(Some of the 'boys')

If you're a musician and looking for a weekend getaway in the Berkshires we hope you'll consider staying with us (bring your guitar or instrument) and participating in one of our Guitar Lover's Weekends.

Taylor Guitar Weekend Fall 2007

I started playing guitar at the age of ten (1969), although music was a part of my life long before that. Both my parents enjoyed listening to music. It was always on in the house (LP's and eight-track tapes) and on the car radio - Tony Bennett, Herb Albert & the Tijuana Brass, Trini Lopez, etc.. .  My older brother and his friends introduced me to music that literally rocked my world. His best friend at the time owned a semi-hollow red Gibson (ES-335 I think). He turned me on to Chuck Berry's live album "London Sessions" and I've been hooked on rock and roll, guitars, and guitarists ever since.

I was in my first band in junior high school (1972 - I cannot remember the name ...or even if we had a name). I saved up my money and made an investment in a 74 Strat and an Earth G-2000 amp (very big). One kid had an electric piano and a Mini-moog synthesizer.  We had a drummer and a bass player (very hard to find). Tull, Floyd, Cream, ELP, Deep Purple, Zeppelin, You get the picture; the quintessential 70s garage band. The louder and more distorted the better!

As I got older, my musical interests as far as playing shifted to more mellow, acoustic folk stuff - Dave Mason, Paul Simon, Jackson Brown, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, the Eagles (my tastes haven't changed much over the years)... In high school, I teamed up with a friend who shared my musical tastes and we made the wine and cheese bar circuit on Long Island (I was in my twelve-string phase and playing a Takamine). When I wasn't playing guitar I was listening to guitar players, reading and re-reading the album covers and liner notes, and following and copying the musical styles and interests of guitarists such as Jerry Garcia, Eric Clapton, Steven Stills, Chuck Berry, Jeff Beck and Ritchie Blackmore.

In college I got involved in a large ensemble of musical people that hung out and hung together for the love of the music. We were heavy on guitarists. We called ourselves "Mom's Apple Pie and the Screen Doors." Occasionally we stepped out of our dorm rooms to play gigs on campus or at a frat house. We weren't going anywhere with it but who cared. It was fun. It was also the last stand for rock & roll that I was able to make for almost a decade.

After graduating George Washington University with a degree in Accounting, I went on to get my MBA in Accounting & Taxation. I moved further away from my guitar dream to my reality of becoming an accountant. The guitar got played less and less as I logged in more and more hours behind a desk in full businessman blues. The afro of my youth (yes, there was a time in my life when I was known for my hair!) was replaced by a more conservative crop and receding hairline. But all was not lost....

(Maxine's gift to me from 1988 -
a Takamine EN10C- Thank you Babe!)

In the late 1980's, Maxine bought me an acoustic/electric Takamine guitar and a Peavy Backstage 110 amp. It was the first new guitar I'd gotten in a long time and it was good enough to be inspirational and re-awaken the guitar player within. I started playing regularly again and a short time later started jamming with a dear friend and wonderfully talented musician (I will not mention any names to protect the innocent). We were sounding so good (so we thought) that we made it official, and "Mutt & Jeff" made their public debut in a small place down on Hudson Street, NYC.  We had a lot of fun doing that folky/twangy stuff. CFO of Oleg Cassini, Inc. by day - Jeff, of "Mutt & Jeff" by night. It was a great but short-lived balance.

In 1991 our first child was born and I was moving up the corporate ladder. I had a lot less time for playing and what seemed like an endless amount of responsibilities.

As I approached my forties I did some serious reflection and as a family we came to the conclusion that we wanted to go down another path than the one we were on. So we shook things up. I took off my CFO hat and Maxine and I purchased the Weathervane Inn and became innkeepers (I wear many hats now). We now work for ourselves and have plenty of time to pursue personal interests. In addition to having all the time I need to play guitar (I've recently taken up recording), I also substitute teach at my children's school. Maxine has opened up a bookstore for American History Lovers at the Inn (The Patriot Reading Room) and does business consulting and market research for local area businesses and school districts. The biggest benefit of our new working lifestyle is the ability to be around every day when our kids leave and come home from school.

Over the years, my interest in playing and purchasing guitars has grown (I now own 14) and spilled into the Inn. Throughout our common rooms you'll find a wide array of coffee table books on guitars and guitar players, the latest issues of Acoustic Guitar, Guitar Player, and Rolling Stones, and guitar memorabilia we've collected over the years. I am known to greet guests upon check-in with a guitar in-hand and to play during tea time. I enjoy jamming with guests and hosting Guitar Lover's Dinners and Guitar Weekends at the Inn to get to know more local and regional guitarists. My Breakfast music tends to include Jerry and the boys, acoustic blues, and such (Maxine will turn it off and put some classical music on if she thinks you're not that kind of guest - although I think we all have some "Scarlet Begonias" in us). Suffice to say "we're not your parent's B&B." In the end, music and the guitar have grown from a hobby to a life passion and a big part of what I do and want to do moving forward in life.

My Taylor NS-42ce
Alvarez SLM-80 - #40 of 80 Limited editions	(Guild D-55- what tone!)
Lowdens LSE2	Lowdens O-32 12 String
Godin Multiac Nylon

The Berkshires is known for music, especially in the spring, fall and summer. The Falcon Ridge Folk Festival is held just five miles down the road in Hillsdale, New York, and BerkFest, held each summer at Butternut Ski Basin, is only 10 minutes away.

The Berkshires is also the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Tanglewood. In addition to the classical programs Tanglewood is known for, the season program also includes a Jazz Weekend at the end of August. Visit our Area Attractions page for a more complete list of Berkshire Cultural Events with links for program information and ticket sales.

 

There are a number of fun clubs and fine restaurants in the area that offer live music (often without a cover charge) for dinner and or after-dinner entertainment. We recommend:

• Castle Street Café in Great Barrington
• The Egremont Inn in S. Egremont
• The Lion's Den at the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge
• Club Helsinki in Great Barrington
• The Elm Court in North Egremont
• Berkshire Blues Café in Lee