New Baritone Guitar Blows Catfish's Mind
National Reso-Phonic Does It Again!!The good folks at National Reso-Phonic Guitars have outdone themselves with the creation of the Baritone Polychrome Tricone Guitar. The National family of Marie, McGregor, Don & Hilary presented Catfish Keith with a custom coppery-colored Baritone at the NAMM Show in Los Angeles this January. This baritone guitar has a regular-sized tricone steel body, a longer neck of maple (27"), ebony fingerboard, with strings from .068 (low) to .017 (high) and is tuned down in open tunings from C to Bb on the low string. The neck meets the body at the 13th fret. The guitar also has a new Highlander pickup system installed that is specially designed for the tricone Nationals. Catfish is tickled.
This custom guitar was a new innovation in the last couple of years, a collaboration of ideas from McGregor Gaines, Don Young, John Sebastian (of Lovin' Spoonful fame) Bob Brozman (also check out the Bob Brozman Signature Model Baritone by National).
Catfish Records Baritone for National CD
Catfish is now recording instrumental cuts on his new Baritone Guitar for the Time and Strike label's CD compilation of performers on new National Guitars, including Paul Rishell, Steve James, Mary Flower, and Brooks Williams. These are the world's first solo recordings of the new Baritone. A percentage of the proceeds from the CD will be donated to the Music Maker Relief Foundation.
Catfish Keith in Blues Revue Magazine
Check out the March 1999 issue of Blues Revue. Catfish Keith is featured in a photo by Art Tipaldi with the great Robert B. Jones at the 1998 King Biscuit Blues Festival in Helena, Arkansas.
Catfish performed all weekend at King Biscuit, at the National Guitar Museum & Stage, and had special guests perform and jam including Peter Madcat Ruth, Mary Flower, Robert Jones, John Mooney, The Original Snakeboy, and Paul Rishell & Annie Raines. There were also reported sightings of Alvin Youngblood Hart, Larry Johnson, Honeyboy Edwards and Roy Rogers. What a great festival, right in the heart of the delta!
Folk Alliance Conference a Blast!
Catfish & Fish Tail Pres. Penny Cahill had a great time at the Folk Alliance Conference in Albuquerque, NM this February. All of Catfish's Private Showcase Concerts were very well attended, and special friends also showcased in Catfish's Hyatt room. Thanks to folk legends: Greg Brown, Dave Moore and Pat Donohue!
Elderly Instruments also sponsored a showcase with Catfish Keith, which was well attended and fun. Kudos to Mike Cutler and Stan Werbin of Elderly for a job well done!
The weekend was capped off by a tremendous blues-at-midnight jam at Catfish & Penny's room with great country blues stars playing until the wee, wee hours. Thanks to: Mary Flower, Mike Dowling, Robert B. Jones, Otis Taylor, Peter Keane and Dave Moore.
New Album in the Works
Catfish is returning to the studio in April to complete his seventh solo album. There are already a handful of outstanding barrelhouse guitar & piano duets with pianist Radoslav Lorkovic recorded, and several guitar and vocal pieces as well. This album may be released later this year on a well known nationally-distributed label. Watch this space for updates!
Catfish on the Cover of Fingerstyle Guitar!
Catfish's mug is on the cover of the January/February 1999 issue of Fingerstyle Guitar Magazine, along with dozens of his fingerpickin' peers and heroes.
"Twist It, Babe!" Now at Amazon.com
Catfish Keith's "Twist It, Babe!" CD is now available from Amazon.com, the world's biggest virtual music and bookstore. Just search for Catfish Keith on their search engine. The rest of the Fish Tail Records Catalog should be available through Amazon.com soon.
As always, for speediest service, the best place to purchase some Catfish is right here at our String-Twanging Home! Click here for mail/fax order form.
catfishkeith.com Wins Award!
This web site is the recipient of the coveted Links2Go Key Resource Award in the Blues Artist category. Links2Go objectively analyzes millions of web sites, and this award is given to sites with exceptional content, design and links.