Chris Scharenbrock, Passion-Guitar

Chris Scharenbrock
Guitarist, Songwriter, Performer

Songwriter, Musician, Performer

MEET MUSIC PASSION , HIS NAME IS Chris Scharenenbrock, after 30+ years of playing, he just keeps crankin' out the tunes!

" I met Chris while getting  Letters to Passionate Kids from other Music Artists. Chris is such an awesome supporter of everyone's Passion for Music , I thought I would ask him if he would write a Letter To Kids!  Of course Chris said YES!" Paul Cody

Chris's Music Letter To Passionate Kids

Hi Kids,

I am honored to be writing this letter too you. I would like start by saying that each and every one of you are unique and special, and we have something in common and that is the passion for music. Music is a beautiful and magical thing, it is one of the few art forms that can bring someone too tears or make them dance with joy and you can make that happen.

What inspired me to play the guitar was when I heard the opening guitar line to The Beatles song "Ticket To Ride", from that point on I was hooked. To this day when I hear that guitar line it still affects me the same way, I was 14 years old at the time.

Playing the guitar, for me, has been such a positive outlet. I love the tone of the instrument, the way it feels when my finger tips come in contact with the strings and the fingerboard. The way that I can emotionally connect with the music that I play, whether it is covering someone else's song or writing something of my own, it is an absolutely beautiful and magical experience.

I have been fortunate enough to have played bass in a church group as well as in a cover band that I had started with my friends while I was in high school. If I wasn't at school then I had a guitar or bass guitar in my hands. I remember on several occasions on school nights I would stay up until 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning working on new songs for either the church group or my cover band. My mom, one of my biggest supporters, certainly didn't like that, but she also understood that it was important to me.

When I was 18 years old the ability too play the guitar and bass was almost taken from me. After graduating high school I started working at a local paper mill working on a paper machine. After being there for 3 weeks I had gotten my right arm caught between 2 rollers while the machine was running. My right hand had swollen up to twice it's normal size and I had a huge cut in my forearm that was caused by a hook and required 36 stitches. The doctor who was tending too me said that I would never play guitar again. Determined not to give up, I went and bought a new guitar 3 days later and started too force myself too practice. Without a doubt this was painful, but the desire and the passion to play the guitar was stronger than the pain. It was slow going at first but I stayed with it, because I knew if I didn't scare tissue would begin too form and the doctor would've been right, but instead I proved him wrong. I didn't give into the pain and as a result I can honestly say that I have enjoyed many years of playing the guitar and bass in bands, in the studio and in my home studio working on my original music.

You need to understand that things happen in life that are out of your control, the only thing you can do is to choose how you are going to react to those situations. For me and for always it has been playing the guitar, writing and recording songs, and in having deep faith in God.

I have had many guitar influences over the years, such as Allan Holdsworth, Eric Clapton, Eric Johnson, Joe Bonamassa, Stevie Ray Vaughn, to name but a few and this list continues too grow. Each one of these guitarist have influenced so many others because of their tone, dedication, determination, and their passion for playing. Their playing continues to inspire me and because of it I am always learning something new, never stop learning. There is always so much too learn, music is always changing, there is always someone new that you discover that plays or writes something and you go "That's what it is all about, right there" and you get these goose bumps and you just have to learn how they do what they do, that's what keeps me going. 

There is an old saying "Anything good doesn't come easy" and that is so true. You will have those moments of self doubt, those moments when you ask yourself "Why did I even bother writing this song"? and then someone will come up too you and say "I love your music" even if it is only one person, that is one person that you have touched with your music and that is the beauty of music and that is priceless.

May God bless you all and keep you safe,

I wish you all the best in your music,

Chris Scharenbroch

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