Music Speaks

“Music is a world within itself, it’s a language we all understand.” —Stevie Wonder

Similar words were spoken to us after Franca admitted to the young salesman/tour guide at the Furch Guitar headquarters just outside Brno, Czech Republic, that she was feeling a bit embarrassed about traveling so far just to consider the possibility of buying herself one of these fine instruments.

“I’m not a guitar player,” she said, meaning, “Well I am, but I’m not any good. I’ve only been playing a year. I feel like a fraud even just standing here talking about it.”

To which Lukas replied, “Doesn’t matter how good you are. Music is a language we all can speak, regardless of when or how long you’ve been speaking it.”

It tracks with what another new acquaintance, a well known bluegrass musician, Joe Newberry, said when we met him purely by accident at a guitar store in the US this past December: “You get as much joy out of playing as I do.” — after which he played some and proved it (the guy is really amazing!)

Here’s Franca in her own words as to what it meant to her: “I’ve been feeling bad about buying myself one of these...I felt like I didn’t deserve one. Music is a joy. It‘s a language that transcends words, that is for everyone.”

Read more from her on the occasion: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTx1i3tjWWh/?igsh=b3VudXBhYnM4anNy

The Furch (pronounced fur-k) tour was fantastic and highly recommended, if you’re up for a trip to the Czech Republic, with which we are completely enthralled. The architecture, the food, the energy (even in the dead of winter!), and the beer, of course. Prague, itself is magical, like the setting of a living fairytale. If it isn’t on your places to travel to it should be.

And if you’re a guitarist in search of a new instrument, you definitely should seek out a Furch and try it for yourself. The brand’s origin (find it at the link above) is a pretty special anti-establishment story (well worth bookmarking these dark days) and the instruments sound amazing!

If you’re not either of these things—a current traveler or musician seeking a new guitar—I hope that you’ll take from this story that it is never too late to feel inspired, never too late to try something new and never too late to give yourself permission. Indeed, to not would be a mistake.

In this case, to quote another somebody:

If you play music with passion and love and honesty, then it will nourish your soul, heal your wounds and make your life worth living. Music is its own reward.” — Sting

Finally, in case anyone is wondering, so did she get it or not…

Here are some other images of this amazing day:

And one other, the first of many!

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