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Eric Lugosch is one of the most creative heads of the American acoustic guitar scene. Like his colleague
Duck Baker – who is also one of his greatest fans – he very skillfully combines technical know-how with
musical expressiveness. Lugosch is a fellow who tinkers, who consistently seeks musical depth in his
arrangements and whose artistic concept is marked by both respect of tradition as well as uncompromising
originality. His spectrum of color embraces the entire range of American music, be that ragtime, blues,
R&B or jazz. The hallmark of this American fingerstylist consists of an elegant, vigorous tone and a
twinkling humor while playing, that inevitably peers charmingly through his music. Lugosch, who hails
from Philadelphia, chalked up his first musical experience as a singer in the "Philadelphia Boys Choir,"
– an experience that continues to echo in him to this day: "I began listening to music with an ear for
the orchestral. Motifs and lines are still central elements in my way of composing." At the age of twelve
he started secretly practicing on his brother's guitar and delved into the pickings of Rev. Gary Davis
and Mississippi John Hurt "For me, it was solo guitar right from the start", Lugosch recalls. "I experimented
a great deal, worked out lines, and was always on the lookout for the orchestral sound of the instrument."
He seems to have found it, even winning the 1984 "National Fingerpicking Championship." Eric Lugosch
lives in Evanston, Illinois, where he writes, teaches and continues developing his own personal vision
of fingerstyle guitar beyond all clichés.
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History, Performances, Education, Accomplishments, Recordings
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Performance
Hundreds of performances over the years, including opening for: Taj Mahal,
Doc Watson, John Prine, Leon Redbone and David Bromberg, as well as being the featured act on many a
stage across the country. He has also shared the bill with other great guitar players, bluegrass, folk,
jazz, and blues bands, and a myriad of collaborations with other top-notch musicians from around the
globe.
Tour
His stellar playing, recordings and good humor have led to invitations to play around
the world, including grand acclaim at the International Festival of Guitarists Meeting in Sarzana, Italy,
and the Stamford International Guitar Festival in England, doing concerts and workshops. His most recent
tours have been to Tokyo, Hungary, Germany and Italy, all wildly successful and great fun.
Contest
Eric is the 1984 National Fingerpicking Champion, winning over an incredibly talented field of players
from around the globe. Other years he placed 3rd twice and 2nd once, was in the top five finalists every
year he attended and was also a contest judge.
Recordings
A new CD has just been released,
on the Acoustic Music label, entitled "New Tradtion". "Lugosch strolls with his ragtime guitar into the
home turfs of folk, blues, pop and jazz shepherding contradictory impulses into harmonic bliss like a
global musical peacekeeper" Justin Hayford, Chicago Reader, May 9, 2004
Eric has five previous recordings.
1985 self-release "Strike", suite for guitar, flute and bass.
1989 self-release "I Wanna Know".
1994
Waterdog Records release "Making Models"
1997 Acoustic Music release "Black Key Blues", a well reviewed
CD that brought Eric into the national spotlight.
1999 Acoustic Music release "Kind Heroes"
Teaching
Eric has taught at the famous Old Town School of Folk Music, in Chicago, for 14 years, classes and private
lessons. He has also recently launched a series of lessons with MP3s and tabulature on his website that
is wildly successful with new and old students alike.
He previously taught at the Wisconsin Conservatory
of Music, when he lived in Milwaukee, as well as hundreds of students privately over the years.
Important
Accomplishment
21 inch Brown Trout, Pennsylvania, August 31, 2003, on a 5x tippet. Caught and released.
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Contact Info, Music samples, Articles, Reviews
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Eric Lugosch is available to play, teach, tour and record. Contact Eric at ericlugosch@yahoo.com or
call 847-733-7661.
For sound clips, more information, teaching and tabulature, articles, reviews
and more, go to Erics website homepage at www.ericlugosch.com.
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