Luis Antonio Garzon

About Luis Antonio Garzon

I started to play guitar at five or six. I was inspired when my dad brought his friend Jose Oribe to your apartment. Jose played Recuerdos De Alhambra on this classical Martin guitar. I was amazed. I starter to learn from my Dad who was learning from Oribe. I learned Flamenco, because reading music wasn't required. Also I lived flamenco.
Today Jose Oribe is done of the greatest guitar builders in the world. His guitars sell from $9000.00 to $21,000. He is considered the father of the American classical guitar.
Today I have had four, and I have #8 a flamenco guitar. I played a 10 string Laudura for a few years.
I played flamenco and some popular songs by Paul Simon, the Beatles, Dylan and the Kinks. Then I heard Jose Feliciano. Funny thing is when he came in the car radio I changed the station. But my dad changed it back and told me I needed to listen to him. I did and became a fan. I have a great ear and I learned his music from the radio. I didn't have a record player. I learned Classical Gas this way.
Finally I went to study with Howard Heitmeyer. He taught me to read. I played classical guitar. Later I studied with Vincenzo Macaluso who played 10 string. Both taught at Jose Oribe's guitars shop in Inglewood CA. I drove from Pico Rivera on Slauson all the way to La Brea blvd. It was worth it.
I met Bernardo Rico who introduced me to Enrique Heredia whom I studied Flamenco with. It was great. I then studied with Jimmy Wybel to learn jazz and bitonal improvisation. I learned from going to Dante's jazz club and watching Joe Pass. Later Ron Eschete who I used to watch and listen to it Steamers in Fullerton.
I also taught guitar for 13 years and performed.
I then began engineering in a recording studio. I joined Guitar Center in 1983. I worked at the accessories counter. I sold a lot. Then I ran the Pro Audio department. I became an operations manager and eventually the GM of Lawndale GC. I was promoted to the Santa Ana store as GM. It was where I started.
I opened my own shop, the Unplugged, in Fullerton. A great acoustic guitar shop. I met some good people and began playing a lot of gigs.
I decided the store was costing a lot and my lines, like Guild were bought up by Fender. The rep wanted me to buy guitars and basses I knew wouldn't sell. So I dropped both lines. I kept Larrivee. But I closed the store and I decided to perform. I was playing a lot of gigs.
But after my divorce I was in real estate. That allowed me to buy a lot of guitars and play and record. I met my second wife and moved to the Coachella valley. We lived in various cities. Palm Desert was my favorites. I played in LaQuinta and Palm Springs as well as Indio. We moved to Vista because I was working in a music shop in Solana Beach. I was performing at an artist gallery called the Art Beat.
Sadly it closed and we moved to Madera. I worked at a winery and did recordings at home. Then Covitt hit and we became homeless. Eventually we landed in Fresno. I may start performing soon at the Artist bistro.