Tom Ellis on the news!

[Dale Ludewig]

I saw this link a few minutes ago on Facebook by Tom. Hi Tom!

http://www.myfoxaustin.com/Clip/11170050/making-mandolins#.VOyt1R4IAts.facebook

[JeffD]

Wow that is really great.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Dale - Many thanks for posting that clip. It's nice to see one great mandolin maker get the recognition that he deserves & IMHO,there's a lot more great builders who should get the same exposure for their work - & i do include your good self in the mix !.
I've seen a few TV programmes aired on UK TV re.elec.guitars & their makers,one was specifically about Fender guitars. Wouldn't it be terrific if a similar programme was made about mandolins & their builders,not just for us,but to get the mandolin 'out front' as an instrument & to show folk just what a wonderful & versatile instrument it is,
Ivan;)

[Ron McMillan]

That's wonderful recognition of one of the modern greats. Well done Tom.

But 'live music capital of the world'? Oh, the exceptionalism and the hubris.

[Tobin]

But 'live music capital of the world'? Oh, the exceptionalism and the hubris.

That has long been Austin's claim to fame. And to be honest, it has one of the most vibrant live music scenes you'll find anywhere. From regular programs like Austin City Limits to major events like South by Southwest, to the thousands upon thousands of local venues featuring local bands and visiting musicians from all over the world, it is one of the things that makes Austin unique. Whether it has more live music than anywhere else in the world is debatable, but I'd imagine it's one of the top contenders. It's no Nashville, where glitz and glam are the rule. And it's not a mecca for the recording industry. But for honest-to-goodness everyday live music, Austin really does have an incredible wealth of it.

I was glad to see this piece giving Tom some local recognition as a craftsman and small business owner. I was even more glad that they actually discussed his production numbers (including labor hours spent on each instrument), as well as price. Pava got some decent exposure too. It's pretty rare for a news reporter to be able to report on a niche subject like this without totally mangling the facts or glossing over the important stuff to make it more viewable for the general public. But this was a well-done piece.

[Ron McMillan]

I was glad to see this piece giving Tom some local recognition as a craftsman and small business owner. I was even more glad that they actually discussed his production numbers (including labor hours spent on each instrument), as well as price. Pava got some decent exposure too. It's pretty rare for a news reporter to be able to report on a niche subject like this without totally mangling the facts or glossing over the important stuff to make it more viewable for the general public. But this was a well-done piece.

With this part at least, I couldn't agree more.

[Bradley]

The same news group contacted me as they wanted to personally hear the best F5 that Tom has produced LOL

Great story on a great builder and a great person.

[John Duncan]

Cool to see my buddy, Christian, in his shop too! He lived in Asheville for a bit, which is where I met him. I know he worked at Collings as well.

[LongBlackVeil]

I plan on paying a visit to that shop next month, cant wait. So great to have one of the worlds best just a few hours away.

You cant claim Austin doesnt have an amazing live music scene, All sorts of music is represented even the obscure genres that many of us here are into like ITM, classical mandolin orchestras, old time, jazz. Everything is in Austin. If you want to say some other place is the TRUE live music capital of the world, thats fine, but Austin is certainly near the top, anyone who says otherwise probably hasnt been to Austin

[bucephalous]

I'm actually the E.P. on this newscast and had my reporter set up the story. I'm glad you guys think she did well with it, I'll pass that along.

As for "Live Music Capitol of the World", of all the places I've been, Austin takes the cake. If you haven't made the trip, I encourage you to check it out (if not for the music, for the brisket). Completely ignoring all the massive music festivals we have here (times I would recommend AVOIDING the city because of how crazy it gets), you can walk down 6th street at any time of day and find a few shows to pop in on. There's even live music at the airport when you land!

[Tobin]

I'm actually the E.P. on this newscast and had my reporter set up the story. I'm glad you guys think she did well with it, I'll pass that along.

Well done! My thanks to you and her and the rest of the crew who were involved. I can only imagine the amount of work and skill necessary to do a story like this and edit it into a few short minutes. But y'all managed to cover quite a bit of ground, from his personal and business history to the instruments themselves. Even the picking in the background was well-chosen and tastefully inserted to enhance the flavor of the story. All in all, it was a nicely balanced segment visually, aurally, and from an information standpoint.

[outsidenote]

"I'm actually the E.P. on this newscast and had my reporter set up the story. I'm glad you guys think she did well with it, I'll pass that along. "



Your reporter did a great job. It was accurate and well presented. I agree with Tobin, and appreciate the little details that really showed how much work it is to produce such a wonderful product. Your reporter did the background research and it shows.

Of course I have to disclose that I am a fan of Ellis mandolins.

[lonestar_shawn]

There's even live music at the airport when you land!

Not just any live music at the airport either - I've seen Paul Glasse playing there!

[almeriastrings]

"I'm actually the E.P. on this newscast and had my reporter set up the story. I'm glad you guys think she did well with it, I'll pass that along. "

You get so used, these days, to seeing shoddy, superficial stuff on TV that it almost comes as a shock to see a story done so well. Nice presentation, very good sound/lighting and camera work. Great job all round!