on stage in Elizabethtown, Kentucky as part of the

When MATTY ZARB was invited
by EDDIE MATTINGLY to perform
on stage in Elizabethtown,
Kentucky as part of the
Acoustic Guitar Masters
concert series, it changed his
life forever.
N
MASTER
CLASS
CAROL REESOR & EDDIE MATTINGLY
34
C O U N T R Y M U S I C C A P I TA L N E W S J U LY 2 0 1 0
ow Matty wants to offer that
opportunity to other Aussies
in their own country and has
created the Down Under version
of Acoustic Guitar Masters.
But how did Matty get invited onto such a
prestigious gig in the first place? Let’s fast track
back to 2002 when Matty and his brother PAULY
moved to Bardstown, Kentucky.
To set the scene, they were playing in a
smoky bar called Joe’s Bluegrass Tavern and
Eddie Mattingly and CAROL REESOR were in the
audience that night.
“When I say smoky, I mean a blue haze of
tobacco, pool tables, Jim Beam and Budweiser,”
Matty said.
“It was a great gig for us newcomers and
the folks were kind and loved our music. When
I met Eddie he asked if I knew of a guitarist
called TOMMY EMMANUEL .
“Well, as we all know if you play guitar
and you are from Australia it’s like asking if
an Aussie has heard of Vegemite! We instantly
became mates.”
It wasn’t long after that Matty realised that
Eddie and Carol were the lynch pin of acoustic
music and virtuoso guitarists in Kentucky as
well as hosts of the Acoustic Guitar Masters
concert series.
The series’ most noted guitar player was
Australia’s own Tommy Emmanuel, among a
bevy of incredibly gifted guitar slingers.
Now in its 10th year, Acoustic Guitar
Masters has brought an amazing array of
virtuoso guitarists from all over the world to
Kentucky and is now listed as one of the best
things to do while in Kentucky.
Eddie and Carol introduced the Zarb
brothers to many of the guitarists on the series,
and it soon dawned on them how unique and
wonderful this concert series really was.
“I was getting to see something really special