Our Neighbors....Tony Petersen

A love of rock music prompted Tony Petersen's request for an electric guitar at age 13.

"One day I just asked for a guitar," he said. "I think it was 'Back in Black' by ACDC that inspired it."

So as a Christmas gift that year, he received a "tiny guitar and tiny amp" from his parents, Beth and Mark Petersen. Lessons followed with teacher Marlin Peterson, where Tony found he could play many songs simply by ear, without reading music. His teacher played that way and loved '80s metal music, so they spent many hours jamming together.

Eddie Van Halen from the band Van Halen was an idol and a highlight from that time was going to a Van Halen concert.

"It was great to start out that way because it was so fun," Tony said. His current electric guitar is a tribute to his rock roots - a PV Wolfgang, Van Halen's signature guitar.

"He is still a hero for me, but I've moved off hard rock toward folksy and acoustic rock," Tony said.

Gradually, he played more and more, picking up different guitars and his grandfather's banjos. His grandfather, Donald Hill, was known for his banjo playing, and Tony remembers that banjos were "always around," when he was young.

"He gave me one of his banjos after I asked him to show me how to play," Tony said.

His mom grew up "singing great corny songs to banjo music" at every holiday and when her father died last November, Tony played at his funeral.

"My sister ended her eulogy saying, 'His banjo music lives on through his grandson Tony,'" Beth Petersen recalled. "Then Tony walked to the front of the church, took his banjo out of the case, and played great banjo music he made up. [There was] lots of applause when he was done, and not a dry eye in the place. Isn't that a wonderful remembrance for me and all of us!"

Tony's uncles, Kurt Petersen and Chris Petersen, are also musicians, and although they play music from vastly different genres, Tony thoroughly appreciates both.

"My uncle Kurt has a very Bruce Springsteen kind of thing in his music," Tony said. "[Kurt] has been a huge part of where I am now - playing gigs every weekend - and I never would have met Colleen without him."

Colleen is Colleen Myhre, a Mahtowa musician Tony plays with sometimes twice a weekend at venues throughout the area. They met when Kurt brought Tony to play at the Highway 61 Folks Festival in Mahtowa several years ago. The three of them played together as Colleen Myhre and Mercy Train, until Kurt became too busy with other projects and had to stop, according to Tony.

Tony's other uncle, Chris, lives in Denver and is into playing "death metal," music, reported both Tony and his mother.

"I love it," Tony said. "I love both [kinds of music] and can rock out with both of them."

Currently, as a senior at Cloquet High School, Tony is involved with music sometimes up to seven hours a day, between music classes in school and practicing at home.

Tony's drive to practice and play is so strong that at times it interferes with his social life.

"If I'm at a friend's house watching TV, I feel guilty," he said. "I could be learning something musical instead. It's not just about staring out the window and playing. Really studying is what counts and learning new things."

Tony has learned a tremendous amount about playing the guitar, about music and what he wants it to mean in his life in the past five years. Not only can he rock on the electric guitar and banjo, but he also knows his way around the acoustic and 12-string guitars, and he's taking voice lessons.

"I sing a little bit but not at shows until later in the night, when there's only maybe five or six people in the bar!" he said. "My singing is coming along but I'm terrified of singing in front of people. I lose my breath."

He is planning to lead his own band someday, though, and said that singing will help toward that.

Currently, he takes guitar lessons with William Bernard at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, where he studies lean toward jazz and learning to sight read music.

"It's a totally different world," he said.

Over the years, Tony has slowly converted his bedroom into a music recording studio. The last non-musical item in his room - his bed - was removed one weekend by Tony and his dad while his mom was out of town.

The room's walls are covered with posters of numerous musicians including Eddie Van Halen, Bob Dylan and Neil Young. Tony works with his keyboard and computer recording software under the glint of a small disco ball. Everything is impeccably organized, down to a place for each different guitar and banjo string.

After each of his professional shows, Tony pulls the date from his calendar and posts it on his wall. Todate he's posted 53 dates that mark his 53 professional gigs.

Tony plays professionally with Myhre, whom he affectionately calls, "boss." The two play her music, which he describes as folk rock. Their biggest, most crowded shows have been ones where they perform as the opening act for Charlie Parr, a well-known folk and country blues musician from Duluth. One of his favorite shows is opening for Parr at the Turf Club in St. Paul.

"It's cool to be on stage with him even if it's just while we're packing up and he's setting up," Tony said.

At a gig the night before last New Year's Eve, Parr gave Tony a bottleneck slide he made from a wine bottle.

"That was definitely a highlight in my life so far," he said.

Tony uses the slide at shows, which is placed upon guitar strings (instead of pressing fingers against frets) to vary the vibrating length and pitch.

He used it last Friday, in fact, at his gig with Myhre at Sir Benedict's Tavern in Duluth.

Since receiving the slide, Tony has dabbled in making his own and has given one to Myhre that has her nickname engraved on it.

"I just went to Applebee's and asked for any empty wine bottles last week so I can make more," Tony said. "It might be a good way to make spending money when I go to college."

His love for music will take him to the Berklee School of Music in Boston this fall.

He was accepted after he and his dad traveled to Milwaukee, Wis., for an audition. Tony played a song by country musician Keith Urban and not only was he accepted, but he reported judges told him "he stood out for playing a country song."

"It was kind of unique and may be one of the reasons I got a scholarship," Tony mused. He will receive $7,000 a year in scholarship money, which will take a bite out of the approximately $40,000 per year tuition.

"Sending Tony there is a big decision," said Beth Petersen. "But with all his talent, he's got to do it. It's embedded in him."

Tony's dad, Mark Petersen, agrees.

"I see his passion for it (music) and as much as I want him to work for me, we want this for him," he said.

Tony chose Berklee in part because another of his idols, rocker/guitar player Steve Vai, went there.

"In my opinion, Vai is one of the best guitar players ever," Tony said. "I think Berklee's going to change me a lot."

In the meantime, Tony will be performing and practicing and recording for Myhre's latest CD.

"We're going to try to practice every day this summer," he said. "It's a privilege that she wants me to record with her on her CD."

Tony will also perform a farewell show of sorts at Cloquet High School at the end of May.

"A bunch of us have played at different high school events this year and

last year," he said. "It's nothing serious, but we have fun."

At those shows, he and various friends have played cover songs like "Billy

Jean" by Michael Jackson and "Freebird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd. He wouldn't

say what songs they'd play at the next show, however.

"The songs are always a secret," he laughed.

"It was kind of unique and may be one of the reasons I got a scholarship," Tony mused.

He will receive $7,000 a year in scholarship money, which will take a bite out of the approximately $40,000 annual tuition.

"Sending Tony there is a big decision," said Beth Petersen. "But with all his talent, he's got to do it. It's embedded in him."

Tony's dad, Mark Petersen, agrees.

"I see his passion for it (music) and as much as I want him to work for me, we want this for him," he said.

Tony chose Berklee in part because another of his idols, rocker/guitar player Steve Vai, went there.

"In my opinion, Vai is one of the best guitar players ever," Tony said. "I think Berklee's going to change me a lot."

In the meantime, Tony will be performing and practicing and recording for Myhre's latest CD.

"We're going to try to practice every day this summer," he said. "It's a privelege that she wants me to record with her on her CD."

Tony will also perform farewell show of sorts at Cloquet High School at the end of May.

"A bunch of us have played at different high school events this year and last year," he said. "It's nothing serious, but we have fun."

At those shows, he and various friends have played cover songs like "Billy Jean" by Michael Jackson and "Freebird" by Leonard Skinner. He wouldn't say what songs they'd play at the next show, however.

"Those songs are always a secret," he laughed.

Pine Journal Editor Lisa Baumann can be contacted at: lbaumann@pinejournal.com .