Sawyer Wilson Rachuig
I picked up my father’s guitar when I was eight. When I asked him to teach me, he declined, saying I would have better luck at it if I taught myself.
When I tell this story, people assume my father was being mean. That couldn’t be further from the truth. He knew me well and knew if he tried to teach me in a structured way, I would lose interest.
He was right.
The first song I attempted to learn was Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd. Through trial and error, I was able to figure it out. After that, I tried to learn everything I could.
I then taught my best friend how to play guitar. It was no challenge given he was already proficient in seven instruments. He took to it immediately and quickly surpassed me. Throughout middle school and high school, he and I were in a friendly rivalry.
After high school, I began teaching music while attending college. For the past three years, I’ve worked with over forty students. I taught guitar, bass, ukulele, and vocals.
Recording music was a distant dream I thought may never come to fruition. It was my wife who finally encouraged me to take this step. Though it’s a little scary, we’re taking this step together.