The Arts

Musicians come together to celebrate Froggy Mountain guitar maker Michael Millard

By Richard Henke/The Commons

PUTNEY—Three prominent acoustic guitarists are set to join forces at a historic night of music and conversation to celebrate the Vermont instrument maker Michael Millard and his renowned Froggy Bottom Guitars.

The event, also a benefit performance for the Next Stage Arts Project, is Nov. 30 at 7:30 p.m. at Next Stage on Kimball Hill.

According to Next Stage Arts, Millard has built more than 5,000 steel-string guitars over 40 years, many of them to order. His award-winning instruments are played by some of the world’s most discerning guitarists.

Featured are Will Ackermann, Scott Ainslie, and David Surette. The moderator is musician, songwriter, and guitar teacher Lisa McCormick. Dialogue will be in music and words with Millard, and audience participation is welcome.

All three featured musicians play worldwide, but make their home in the southern Vermont region. The set list will roam from New Age to blues to Celtic.

According to Next Stage Arts artistic director Julian McBrowne, this event is significant, as Froggy Bottom makes some of the finest guitars in the country, and these are played by guitarists from across the music spectrum.

The steel-string acoustic guitar is a modern form of guitar descending from the classical guitar, but is strung with steel strings for a brighter, louder sound.

Millard says that, in contrast to the classical guitar, “the steel-string guitar is more geared towards popular and folk music, but this kind of instrument is astoundingly versatile and can play virtually all kinds of music, depending upon what each culture is looking for. The steel-string guitar is used everywhere, in all cultures across the globe. Since it is louder than than a classical guitar, it has more diversity.”

The five employees who run Froggy Bottom Guitars make about 100 instruments a year, half of which are custom-made for the needs of an individual performer.

Millard says custom guitar making can be complex, with guitars varying in their size and girth, and the species of wood used.

“A client tells me what he or she wants the prospective guitar to do, on a certain range, on a certain tone. The particular needs of a client should be functional, not egotistical. … I make one guitar at a time,” Millard says.

McBrowne points out that the needs can depend the kind of music the artist plays or on the size of the venue in which the guitarist usually performs, be it Brattleboro’s intimate Metropolis or a much more capacious concert hall.

“The differences between guitars can be subtle and sophisticated, as the difference between an opera or blues singer,” continues Millard. “I will not consider working with someone who says that he wants his guitar to sound ‘cool.’”

Millard said he finds the Next Stage concert a great and unexpected honor.

“Oh gosh, I am flattered beyond imagination. Here I am at 65, and I have been quietly making guitars since my early 20s, and now this.

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