Beppe Gambetta

An Italian instrumentalist whose music encompasses American bluegrass and European folk influences, Beppe Gambetta has earned a reputation as one of the world's finest flatpicking guitarists. Born in Genoa, Italy in 1955, Gambetta began studying classical guitar as a child, but in his teens, he became a major Led Zeppelin fan. Attracted to Jimmy Page's acoustic guitar work as well as his electric bombast, Gambetta began adding blues and folk accents to his playing, and after discovering the music of Doc Watson, he immersed himself in American folk and bluegrass sounds. In 1977, he formed one of Italy's first bluegrass groups, Red Wine, with fellow folk enthusiast Silvio Ferretti. By 1989, Gambetta had struck out on his own, releasing his solo debut Dialogs that year. Having made a name for himself in Italy, Gambetta began traveling to the United States on a regular basis, appearing at folk venues and bluegrass festivals where he showed off his unique style and impressive technique. He also frequently hosted workshops for fellow guitarists, where he taught the finer points of his flatpicking style, as well as penning several instructional books. In the early '90s, Gambetta toured America with well-respected guitarist Tony Trischka, and recordings from their concerts were compiled into a 1991 release Alone and Together. In 1996, the American folk label Green Linnet issued Good News from Home, a set recorded in Italy and the United States, while 1999 saw the release of Serenata, a collaborative effort with mandolin virtuoso Carlo Aonzo. Gambetta issued another collaborative project in 2001, Synergia, co-starring Dan Crary. Gene Parsons of the Byrds sat in with Gambetta on 2003's Blu Di Genova, and 2006's Slade Stomp, a tribute to some of his favorite flatpicking guitarists, featured a guest appearance by the American mandolin wizard David Grisman. Celebrated folk and jazz artist Patty Larkin appeared on 2008's Rendez-Vous, contributing guitar work and arrangements as well as engineering some of the sessions. In 2013, Gambetta paid homage to the American songs and artists who influenced him most with the LP The American Album. Gambetta joined forces with Scottish guitarist Tony McManus for the 2015 duo release Round Trip. 2017 saw the prolific Gambetta deliver another album, Short Stories. ~ Mark Deming