IT IS OFFICIAL! I HAVE SIGNED UP FOR THE KING OF BLUES COMPETITION. MAY 12th 6:30 PM.........This will be a continuing thread on my journey.....wish me luck forum mates and check the thread as I will add photos and continuing story line.

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Your Fender HSS Standard Stratocaster in Electron Blue was made at the Fender Ensenada Plant in Mexico in the Year: 2008.
Final Assembly Date: July 30th, 2008
Model Number: 013 4700 587
Serial # MZ8031252

good luck...

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"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present."

oogway, kungfu panda 2008

The backing tracks are good to jam with, especially Pete's :

http://gc.guitarcenter.com/kingoftheblues/tracks/

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

You've convinced me. I downloaded a number of the tracks and found one I really like and did a bit of playing around to it.

I turned 40 back in the last century. I figure if I go and chicken out, well....at least I signed up. I know I won't win, but it does sound like fun. I don't know what guitar I'll use.

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2002 mim Telecaster
Jimmie Vaughan Stratocaster
Mexican HSS Stratocaster
6 non-fender guitars
2 kids (not for sale)
1 wife (uh....no comment)

To the OP: Go for it! What have you got to lose? Just go in with the right attitude and you'll do fine and have fun. If anything, you'll get some good experience playing under pressure.

To Martian: Actually I've seen more Slash-abbes than Vaughan-abbes at these things. Top hat, Les Paul and all. Then there was the guy who brought his dog...

I signed up two years ago when I was 16 and won the store finals to represent Houston in the district finals, where I was runner up. I'm in Guitar Center fairly often, but I don't think I've bought anything other than picks and strings from them in ages, so that wasn't a factor in me winning. If anything I annoy the heck out of them because I always want to play the expensive Fenders on the top row. :p I didn't care about the politics of it and I still don't. A guy who lost claimed I was 14 (which was below the minimum age, which I wasn't) and actually told the manager he wanted to sue Guitar Center after the competition. I thought it was funny, because I totally didn't expect to win anything and I wouldn't have cared if I didn't.

I wasn't so lucky last year. I placed third in the prelims, only first and second moved on to the finals. I was cool with it though, I just wanted to have fun and I did. So this year I signed up again. I'm not going to get too wrapped up in it, I'm just doing it for fun and experience.

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Website: http://www.rebeccalaird.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rebeccalairdmusic
Twitter: https://twitter.com/beckslaird
Instagram: http://instagram.com/beckslaird

Watching Eric Clapton Sessions for Robert J.......plenty of inspiration here. Practicing my $@! off. The timing is perfect and getting very comfortable......just counting down the days now...YES I CAN...YES I CAN....DAMMIT YES I AM!!!!

@Jack FFR1846 I started playing at 35 and now 38...you can do it too....GO FOR IT DUDE!!!!!

_________________
Your Fender HSS Standard Stratocaster in Electron Blue was made at the Fender Ensenada Plant in Mexico in the Year: 2008.
Final Assembly Date: July 30th, 2008
Model Number: 013 4700 587
Serial # MZ8031252