Michael Hughes - Elegy

Hear The Track Here

As you know, I'm a bit of a veteran of the internet's unsigned music community and - as such - I've met a lot of people in the years I have wasted (oops, sorry) SPENT doing this, so here's a test. How many artists can you name that are conceivably well known? Well, as far as internet based fame goes. None? You obviously haven't been around long enough for names like Maria Daines, Evan Paul, Lex Zaleta to ring the requisite bells, and should rectify this immediately. A couple of other names to throw in that pot while we are at it would be both Michael Hughes and Michael Silvestri and for similar reasons. I have been aware of both of these artists in their own right for a great many years.

Anyway, Elegy is written by Michael Hughes and dedicated to Michael Silvestri and is, no surprise here, an acoustic track. It comes as no surprise because when I reviewed Michael's Cold Rain Water (November 2008) one of the things I raved most about was his choice of both material and instrumentation. On the face of it, Elegy looks every bit as good, featuring High-string parlor guitar (Ed: Wahdat?), baritone guitar, mandolin, octave mandolin and lap steel guitar. Now, that is what I call acoustic, It sounds as good as it looks too, especially if you like this particular instrument line up - and I do.

Michael Silvestri (1953-2009) passed away in February of this year and - if you are a fan of traditional/classical acoustic guitar - is a great loss. Following in the grand tradition set by musicians such as Segovia, Bream, Pena et al, Michael Silvestri was a consummate musician and an absolute joy to listen to after the endless hours of other forms of music. While this is not always my favourite musical watering hole, it is musicians like both Michael's that keep me coming back for more. Elegy is a most fitting tribute IMHO and the baritone guitar sounds absolutely wonderful, it's very tone bringing tears to these cynical eyes and joy to my even more jaded ears.

MUST HAVE acoustic tribute to a great musician.