These Magic Words       CD of Original Songs by David Jones

In 2008 I completed and released my first CD of original songs,  These Magic Words. This is the realization of a dream from when I was a teenager, just learning to play guitar and beginning to write songs.

The CD consists of 11 songs, music and lyrics I composed from 1972-1992. This first CD begins the archiving of my songwriting in an effort to have a record of my development as a songwriter, and to have something to leave behind when I am gone - even if my transcriptions were found, the renderings from them might not be as I originally intended...

Special Article: Guitarist Recovers from Fingertip                                               Amputation

Background:

I began playing guitar in 1965, getting together with friends and playing folk songs on acoustic guitars from various artists' songbooks and "Sing Out" magazines. From late 1965-1968 I was enrolled in the extension program of the Peabody Institute of Music in Baltimore, Maryland, studying classical guitar technique from Roland Rafaelle, a graduate student at the institute, and was a fairly accomplished intermediate student when I discontinued lessons.

The technique that I learned from the institute was sound, but classical music did not help me entertain friends at parties (part of my goal in learning to play guitar) with sing-along favorites like "Gloria" or other popular tunes playing on the radio. A friend helped me learn to 'play by ear' (a whole other story) and use a flat pick, and my song list grew to include many favorites (including some jazz) that groups of friends enjoyed listening to and singing along with.

By 1980 I had a good grip of both plectrum and finger-picking right hand techniques, and using movable chords...