From making guitars to playing them in front of an audience, Dave Gilmore is going the whole nine yards.
The duo of Gilmore and Kelly Giebelhaus will entertain on Saturday, May 23, as part of the In Concert at the Golden Circle series.
The Red Deer musicians are both former radio personalities who have been jamming together for some time and playing gigs at local bars.
“I come by this guitar thing honestly,” said Gilmore, who worked for 30 years as announcer and marketer at Z-99 and CKGY before opening his Gilmore Guitars shop.
His sales and repairs business hosts regular concerts by renowned Canadian guitarists. Gilmore also provides his services as a custom guitar maker, since he’s been a certified luthier since 1995.
“I’ve had a guitar in my hand since before I could walk, so the guitar thing has always been there,” said Gilmore, who even performed in a rock band, called Rough Edge, when he was about 22 years old.
Giebelhaus was a radio announcer for Radio 7 before it became Big 105 FM. Although he doesn’t have professional performing experience, he’s also been playing guitar his whole life — even trying his hand at songwriting and performing for family and friends.
Giebelhaus built himself a couple of guitars and got to know Gilmore better through their common interest in luthiery work.
The two started jamming together for fun. Gilmore soon discovered that Giebelhaus has a terrific baritone voice, which he feels takes the pressure off his own less seasoned singing chops.
“He’s a really, really great singer ... I only sing songs by Neil Young because Neil Young can’t sing either!” said Gilmore, who plays lead guitar and sings background vocals. Giebelhaus sings lead and harmonizes on the guitar.
They plan to perform lots of favourites from the 1970s and ’80s at the Golden Circle, including songs by Steve Earl, James Taylor, Cat Stevens and John Mellencamp. “We’ll be doing songs like Fire and Rain, Where Do the Children Play, and Pink Houses. ...”
Gilmore hopes the fun that transpires on stage will spill over to the audience.
Tickets for the 7 p.m. show are $15 and are available from the Golden Circle.
lmichelin@www.reddeeradvocate.com