Richard Suddreth
- Type: People Who Play
"I'm 65 now and have been playing mandolin for over 50 years. I have played semi-pro (meaning keeping your day job!) over 30 of those years. I have had approx. 15 mandolins during that time of various makes & models, some of which were considered in the industry to be top grade and very costly. I'm down to 5 ""keepers"" now that I rotate to keep the wood ""alive"". My Dad played ""String Band Music"" before it had the Bluegrass name and I'm carrying it on. I only play traditional music in the Monroe style, as that is where my passion lies. I feel that the time I've spent in this music qualifies me to know what a good mandolin is. I'm always looking for that ""special"" one. I stumbled on my Weber custom Bitterroot by accident, really. I went into the dealer looking for strings, but walked out with the mandolin. It had the sound I had been looking for, for years! I've never heard one with such tone as this one and the volume is such that I can lay back & play lightly, and still be out in front of the band! If I ever get another mandolin, it will be another Weber.
(thanks for sticking with us recently!)"