Revisiting the Cripe Guitar Project
The Tale of Expanding an Old Magazine Piece
Almost a dozen years ago, one of my many writing-journey thrills and accomplishments came in the form of a co-written international magazine cover story.
So, it may not have been a periodical with the circulation and cultural cachet of The New Yorker or The Economist, but seeing a big splashy cover photo on Vintage Guitar of the fat man, with an article inside under my byline (along with angel contributor Steve Armato, without whom none of this would have happened), made an obviously positive impression on me.
Armato, a guitar dealer and enthusiast as well as a close friend who lives only a few blocks from Loose Lucy’s in Five Points, has always striven to do the best job possible in recording the story of Steve Cripe and the instruments he crafted for Jerry Garcia (and others).
The story had been well-covered in the Deadhead media of the day, but with Cripe’s untimely death coming only a year after that of Garcia, what could have been a much richer journey to who-knows-where ended on a sudden, tragic note.
Yep—the 1996 fireworks accident which killed Steven Cripe forestalled a career as a master luthier. Begun as it was under such auspicious circumstances as crafting multiple instruments for one of the planet’s most formidable guitar players, no telling the heights of craftsmanship he might have scaled.
And while the Vintage Guitar piece focused on the tech-nerdy guitar stuff, no sin considering the venue, Armato felt Cripe’s all-too brief life, punctuated as it was by magic and serendipity, deserved a more in-depth examination. As the years went on, we would discuss expanding all the voluminous research at hand into a more substantive project—a book, complete with the story and an illustration-rich amount of guitar tech-talk seemed the most feasible approach.
“Top Hat” (Known to Garcia as “Florida #2”)
After over a decade, I had caught up in the winter of 2019-2020 with my own numerous literary projects, at least to the point where I had an empty space on my calendar.
It was time.
Time for Cripe.
A gun for hire and with an assignment like I hadn’t had in ages, I sat down with the complete interviews, research, original magazine pieces and numerous images. With a structure already in place thanks to Armato’s preparatory work, it fell to me to put the tale into words across ten brief chapters.
My previous three books had totaled nearly six hundred-thousand words. I envisioned the piece totaling no more than 20k. No big whoop. Unfortunately, when your main subject’s life ended before its middle- and late-life acts could play out, there’s only so much to say.
Garcia playing “Lightning Bolt” aka Florida #1
I will admit it took me quite a while to get in the swing of it all. Once the material gelled on a human and stylistic level for me, however, it rolled right off the fingertips. A few other distractions got in the way—a brief bout of civic duty to help out the neighborhood association, a veer into world-stage narrative in March 2020 which threatened the family biz, that type-deal—before I turned in a draft.
After which I promptly forgot it—that’s being a hired writer. Do your work, then step back. The only path to serenity.
Alas, here in mid-2021 (somehow?) the printed book part of the project has yet to come to fruition. It may yet. In any case, for now the story exists in blog form here, and may be enjoyed chapter-by- chapter along with the other material available on this long-established Cripe tribute site also run by Armato.
Kudos and gratitude to my friend Steve for displaying a number of key character qualities, that of service, dedication and perseverance. The honor of participating in this process through the decades has brought a tremendous boon on a number of levels, in particular last spring when my other income fell victim, albeit briefly, to the larger drama then unfolding. Blessings to Steve Armato, Steve Cripe, and to Jerry Garcia.
As I proofread the work last week, enough time had passed that I’d forgotten my own words, which I found compelling. May you find Cripe’s story as interesting and moving as I did, both as a writer and a reader.
1. Comes A Time
About dmac
James D. McCallister is a South Carolina author of novels, short stories, journalism, creative nonfiction and poetry. His neo-Southern Gothic novel series DIXIANA was released in 2019.
I am grateful and indebted to James D. McCallister for his ability to transform fragmented ideas into meaningful stories. Thanks once again, my friend!
10-4, good buddy! My pleasure. Come see us soon.