Adam Hager: Little Rock Getaway

2010 Robin Kessinger Festival / West Virginia State Guitar Champion Competition:

Hey … Want to hear something real good?

Well, Adam Hager is just tearing it up here in this contest on the Little Rock Getaway, a song that is not so easy for most to play…

But Adam eats it up without any problem!

What I like about Adam’s playing is, he’s not the typical newograss kid that’s been heavily influenced by the Tony Rice school of flatpicking, It almost sounds to me like he’s primarily listened to players like Doc Watson, Norman Blake and Dan Crary…  perhaps throw in a little Bryan Sutton? What a nice clean and present touch!

In any event, I went to his website to find out more and really didn’t get anything about his influences other that Robin Kessinger who he was studying under.

Hey Robin Kessinger, you must be a heck of a great guitar teacher… congrads..

Well as it turns out, not much (if anything) is written about Adam on the website after 2011. I hope this doesn’t mean he’s found the electric guitar and is shredding or, even worse… not playing. Just too much talent here!

Here’s Adam’s self written bio from his site:

“My interest in the guitar goes back pretty far. I spent much of my preschool years strumming on a toy guitar and singing hymns I learned at church. As I grew older my desire to really learn to play the guitar grew as well. When I was six Mom and Dad decided to give guitar lessons a try, and I began taking lessons from Mary Palla, a friend from church. I started playing my Dad’s “Norma” that he had when he was a kid, but it just wouldn’t stay in tune. The following Christmas they bought me a little “Prelude.”

 I stuck with it and started to progress. Soon I was playing at a few churches in the area and occasionally at special events.After a few years of lessons and a “Washburn” guitar I started studying under Robin Kessinger. Robin introduced me to many fiddle tunes and techniques that helped me begin to develop my own style. In a couple years I got up enough courage to enter my first contest. The 2003 Vandalia Gathering Flatpick Guitar Contest in Charleston, West Virginia. I didn’t place, but I knew there was always next year. In 2004 after stepping up to a “Larrivee” guitar I won my first contest in Roscoe Village.

Since then, I’ve competed in many more contests in West Virginia, and surrounding states. Although I’ve placed in many of them, and have even taken a couple state titles, competing just gives me a reason to practice. In the eleven years I’ve been playing, my primary goal is still the same: that God would use me to be a blessing to those who hear me play. I have met many new faces and made countless friends. It is a neat experience getting to connect with people through music.” read more