Guitar Center (opens in new tab)’s epic Guitar-A-Thon tends to yield some pretty spectacular bargains and this year’s spring event was no exception.
This time around, the guitar world was also treated to a set of appearances by Austin-based psychedelic soul merchants Black Pumas (opens in new tab).
As the face of this year’s Guitar Center Guitar-A-Thon, the duo – comprising Eric Burton (opens in new tab) and Adrian Quesada (opens in new tab) – told a unique tale about how two “rhythm players” discovered their signature retro sound.
And in this exclusive clip, Black Pumas perform a full, uninterrupted rendition of “Confines” – a Quesada/Burton-penned track from their self-titled 2019 debut album (opens in new tab).
This exemplary performance shows just how powerful the simple combination of electric guitar and acoustic guitar can be.
“The guitar is a big inspiration for me,” recalled Burton in an interview with Guitar Center. “I was attracted to the guitar at an early age, eight or nine.
The guitar was a good way to find my voice
Eric Burton
“I used to play the violin, and I have some history with strings in general, but the guitar is just pretty much the most accessible instrument. Learning to play the instrument is immediate.
“When I was growing up, I was an introvert (still am in many ways) and often kept to myself. The guitar was a good way to find my voice when I was young. It was a way to express myself when I couldn’t any other way.”
For over half a century, Guitar Center has been helping musicians like Black Pumas to find their voice while offering a huge range of instruments at various price points.
With close to 300 stores across the U.S. and as one of the leading online retailers in the industry, Guitar Center (opens in new tab) has an enviable reputation as a go-to for musicians like Quesada and Burton.
Order the Black Pumas’ eponymous debut album here (opens in new tab).
Rod Brakes is a music writer with an expertise in all things guitar-related. Having spent many years at the coalface as a guitar dealer and tech, Rod's more recent work as a journalist covering artists, industry pros and gear includes writing hundreds of articles and features for the likes of Guitarist, Total Guitar, Guitar World, Guitar Player and MusicRadar, as well as contributions for specialist books, blogs and social media. He is also a lifelong musician.
