Robert Earl Longley: Wide Range of Infulences

Robert Earl Longley: Flamenco Guitar Solo Spain

Robert Earl Longley is one of those guitarist that has a wide range of influences and in turn a lot to say on his guitar. In this video, Robert is performing and showcasing his flamenco abilities with a piece entitled Spain. Doesn’t sound like the same Spain that I am familiar with- perhaps this is an original or another song that I’m not aware of. Please help me here if you know more about this song.

Besides flamenco, Robert also plays Jazz, Country music, fingerstyle guitar, classical guitar, blues guitar covers and also gives lessons. On the YouTube description even gives his phone number. Well if it was okay there, I think Robert wouldn’t mind us sharing it as well…

FOR SHOW CONTACT Robert Earl Longley AT (310) 947-1303

Here’s part of Robert Earl Longley’s bio from his website:

“Robert Earl Longley (a.k.a. Robby Longley) is a world-class level guitarist and symphonic composer. His original compositions include ten of his own CDs, three theatrical films, and some 2-hour long, live improvisational performances to silent films. Robert’s concert material is masterfully executed using fingerstyle techniques on the flamenco guitar that delivers sophisticated melodies in symphonic movements, unprecedented on solo guitar. The best way to describe his music is to say that if film composer, Ennio Morriconi had only a guitar at his disposal, he would be Robert Earl Longley.

In Los Angeles, Robert entered eight local guitar competitions within a 2-year period and took first place in all eight. It was then that he decided to play a different kind of music that would allow him to express himself, unencumbered by style or tradition. Remembering his childhood exposure to the music of Carlos Montoya, Chet Atkins, Paco de Lucia and Julian Bream, Robert fused all of these influences into his own fingerstyle guitar sound. He found himself further inspired by the groundbreaking keyboard virtuosity of Keith Emerson who, ironically, claimed to have been inspired by the guitar works of Pete Townsend and Jimmy Hendrix.

Robert practiced relentlessly and soon a new musical voice emerged from the application of all the musical influences he had grown up with. He listened continuously to classical music in his boyhood home, as well as the inescapable influence of jazz and blues from nearby New Orleans, along with traditional flamenco. Moreover, since Robert’s father had been awarded a university scholarship to study the trumpet as a young man, Robert’s talent for music was naturally fostered from childhood.

A desperate urge overtook him to fulfill a calling for unorthodox musical compositions. About this, Robert comments,

“As a child, I strummed the guitar unconsciously. As a young man, I endeavored to strum it consciously. Now I strum the guitar as I did as a child—unconsciously. That is to say, it plays itself through me. If someone throws a ball at you, you catch it. You walk into a dark room and without conscious thought you turn on the light switch. Someone takes a swing at you, and you side-step away from harm. You don’t stop to think about it. It just happens. I play and compose on the guitar as it calls to me without conscious thought, yet being fully conscious all the time.” more here