BUZZ Magazine September 2016

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A Solid Friend Entertaining in the Tampa Bay Area By Daniel Childs “The Entertainer” It’s been a crazy summer across the Bay area and abroad, but it’s not over yet. As I write today, I’m sitting in the guest room of my apartment, listening to rain drops falling on the window and enjoying a relaxing moment that may be, literally, the “calm before the storm”. Parts of my town of Largo are covered in water from flooding due to the impending Tropical Storm Hermine, and it’s only a matter of hours before the storm hits land in Florida. But as I watch the reporters on Bay News 9 working to help area residents stay informed, and local disaster relief workers preparing shelters for those in need of refuge, I can’t help but feel a sense of pride to be part of life in this area. Everywhere I look, I see state and local government officials, along with public service professionals and volunteers, working to make preparations for whatever comes our way - and I must say, I’m impressed with the care that the people of the Tampa Bay area show to those in need. Everyone is doing such a great job! Times like these are a reminder that everyone who plays a role in day-to-day life in this area makes a contribution to what makes this a wonderful place to live and to visit - the people. Perhaps even lowly musicians such as myself play a significant role in the greater Tampa Bay experience, as we bring an element to any given atmosphere than can enhance a person’s experience there. It’s amazing the impact that music can have on a person’s evening, or even state of mind. It can lift you up after a bad day, help you get over an ex, or even encourage you when life’s circumstances get difficult. Knowing this, I kind of wish I had a gig somewhere tonight, so I could sing people through this storm. The chance to do my part in helping people through a night of uncertain circumstances is appealing. It’s fulfilling to feel, at the end of the day, that you did something that helped someone through a rough patch on their journey. It’s the solid unspoken friendship of a good bartender, singer or restaurant server that can let a lonely patron know that they’re among others who are also climbing hand-and-foot over life’s ridges, seeking a moment’s relief in the relaxation of a local gathering spot. It’s the solid friendship of one who never leaves your side that can give you confidence to carry on. It’s the solid friendship of a faithful workhorse that can help you carry a load that you couldn’t manage on your own. On my journey, one such solid friend lends its voice to make sure that my music is clearly heard and felt by everyone in the room. This friend is none other than a black Takamine EF341SC Acoustic Electric Guitar, that I’ve played for over twenty years. It was with me when I played one of my first gigs on the Memphis Showboat at the age of 30 / BAYBUZZ.ORG / SEPTEMBER 2016
ten, and was still with me just recently when the Daniel Childs Band rocked a birthday party at Nauti-Nancy's in Clearwater. This workhorse is one that I consider more than a tool, but a friend, because of the thousands of hours I’ve spent sweating with it in my hands, or the lonely nights when songwriting was my only therapy, or Worship gatherings when it was used to accompany singing. Whatever the setting, the Takamine has always risen to the occasion. However, this guitar has a whole history of its own from before it fell permanently into my hands. My dad, actually, was the first owner of this guitar. If you’ve followed these writings, you’ll know that my dad is an entertainer as well, and was actually my original inspiration to enter the live music field. He even had a record deal with RCA for a while in the early 90’s, which is when he acquired the Takamine (in 1991) and began to use it as one of his primary work-horse guitars. During the early 90’s, the Takamine was seen in my dad’s hands on national television in one of his music videos, which aired on television stations such as CMT and TNN. He also played it on multiple television programs, including “Nashville Now” with Ralph Emery, and “Music City Tonight” with Crook & Chase. And as dad toured, the Takamine even crossed international borders as dad played it all over Italy and France. When my dad became an endorser of Taylor Guitars around 2003, the Takamine fell into my hands. Though I had already played it (borrowing it from dad) for many years, I was now able to keep it with me on a consistent basis, and it was with me when I moved to Florida for the first time in 2010. In years before that and in years that followed, I played it all over the United States, on stages of all types. I’ve played it on stages in the Pacific Northwest and the tropics of Florida alike. Fairgrounds, churches, venues and beach clubs, it has been faithfully catering to my performance needs through thick and thin, and is still my go-to working acoustic guitar today. Takamine is a brand that I often refer to as “the working man’s guitar”. Though it’s name is not as prestigious in the acoustic guitar world as, say, Taylor or Gibson, there’s a good reason why hardworking, long-time entertainers such as Toby Keith, Steve Wariner and the late Glenn Frey remain die-hard Takamine endorsers. This company has set high standards for several years as a leader in acoustic pickup innovation, and the guitars themselves are incredible works of craftsmanship. I, personally, know these guitars best for being very easy to play, and for delivering top-notch quality and reliability in all types of performance situations. They’ll take a beating and keep singing brilliantly, as if nothing had ever hit them. Today, my Takamine bares its fair share of scars and scratches across its face. The middle of the guitar is beginning to cave in, and many of the frets are worn down and in need of replacement. Sometimes I wonder how this thing continues to perform, while it continues to hold up through 3 and 4 hour sets in the beautiful Florida summer heat. The three-band EQ on Takamine’s CT4B preamp system gives me all the flexibility I need to tailor the guitar’s sound to the way I need to hear it, and always provides a very clear, well-balanced live tone. The neck BAYBUZZ.ORG / SEPTEMBER 2016 / 31
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BUZZ Magazine September 2016

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