Folk of the Wood Acoustic Music Store About Us

My First Guitar: This is the introduction to the latest CD Released by Wisdom of the Wood...and may shed some light on my acoustic philosophies...which should hopefully, help establish the hows and whys of FOTW. See the entire CD info page, along with many pictures, by clicking here.

My 12-String Guitar Passage
Otherwise known as: "Yes, I've heard the voice of the turtle!"

The very first guitar I owned was a Decca 12-string which was given to me when I was 16 years old. As I wrestled with the unwieldy action, it was thrilling to beat out chords on this monster guitar...applying what I already learned, the year before, from borrowing my Uncle Ansel's Fender electric.

At the time, in the '70s, I lived in Cloverdale, Alabama...which is in the surrounding area of Muscle Shoals and Florence (also known as Quad Cities). The geography is musically important due to the fact that it was a recording mecca for many major players of the time. I mean you really had to be there to feel the musical ambience of the historic blues figures, such as W.C. Handy to contemporary southern rock of Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Allman Brothers. In fact, W.C. Handy is considered the Father of the Blues...and he was born in Florence, Alabama. I have his biography...of which he describes how he learned his music from tuning into the natural surroundings of Florence and Tuscumbia AL. Well, I felt the very same way...and so much so, that I used to drag my guitar deep into the woods by horseback...Mark Makinson, my closest friend at the time, and I would take camping trips and metal detecting trips, exclusively on horseback, purposefully getting lost in the Alabama forest. Quad Cities is the historical hub of the South...where banjos, bloodhounds and chaingangs first amalgamated...a better setting for "Cool Hand Luke" or "Oh Brother Where Art Thou" than any other imagined. Where, I believe Neil Young infused his lyrical "banjos playing through the broken glass..."

We almost always let the horses take their own pace...especially on the banks of the backwaters of the untamed Tennessee River. In a place called Coffee Slew, where the Cypress tree roots rise above the dark murky waters, you can, if you truly tune in, hear the inaudible "voice of the turtle".

Time froze its pendulum as we played and sang "This day will last a thousand years if you want it to..." (Moody Blues) from Days of Future Passed. Mark sang exceptionally well; I focused mostly on searching for the lost chord (Moody Blues pun intended).

I always had either a Hohner Marine Band (harmonica) with me or my trusty old Decca 12-string. I would even play my guitar, Gene Autry style, while my horse, Molly, would follow Mark's ahead. It always surprised me that Molly wasn't spooked by my playing.

Don Nix summed up the Quad Cities area very well in his book: "Road Stories and Recipes"...and this was only a few years before I arrived.

Sweet Home Alabama

In 1969 I discovered Muscle Shoals Sound Recording Studios in Sheffield, Alabama. Jim Steward took me down to record Sid Selvidge's second album. I cannot tell you the impact this place had on me. Everything up 'til now was preschool compared to what I found in the quad cities of Sheffield, Tuscumbia, Muscle Shoals and Florence by the Tennessee River, which flowed serenely through this peaceful valley. It was the most laid-back place I had ever been and it immediately felt like home.

Now, remember, before Don Nix arrived in the Florence area, he was already very well traveled. Hopefully, this gives you another window to the impact Florence had on me too. This is where I first started playing guitar myself...only it wasn't until the early '70s. I would have given anything to have been involved as a session player with some of those historic recordings that came out of Muscle Shoals Sound Recording! I was 15 years of age when my cousin Kenny and I hitchhiked our way to Muscle Shoals Sound and offered to sweep floors with the hopes of being near these underground sessions...or even to catch a glimpse of a southern rock musician.

We didn't get to sweep any floors; they kindly declined our janitorial services...nevertheless, it wasn't long before we did get to witness Little Feat in rehearsal...we had no idea that they would rise to rock fame as they did!

Don Nix was a major mover in bringing together some amazing sessions, such as Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett on Stax Records along with working directly with Leon Russell. His musical legacy and associations are quite immense in themselves...and worth a read if you ever get the chance.

Moving on with the Alabama 12-String Passage: At the time, I soon learned how to tune my guitar in open-tunings from listening to Hot Tuna, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd. It was just pure fun to be at the seek-and-discover stages of learning to play acoustic guitar. I'm grateful to say, these influences are still prevalent in my playing today...I've always had an affinity for acoustic guitar even during the heyday of heavy rock. My favorite tunes, on most rock albums of the time, were the select acoustic guitar pieces...such as, but certainly not limited to:

1. Blind Faith's "Can't Find My Way Home"

2. Zeppelin's "Friends", "Tangerine", "Gallows Pole" (great use of banjo), "Battle of Evermore" (great use of mandolin), "The Rain Song", and many others...

3. Ten Years After's "I'd Love to Change the World" along with many other tunes off of the lp A Space in Time.

4. Moody Blues have too many tunes to count...

5. Dave Mason's Alone Together album...lots of tasteful acoustic guitar on this recording.

6. The Band's Robbie Robertson was just too amazing...he introduced off-beat leads and rhythm within a format of what I called "Americana Guitar"...even his electric guitar pieces sounded acoustic.

7. Duane Allman's and Dickey Betts' "Little Martha."

8. Steve Miller's album Number 5 which consisted of some really cool acoustic renditions...such as: "I Love You" and "Going to the Country"...included the first melodic banjo I've ever heard (performed by Bobby Thompson)...Steve's sparkling 12-string guitar work interweaved with a cascading resonance...this one album brings me back to Cloverdale every time I listen to it...even to this day!

9. Jethro Tull's Aqualung had some inventive Tolkienesque acoustic guitar work...

10. Joe Walsh on James Gang Rides Again executed some acoustic pieces that seemed to go by unnoticed by the rockers of the time...nevertheless, this was Joe's tour de force! His acoustic guitar work, on this particular album, was as good as it gets. Interestingly, he stated in an interview, "Leo Kottke is one of my favorite guitarists."

11. Leslie West on Mountain Climbing laid down a track of solo 12-string guitar with "To My Friend." Sounds almost Raga-like in tonality. Very similar to what Robbie Basho recorded in the '60s. I just know that Leslie had to have been influenced by Robbie...whether or not he was, it's an impressive rendering.

12. Peter Kaukonen's Black Kangaroo (released in 1972) went by mostly as an underground album...in fact, I had the promo version that was sent out to radio stations. A solid influence on me as an aspiring guitarist...he played open-tunings with a flatpick which was unheard of at the time! A great record that deserved far more recognition than actualized.

13. Jorma Kaukonen's "Embryonic Journey" and the "Water Song"...along with his many acoustic blues ramblings with Jack Casady on bass...and don't forget acoustic Hot Tuna.

I just wasn't really attuned to the wailing electric guitars of the time; acoustic rock was my unequaled choice and the first to bring me to study the guitar in its natural state...

As I grew musically, and researched further, it wasn't long before I discovered the dedicated acoustic movement: "American Primitive Guitar" spearheaded by John Fahey...of which was further innovated by Leo Kottke, Peter Lang, and Stefan Grossman all of whom were at the helm of the acoustic guitar ship. And then came the bluegrass stages where I became enthralled by the flatpicking greats: Doc Watson, Norman Blake, Tony Rice and Dan Crary (I've seen Dan perform some amazing 12-string flatpicking while backing up Byron Berline's fiddling.)

Hence, in this effort, I've carried forth my love for acoustic guitar along with the many styles possible within the mediums of flatpicking and fingerpicking. The 12-string guitar is limitless; there isn't enough time within a century to master its wondrous harmonic tonal range. With this latest CD effort, 25+ years after receiving my first 12-string, I can only hope that I've moved the acoustic spirit forward through these guitar illustrations from the Acoustic Forest. Mickey

Stay Tuned...there's more to the story...as the 12-String Guitar Passage continues!

Keep on Pickin'

Resources:
W.C. Handy "The Father of the Blues" Florence, AL Blues Festival
http://www.wchandyfest.com/
W.C. Handy Biography
http://www2.una.edu/library/handy/biography.htm

Don Nix and the Mar-Keys Biography
http://www.jungleroom.com/nix.html

Muscle Shoals Sound Recording's official Website
http://mssound.com/index1.html

It's a NEW Introduction to an old story...posted: 10/04/04...this is our new preface to our Fingerstyle Mandolin book...soon to be released...it may offer a window on the where's and why's of how I arrived at FOTW...Mickey

In my acoustic beginnings...

Thanks for your patience as I explain how I arrived at fingerpicking the mandolin...it's a long story. If you want to get started directly with the Mandolin Fingerstyle Lessons, click here to go directly to the "Introduction"

The following fingerstyle lessons will introduce you to a realm of mandolin seldom seen or heard. Why? I'm not sure...for, to me, fingerpicking the mandolin seems very natural...in fact, it's as natural to me, if not more, as flatpicking the mandolin. Where do I begin to explain how I found myself fingerpicking my mandolin? I believe it starts with the simple fact that I've always fingerpicked guitar even long before I started flatpicking guitar. My mentors included Marcel Dadi, Chet Atkins, Leo Kottke, Peter Lang, John Fahey, Richard Saslow, Jimmy Page, Jorma Kaukonen, and Stefan Grossman. All of whom inspired me to work hard at learning to fingerpick...throughout my high school years...and well afterwards.

When I first picked up the mandolin, my inclination was to fingerpick...only, I had a mental block due to the context mandolin was always played in...mostly bluegrass (other than the rare rock song) and always flatpicked. I respect traditions and, even at the time I started playing mandolin, right out of high school, I followed the well-trodden mando path. I was already delving into bluegrass at the time for I was elevated by the barrage of notes offered up by bands such as Country Cooking and Nitty Gritty Dirt Band on the "Will the Circle be Unbroken" album. Many mandolinists such as: Norman Blake, Red Rector, Sam Bush, Bill Monroe, Jimmy Guadreau, Doyle Lawson, Steve Smith, Radim Zenkl and others, proved well that the flatpick is and always will be a powerful medium. I will never put down the flatpick for it is the one and only traditional approach to the mandolin; notwithstanding, fingerpicking mandolin can have its own powerful voicing within certain contexts. And, the added versatility will only increase the many colors and textures possible on the mandolin.

The flatpicking path was enlightening for it facilitated my playing ability in many ways...only, due to my early professional performances with one other guitarist...or even a guitarist and a bassist, it seemed there was still a large void. Bluegrass is an ensemble music that is rarely accomplished within a trio or duet setting...so we only touched upon bluegrass (which truly does require a flatpick and a larger ensemble to give justice to).

When I first started to play at Indian Cliffs Ranch (Cattleman's Steakhouse) in Fabens, Texas, a gig that lasted for 12 years 6-nights-a-week, I played mostly solo or with one other musician (we played a variety of instruments that included banjo, dobro, mandolin and guitar). It was completely acoustic for we were wandering troubadours in a large restaurant that offered intimate settings, large party rooms accommodating even larger company parties...so volume and acoustic tonal range were critical.

How was I to carry through playing solo/duet mandolin? I soon discovered the answer in the richness and fullness offered by the fingerstyle approach, with metal fingerpicks and a plastic thumbpick, on mandolin. In fact, my partner, at the time, and I both pursued fingerstyle mandolin while switching off with back-up guitar. We explored every fingerpicking possibility of backing up, playing solos and learning bass-brush strums for fill-in behind guitar solos. The flatpick was soon put aside; fingerpicks and thumbpick supplanted the flatpick effectively on both guitar and mandolin. Keep in mind, this was a matter of adapting the medium at hand by looking for the best way to orchestrate a duet through the entire gamut of musical genres requested by our audience. Fortunately, I believe we accomplished the task by remaining open to all possibilities. I persevered this gig through four changes in personnel--this should go down as one of the longest lasting, night after night consecutive gigs in the history of acoustic music. Other than a rare night off, I never took a vacation for a full 12 years--I started as a teenager of 19.

Notwithstanding, it was a great way to work through college (it took me 6 years to finish a 4-year degree)...I had some exciting times as a wandering acoustician...as a highlight, I had the privilege to play for some major luminaries at this world-famous restaurant...including, and certainly not limited to:

1. Sean Connery (we talked for over an hour about Scottish music...a very humble and warm individual)

2. Valerie Perrine (extremely affectionate both verbally and...well you had to be there...remember, she had a supporting role in the recent movie: "What Women Want")

4. Ken Curtis (aka Festus...and, wow, one of the coolest and friendliest I've ever met...profoundly coincidental, as I'm writing this, I'm watching Festus on an early morning ancient "Gunsmoke" episode...did you know that he was one of the founding members of the "Sons of the Pioneers"?)

5. Bob Eubanks (we jammed with him while he played my Martin M-38...very well at that...he enlightened us to the fact that he was the one that first brought the Beatles over on that legendary landing in '64...for more info, click here)

7. David Prowse (Darth Vader...even gave me an autographed DV picture...later I read that he's from England and was an exercise guru...I read this in a great book titled "Body Worry" by Remar Sutton)

8. Janie Fricke (she even sang with us...and then offered us a position in her band...be sure to check out her latest Bluegrass Sessions)

9. David Carradine (of Kung Fu fame, and consistent with his character, munched a single corn on the cob while all of his other party ate large t-bones)

10. The Police & Sting Yes...for the entire band including their entourage...I guess they were passing through while on tour in the '80s...this was about 1987...I even remember the songs we played for them that night...and, it's not commonly known but Sting is a real fan of the 5-string banjo. Bob Napier was my partner at the time. Let me say, as nice as they were, these guys were literally expressionless during and after our performance...they were like the guards at Buckingham Palace...and, that includes Sting himself. He was sitting at the head of the table and as a true musician would, asked us to "play whatever you want." Bob proceeded to play a powerful fiddle piece...and I played "Randy Lynn Rag" on the 5-string. I should have been nervous, fortunately, it wasn't until we finished playing for them that we realized who they were.

11. And for many others, as famous, whom were far more distant from their following (need I name names? OK...Chuck Norris and Jack Nicholson to name two).

My career as an acoustician with Cattleman's was an honor that can't be measured...and, hopefully, with this tenureship, I might be better able to share any knowledge and discoveries gained with other aspiring and professional acousticians.

Yes, this is quite a ways off base from fingerstyle mandolin...even so, playing Cattleman's was an integral part of my mandolin inspiration to pursue experimental forays. Sean Connery gave us a vote of confidence to carry forward after hearing us fingerpick a Scottish tune on the mandolin; and, in respect to his homeland knowledge, he was well-versed in the mandolin's Celtic tradition. What more positive reinforcement can one ask than that? Outside of this, it was easy enough to measure volume and tonal range effectiveness by audience response while alternating between flatpicking and fingerpicking on both guitar and mandolin. The compelling response from the exposure that our fingerstyle mandolin efforts had within a venue that was far-reaching--a venue that required us to play every style of music under the sun, a venue that drove us to connect with a larger audience through a vast array of requests, and a venue that well establishes the value and versatility that fingerpicking mando offered in a demanding performance setting--is further assurance that fingerpicking mandolin is worthy of pursuing as an art form in its own right.

(I met my wife Shelley at Indian Cliffs Ranch...and have been happily married ever since...you can see that not only did Cattleman's have a major influence on my approach to the mandolin, it has forever impacted my life in the most positive of ways!)

To hear the recordings during my residency with Cattleman's, click here...both albums were released in 1985. One of the albums included here, was originally titled: "Pickin' the Cattleman's"...and is now titled after the lead song: "Trekkin' the Gila". This album includes one of my longest standing partners, named Bob Napier, who happened to be, and still is, one of the finest fiddlers I've ever heard in my entire days. If you want to truly view a window to the Cattleman's era, take a listen to "Pickin' the Cattleman's". Click Here for Further Info On Robert Napier

Here I am, on the guitar, sitting in with some of my favorite people: Capitan Gap. This was at a bluegrass concert held at the Weed Cafe in Weed, New Mexico. We live in the Sacramento Mountains--Tall pines surround our timber frame home built on the side of a mountain within the pristine Spring Canyon of Alto, New Mexico.

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Mickey Cochran
Multi-String Acoustic Instrumentalist

Mickey is a devotee of acoustic music...he believes in and promotes every aspect of acoustic music in most all venues.
He is now owner and president of Folk of the Wood which specializes in new and used acoustic instruments along with instructional material published by Mel Bay.

Mickey states: "I have played acoustic music, without amplification, professionally for over 20 years. And, since I've always enjoyed sharing my knowledge with others, I decided to become more involved in supporting everyone's efforts in improving their acoustic musicianship by writing for Mel Bay Publications. Learning is a lifelong process that we all, as acoustic artists, should consider in our daily efforts to improve...we should never feel, within one lifetime, that we've reached the pinnacle."

Mickey has produced and recorded two acoustic music recordings "Pickin' the Cattleman's" and "Historic Songs of El Paso". While working as a full-time acoustic musician (6 nights a week for 12 years in one restaurant at Indian Cliffs Ranch/Cattleman's Steakhouse), he attended journalism school with a focus on photography and computer graphics. Mickey graduated from UTEP with a journalism degree in 1989. Since graduating, he used to pursue a career with a major metal detector manufacturing company (Bounty Hunter Metal Detectors) as Communications Director/Graphic Designer. Since becoming a corporate refugee, Mickey is now devoted to promoting acoustic music and assisting others in their learning endeavors.

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Acoustic music is here to stay...all natural and no artificial ingredients. Healthy for the soul and spirit!

Our utmost goal as FOTW is to offer full acoustic support...we're more of a support system than we are a retail outlet. It's almost like an acoustic music co-op. Any DVD's purchased through Mystic West Products have a lifetime warranty and come with unlimited support through the learning process.

I started Folk of the Wood as a lifelong effort. I have played acoustic music, without amplification, professionally for over 20 years. And, since I've always enjoyed sharing my knowledge with others, I decided to become more involved in supporting everyone's efforts in improving their acoustic musicianship. Learning is a lifelong process that we all, as acoustic artists, should consider in our daily efforts to improve...we should never feel, within one lifetime, that we've reached the pinnacle. Folk of the Wood is your venue to gain more knowledge and to find the tools of the acoustic trade.