# Music by Genre > Jazz/Blues Variants, Bossa, Choro, Klezmer >  Rich delgrosso's

## Mike Herlihy

This is from Comando digest. There is a new look website for Rich Delgrosso. Check it out

Mandoloin Blues

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## Mandolusional

I saw his new site a few days ago, looks like he also offers lessons via webcam, very cool!

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## Enigmatic Recluse

> I saw his new site a few days ago, looks like he also offers lessons via webcam, very cool!


I don't like to knock Rich DelGrosso, who does a lot to promote music traditional blues, which I think is important work. But $50 an hour to learn to play the blues? I doubt Howard Armstrong and and Yank Rachell charged him anything near that much.

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## Bert Deivert

Rich used to be a teacher and quit that recently to go full time between giving lessons, writing and gigging. Having been a full time musician for 20 years myself, I know it is hard to make ends meet. Formal lessons rather than jamming with people and visiting friends are two different things. I don't believe Howard or Yank gave Rich lessons in that sense, but rather they hung out and did gigs together. Lessons are an investment in a teacher's time, his homework and the like. Let's keep things straight between the oral and passed on tradition of music, and formal lessons! 

cheers
BERT

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## JimRichter

DelGrosso is a Handy award winner, a successful author of mandolin methods for Mel Bay, is a noted blues-mandolin historian, and is an editor for Blues Revue. He has more than enough credentials to ask for his fee.

If blues mandolin was that easy, everyone would be doing it, wouldn't they? 

As his website says, he teaches more than just blues -- he is after all both a teacher and a mandolinist.

I charge $30 per hour locally for mandolin, guitar, or banjo lessons without complaint. I think $50 from a man with credentials longer than my arm is justifiable.

Jim

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## Mike Herlihy

> DelGrosso is a Handy award winner, a successful author of mandolin methods for Mel Bay, is a noted blues-mandolin historian, and is an editor for Blues Revue. He has more than enough credentials to ask for his fee.
> 
> If blues mandolin was that easy, everyone would be doing it, wouldn't they? 
> 
> As his website says, he teaches more than just blues -- he is after all both a teacher and a mandolinist.
> 
> I charge $30 per hour locally for mandolin, guitar, or banjo lessons without complaint. I think $50 from a man with credentials longer than my arm is justifiable.
> 
> Jim


So, Jim, when are you going to offer on-line lessons?

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## Cary Fagan

I've taken classes with rich at mandolin camp north. He's a great teacher and a great guy. And of course a steller blues mandolin player. I think his fee is reasonable. And hey, it costs a lot more to live now than it did when Rich was hangin' with Yank Rachell.

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## Chris "Bucket" Thomas

> But $50 an hour to learn to play the blues?


In the large view, $50 an hour is not expensive. Look what you pay an hour for a auto mechanic or plumber.

Look at what we pay for our instruments/picks etc!

I consider it a fair deal to study with someone who is recognized worldwide at being "one of the best" at his craft. It seems like a fair price to try and absorb some of his influence.

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## Mike Herlihy

> Originally Posted by  (Enigmatic Recluse @ June 11 2008, 00:31)
> 
> But $50 an hour to learn to play the blues?
> 
> 
> In the large view, $50 an hour is not expensive. Look what you pay an hour for a auto mechanic or plumber.
> 
> Look at what we pay for our instruments/picks etc!
> 
> I consider it a fair deal to study with someone who is recognized worldwide at being "one of the best" at his craft. It seems like a fair price to try and absorb some of his influence.


And think of the money you will save but not having to drive to Indiana!

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## DryBones

heck, I was paying $20 per half hour for lessons locally so Rich is only charging $5 more per half hour...not a bad deal at all!

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## johnsmusic

The teachers here at my store charge $25 for 1/2 hour guitar lessons and $45 for an hour lesson. I don't think that Rich is out of line at all. I would gladly pay him that price. I think that Jon Gindick charges $65 for a 1/2 hour over the phone harmonica lesson. John

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## bluesmandolinman

glad everybody already commented on the price per hour and you all are much more polite than I am , thanks


btw I just ordered the Live from Bluesville CD... anyone have it already ?

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## a12

Got my copy last week from Elderly.

I've always liked Smokestack Lighting and they do it justice.

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## JimRichter

Picked up my copy from Rich this past weekend at the Yank tribute. My favorite cut is Easy Baby. Magic Sam has always been one of my favorites and was happy to hear a Sam tune in this setting. 

Jim

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## Bert Deivert

Didn't know it was out yet..Rich mentioned they had recorded it live when we met in Memphis in Feb. 
thanks for the tip mates.

Cheers
BERT

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## Enigmatic Recluse

> DelGrosso is a Handy award winner, a successful author of mandolin methods for Mel Bay, is a noted blues-mandolin historian, and is an editor for Blues Revue. #He has more than enough credentials to ask for his fee.
> 
> If blues mandolin was that easy, everyone would be doing it, wouldn't they? #
> 
> As his website says, he teaches more than just blues -- he is after all both a teacher and a mandolinist.
> 
> I charge $30 per hour locally for mandolin, guitar, or banjo lessons without complaint. #I think $50 from a man with credentials longer than my arm is justifiable.
> 
> Jim


I certainly didn't mean to imply he should be giving it all away, $50 seems high though, and your point about charging $30 reinforces that to me. Your lessons are great on You Tube, they've helped me as much as Mr. DelGrosso's book. I guess it rubs me the wrong way because he was fortunate enough to get lessons from the masters at little or no cost, yet charges so much, though I suppose his promotion of their music should count for something (I did point out he did valuable work). The Handy Award, etc don't mean much to me though, and paying for that kind of credential just doesn't seem to make much sense. I guess I just don't see his lessons as any more valuable than yours. 

Am I reading the "if blues mandolin was easy everyone would be doing it?" comment right? I don't get what you mean by this at all. I-IV-V. Minor pentatonic with a flat fifth. A few common riffs. Some play faster than others, and I also don't mean to imply I am a master mandolin player, arthritis and some injuries gaurantee I will never be one, but for the most part, the things that aren't easy are the things that can't readily be taught. 

And beyond that, not everyone wants to play the blues. What did I misread?

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## JVESEY

> I guess it rubs me the wrong way because he was fortunate enough to get lessons from the masters at little or no cost, yet charges so much


I got to meet Rich for the first time this Spring when he came to stay with me and give a workshop. I've been doing that sort of things for musicians, at no cost, for years because it's near to impossible to include NY on your tour and make ends meet otherwise. There are the one off big tours, big camps and some good anchor dates . . . #but for the most part it's slim pickens. "Pass the hat" dates don't pay the bills.

Rich was booked to do Mando Camp North and stop by NY on the way to do the workshop. When Mando Camp got re-scheduled he honored the workshop booking in NY. He could have skipped out since it was no longer convenient for his trip. He was a stand up guy, a TREMENDOUS player and as we say "a great hang". We organized a gig with Del Rey for the Living Room and is was a honor to back him up.

He also shared with me a few stories of his days with Howard Armstrong. He and his late wife Maureen, were both school teachers in the Detroit area. They would leave work on Friday, pack the gear in the station wagon, pick up Howard and drive to shows all around the region. It was your basic "food to mouth" type no frills touring. They'd get back late Sunday, drop off Howard and make it to work on Monday. His grunt work got Howard out to a lot more gigs than he probably would have otherwise. So although, you and I consider him lucky, it was hard work and well earned. There was also a lot of love between the two and Rich is probably doing more than anyone else to carry on Howard's legacy and appreciation for the man as well as the artist.

Most of the top notch teachers in the NY area charge $50 plus for privates. Some charge as much as $100 an hour !! Yikes, big bucks even by NYC standards. But I have a deep respect for those who try to make a living at music. It ain't easy. Rich quit his day for for the first time this year and relocated to Texas to pursue music full time. His first record and mando book are both top notch and I'm happy to throw what spare change and free room and board I can his way.

Hope I'm not sharing too much or ruffling any feathers, but he's a stand up guy and a fabulous teacher. Well worth the $50 in my humble ( and biased) opinion.

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## sgarrity

$50 an hour is more than fair from a master like Rich. #And let's not forget, this is how he makes his living and it's not like he's one of the Eagles or the Stones. #He's an acoustic blues musician that plays mandolin.....does that say millionaire to you??? #I believe whole heartedly in supporting working musicians any way we can. Especially if they play the mandolin!!

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## JimRichter

Good responses. It truly is sad that a man/teacher/mandolinist of Rich's ability should have to justify a modest fee, on top of facing charges of unjustly profiting from his mentors, friends, and heroes. 

Jim

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## mounmon

No problems here. A person with a masters degree can make more than that per hour plus get benefits (which I'm pretty sure being a Blues Mandolin teacher doesn't offer). I figure Rich has at least a Masters Degree in Mandolin Blues-ology, so it's in keeping with other professions.

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## BlueMountain

I charge $50 an hour for editing articles and books (unfortunately, about half of that goes for taxes, and the same goes for Rich's $50). I pay my local luthier $50 an hour to fix things beyond my ability. I pay my car mechanic a lot more than that. 

I know first-hand that Rich is an excellent teacher. What's more, I have several albums by all the blues mandolin players Rich writes about, and I honestly believe that even though he is standing on their shoulders, Rich is the best blues mandolin player ever. His playing is much more sensitive than theirs tended to be. I find it revelatory.

It's hard to teach more than four hours a day and remain sane. Four teaching hours, five days a week, is $1,000. Over a year, if he's lucky, $50,000. That's BEFORE taxes (self-employment taxes). That also means that after taxes he'd be lucky to net $30,000. That's pretty close to poverty level. Hard to treat your Mandolin Acquisition Syndrome with an income that low.

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## Joel Spaulding

Rich's new website is great! $50/ hr lessons is pretty reasonable by any standard these days. # If one can find someone of _Rich's high caliber_ to teach Blues Mandolin (or any other style for that matter) for free - go for it. Good luck with that endeavor  Reminds me of complaints regarding $50 -$60 concert tickets. The days of $250 Loars are gone. Would someone tell me where I can find a shave and a haircut for.... two bits? # #

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## Rick Crenshaw

A guy at Kaufman's Kamp is really into blues mandolin... and he's finally got me hooked. I'm sitting here listening to Rich's "Get Your Nose Outta My Bizness!" and it's GREAT! I bought it off the website which i saw posted here, thank you, and got the CD today. Rich signed the CD and sent a nice postcard with it. It's his hand on the mailer, too. I'd say he's working for his money... a time honored tradition in his chosen musical genre... either working poor, or living really, really poor. Take it from a child of the late 60's who spent many hours in dives in Memphis (like Peanut's Pub) listening to Furry Lewis, Ma Rainey, Piano Red, and the likes. Listened to a lot of old blues LP's back in the day too! Son House, Mississippi Fred McDowell (actually from just down the road in Moscow, Tn), etc. 

Anyways, Rich's stuff is fantastic and true to the genre... to a 'T'.

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