acoustic Guitar Treasures Mel Bay The Mel Bay Complete Celtic Fingerstyle Guitar Book Mel Bay 95217BCD co author w Stefan Grossman and Duck Baker Mel Bay Master Anthology of Fingerstyle Guitar Solos Volume 1 Mel Bay 98370BCD contributor String Trio edit Celtic Treasures for String Trio Other edit Hard Times A Christian Guide for Getting Through Them 2007 Do You Have Time for Some Good News 2007 Unforgiveness A Christian Guide to Tearing Down That Wall 2008 The Good News Is Freedom 2007 Two Snowflakes Walk Into a Bar BookLocker 2014 Objection Overruled Or Two Lawyers Have a Little Chat about God and Hell with Steve Baughman BookLocker 2013 Growing Up in God s Country BookLocker 2018 Holy Holophrase Naming Your Favorite Aggravations BookLocker 2021 References edit El McMeen New Jersey based acoustic guitar virtuoso El McMeen www crossrhythms co uk Retrieved March 2 2017 Sources editInterview by Mel Bay Guitar Publications with El McMeen http elmcmeen com El 20Mel 20Bay 20Interview 202000 pdf The National Law Journal July 1 1991 Strumming Along With the Law by Sheryl Nance Guitar Player October 1992 El McMeen Irish Ears Are Smiling by Kevin Ransom Acoustic Guitar May June 1993 Solo Six String Choir by Patrick G Grant Fingerstyle Guitar Sept Oct 1996 Artist Profile by Jeff Miller Acoustic Guitar Sept Oct 1998 Hit List by Russell Letson Acoustic Guitar No 106 2001 Hit List by Art Edelstein Acoustic Guitar June 2004 CD Review by Celine Keating Dirty Linen Dec 2004 Jan 2005 Holiday Releases by Michael Parrish Acoustic Guitar Nov 2007 Private Lesson by Doug Young NJ Herald Feb 22 2008 El McMeen A Different Kind of Musician by Robert Price External links editOfficial website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title El McMeen amp oldid 1084699773, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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