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BEFORE  YOU  BUY  THAT INSTRUMENT ......... 

Earl Jones' Music School is a school.  Our primary function and sincere desire is to teach people to play music.  The sale of instruments and merchandise is of secondary concern.  That said,  let me be frank.  A salesman at a music store does not have your best interest in mind and, the internet is at best a gamble.  Our clientele does not consist of just walk-in customers who we will not see again but instead people just like you who are our friends that we see every week.  We base our business on building long-term relationships.  With these things in mind, let me ask a favor of you.  Let us be involved in your instrument purchase.  It is in your and our best interest, not because of a profit motive but from an educational standpoint.  So many times we have had students go into a music store or on the internet and impulsively buy instruments that they could have gotten from us so much cheaper or an instrument not suitable for the student's purposes.  Nothing is more frustrating and counterproductive than an instrument that will not stay in tune, is difficult to play, or produces a poor quality sound.  On the other hand, much money can be wasted by investing in a high-end instrument just for the brand name.

I realize this is somewhat our fault for not communicating the fact that we have access to all instruments and brands that we sell at a much better price as a courtesy to our students.  If for some reason we cannot get you a better instrument at a lower price, we will gladly refer you to the music store or website that can provide you with the right instrument or merchandise.

TALENT SEARCH

I was a shy, introverted, lonely boy when my Dad gave me a guitar and taught me a few chords. I learned three songs that I sang and played over and over mostly in my bedroom.  A few weeks later, a school teacher overheard me softly strumming and singing during break and asked me to perform for the school talent show.  At the age of 14, my life was forever changed. I had begun an exciting adventure into the world of performing.  I was lifted out of a secluded corner of obscurity onto a stage where people were actually applauding for 'me'!  Since that time, I have performed for every venue imaginable (concerts, shows, TV, radio, records) including international audiences.  It has been a wonderful life that I wouldn't trade for anything and it was all because someone recognized in me a hidden star.  Please understand that I had only been playing guitar and singing for three months and my repertoire consisted of three songs.  Nevertheless, something connected with that audience. I have since spent my life identifying that small spark of talent in people of all ages and giving them the same opportunity that I was given.

It has been a great privilege to have done so for many undiscovered and ignored individuals.  Since 1975, I have been developing and promoting new talent.  One of my earliest students became a guitar player for The Gatlin Brothers; another played on MTV; and yet another became a regular on The Grand Ole Opry. Just recently, a former student stopped by fresh from performing with The Zac Brown Band and prior to that, John Meyer.  A couple of years ago a former drum student went on the road with Garth Brooks and the list goes on and on including at least two major songwriters, two American Idol finalists and three actresses.  This is not a source of pride but rather of deep fulfillment to know that I was instrumental in launching these careers.  With this in mind, I have formed The Hidden Star Foundation to discover and develop new talent.

If you or anyone you know would like to enter the Hidden Star Talent Search, please call 1-866-806-7079 or email me at cowboye@centurylink.net.
   

CREATING  REAL  GUITAR  HEROES

Earl Jones has spent a lifetime as a real live guitar hero.  As a hired gun (professional guitarist) he has played TV, radio, recording sessions, concerts, churches, festivals, clubs, and private parties for movie celebrities.  He has also played every style (rock-country-jazz-blues-bluegrass-classical-gospel, etc) and every technique imaginable (fingerstyle-Chet Atkins-Travis-Fast flatpicking-chord solo-octave style-sweep picking-string tapping-counterpoint-Carter style-cross picking-chicken picking, etc).  But, his real legacy lies in thestudents he has taught and the careers he has crafted, creating several generations of real guitar heroes, not the ones who sit at home and play but those who actually perform and make money.  Chances are, without even knowing it, you have heard and seen his students who have appeared on everything from MTV to the Grand Ole Opry.  With an uncanny ability to coach and draw out hidden abilities, Earl can guide a guitar player into secret places of playing with subtle psychological techniques that have his former students saying things like:

"He makes me surprise myself everytime."  M.S.  Lead guitarist for touring rock band

"My fingers seem to glide across the strings effortlessly."  L.R. Top earning session guitarist

"It's like I'm standing aside watching myself play in amazement!"  B.B.  Lead guitar for country band

"Hot licks sparkle from my fingertips under Earl's tutelage."  E.V.  Sideman to the stars

"Earl is fond of saying 'The problem is not in the fingers but in the mind.'  When you remove that mental block, it's amazing how freely you can play."  B.P.  Professional rhythm guitarist

"After one lesson, I could play with wild abandon, without missing a note."  R.G.  Bluegrass guitarist

"My playing became more relaxed and natural under his teaching."  C.H.  Fingerstyle guitarist

"The guitar seems to come alive in my hands."  A.V.  Freelance guitarist

"The emotion conveyed through these strings now is unbelievable."  D.G.  Blues guitarist

"The greatest benefit of taking lessons from Earl is that I can perform before any size audience now with confidence, poise, and composure."  L.H.  Performing artist

"Earl taught me more in five minutes than I had learned in five years."  S.J.  Hotlicks guitarist

These are just a few testimonials of guitarists having their playing revolutionized by Earl's methods.  You can now be one of Earl's guitar heroes.  Call 910-353-6633 to enroll in the Guitar Heroes Master Class.

A  Special  Message  to  the  Military

I began teaching guitar in 1975 at a local music store in Jacksonville NC.  My first students were Marines or Marine families.  There were other instructors  at this store, one of which was an older Canadian lady.  Being new to teaching, I was concerned about teaching properly so I asked her advice.  Her answer both startled and repulsed me.  She replied,  “It really doesn’t matter whether you teach them the correct way.  This is a transient area; they will leave soon and take the mistakes with them.”  Not only did I consider this a terrible attitude, I felt personally insulted.  I had already spent most of my musical career touring military clubs, USO’s, etc.  I had become close with the military community.  I felt I was a part of them.  This “quick buck, take-advantage-of-the-military” attitude caused me to form my own music school devoted to teaching, really teaching people (military and civilian) to play.  I began to instill in all of my instructors the value of giving their very best to every student, even if that student was leaving the area tomorrow.  I wanted every person who came into our studios to know that they were not taking lessons from some kid at a music store trying to make a few dollars on his way to becoming a rock star.  Instead, a real professional, caring teacher. 

So, to every Marine and member of the Armed Services and your families, let me conclude by saying I have celebrated your victories and mourned your losses.  I have laughed with your friends and cried with your families.  I have loved your unique military culture and I consider it a privilege and an honor to serve you.

Yours truly,

Earl Jones

FREE  LESSONS

It is a great privilege for me to be able to offer this special gift of free lessons to music lovers everywhere.  There are only so many students we can teach face-to-face and we keep a full roster at our four locations (Jacksonville-Richlands-Beulaville-Burgaw NC).  That being said,  if these videos just whet your appetite and make you hungry for more, just contact us and one of our instructors will be glad to work out a spot for you to take lessons.  We love people who love music and it's our sincere desire to help you express yourself more freely through playing an instrument.  Meanwhile, enjoy learning through these You Tube videos and if you would like these licks and songs written out in our EZ Numbers system or further explanation or guidance, call us at 910-353-6633 or contact us through this website.

PS-We have many other instruction videos on YouTube if you would like to view them just click on the YouTube symbol. 

MUSIC THERAPY

When I started teaching guitar in 1975, one of my first students was a 10 year-old boy who had been taken out of school because supposedly he could not learn.  They labeled it "severe learning disability" back then.  As I struggled to boost his self-esteem and I probed to find his individual learning strategies, a visible transformation began to take place.  To make a long story short, not only did he learn to play guitar, he returned to school to become a straight "A" student and is now a doctor.  Another early experience I had was with a Viet Nam veteran suffering from PTSD.  He made a drastic recovery from a serious emotional disorder and became a great source of referrals for other veterans seeking effective therapy.  Since that time, my staff and I have helped veterans of every war from Viet Nam to Desert Storm to the present day Iraq and Afghanistan wars to recover a precious part of their lives and their souls.  In fact, the field of Music Therapy was born out of wartime traumas.

These are just a couple of the many rewarding experiences we have had with students who have shown remarkable improvement and recovery from problems like anxiety, BiPolar disorders, mental retardation, brain injuries, and others.  In 1975, there was not much knowledge about music therapy although it is mentioned in the writings of Aristotle and Plato.  Anyone familiar with the Bible knows the story of David playing the harp for King Saul in I Samuel 16:23 "And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand:  so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him."  Why does music have this affect on the mind?  The technical explanation is that music creates complex cognitive loops that impact the alpha waves of the brain, realigning the right and left hemispheres.  The fact is that there is overwhelming evidence that it works without understanding why. 

Through much study and experimentation, we have developed the most efficient and effective form of music therapy available today.  Using basic principles of EMDR, biofeedback, pacing and leading, and other trade secrets that we have patented to prevent misuse, we can provide positive results through what we call neurorhythmic therapy.  The main difference in our form of therapy is that it is active rather than passive.  Most music therapy just involves passive listening which has minor impact on the mind.  The active participation of learning to play a musical instrument, we have found, speeds up the process and produces longer-lasting results.  If you would like to know more about our NeuroRhythmic Therapy Program, contact us at 1-866-806-7079.  The most rewarding and fulfilling thing we do is helping people discover their own hidden resources and solutions to problems.

EASIER  THAN  TAB!

One of the main complaints I get from students is that tab (tablature) is difficult to read.  They say things like "It's upside down, confusing, slow and tedious."  On the other hand, I have students telling me "Your method is so much easier and quicker than tab."  This is very rewarding to me since my life has been devoted to finding ways to teach people to play and enjoy this wonderful world of music.  I began experimenting and developing this method in 1975.  I was frustrated with books, videos, and other conventional methods that made learning music difficult and discouraged more people than they helped.  I have always believed that learning to play should be fun and naturalistic.  We have used this method almost exclusively for many years not only as an alternative to standard note reading and tab but also as a way to translate note reading and tab and decode the mysteries of music.

I have been advised by legal counsel to keep certain aspects of this method as trade secrets to avoid misuse and I have done accordingly.  However, I wish to share with people of all ages a way to learn to play that's fun and easy so I am offering a limited amount of our material to be available to the general public.  Just contact us at 1-866-806-7079 or 910-353-6633 and ask for the "Easier Than Tab" Method for Guitar, Banjo, Mandolin, Violin (Fiddle), Dobro, Steele, Bass Guitar, etc.  I am so convinced that you will find this method easier than tab or anything else that I am offering a full money back guarantee.  My sincere desire is to help you learn music in an easy, fun, and exciting way!

A LETTER  TO HOMESCHOOL PARENTS

(Special Discounts)

As parents of homeschoolers ourselves, my wife and I understand the sacrifice and commitment it takes to homeschool.  However, we have never regretted the decision to educate our children the way we felt was right.  One of our homeschooled sons is now thirty and has a family of his own.  He is also an instructor at Earl Jones' Music School where he teaches homeschooled children to play guitar, violin, banjo, mandolin, etc.  In fact, a large percentage of our student clientel are homeschoolers.

I feel that we have a unique understanding and appreciation for homeschooled children and their families.   I am honored and humbled to have had the opportunity to train thousands of homeschool children since 1975.  Many have gone on to become professional musicians and singers.  Others have experienced the joy of making music for their personal enjoyment.  Because of the tremendous growth of our business, we now have the ability to offer homeschool discounts on lessons and instruments.  We have been blessed to be able to provide quality music education to homeschool families and our sincere desire is to continue to help you, the parent, give them this marvelous experience and opportunity for enrichment.  Call us at 910-353-6633 and ask for our special homeschool rates.

IT'S  ABOUT SONGS, NOT  SCALES

A recurring refrain we hear from students who have taken lessons somewhere else before they come to us goes something like this:  "I took lessons for a year and never learned a song" or "I've learned more songs in two lessons than I learned in two years from my other instructor."  When I began teaching guitar in 1975, the best advice I got was from world renowned instructor Jethro Burns.  Jethro said the best way to teach students was to teach songs, songs, and more songs.  This is what led me to develop a method for teaching as many songs as quickly and easily as I could.  Frankly, the secret to our success has been the ability to do just that.

Now, let me qualify something I am about to say.  We do not try to take students away from other teachers.  We don't have to; we keep a full roster and a waiting list.  However, if you are presently taking lessons from an instructor and you are not learning songs, shouldn't you ask yourself if something is wrong?  Likewise, parents, if your kids are not coming home and playing songs, shouldn't you ask yourself if something is wrong here too?

Most people do not know if they are being taught the right way and parents usually do not have a clue whether their kids are learning music.  There is a simple test if you are taking lessons.  Are you playing songs?  Parents, are your kids playing songs? 

THE  NATURAL  WAY  TO  PLAY

Classical guitarist Pepe' Romero once said that you do not teach a child to speak by teaching him or her to read first.  So, how does a child learn to speak?  By learning where to place the tongue to create certain words.  Learning to play an instrument should be just as natural.  For instance, where should the finger be placed on the guitar to produce a particular sound?  It's no wonder that the long, tedious process of learning to read music discourages so many people (kids and adults alike) from learning.

I have always advocated a natural, playful approach to learning music but it seems that so many conventional music teachers want to take something that should be fun and make it stressful.  I am not opposed to reading music but it should be secondary.  Learn to play first, then learn to read music in the same natural way that you learned to speak.  Call now and we will show you how.

EARLY  BIRDZ  RECORDING  STUDIO

There is much more to recording than pushing buttons and working technical gadgets.  Some of the classic recordings of all time were also the most simply recorded.  One of these top selling recordings was recorded on a casette recorder in a stadium (We Will  Rock You) with nothing else added.  Technical knowledge can never take the place of taste, creativity, and intuition.  A good ear and pure musicanship don't hurt either!  As a matter of fact, every great recording empire or "new sound" was driven by the musicians themselves.  The Nashville Sound, Motown, Muscle Shoals, and Sun Records were all created by the concept and collective effort of a community of musicians.

This day and time, anyone can buy recording equipment, take it home, and learn how to push the right buttons but, this is not art.  What differentiates Early Birdz Recording Studios from other studios is our commitment to producing that elusive sound you have in your head.  Not only do we have the technical capability of any top studio in the world, but we have the heart to help you express yourself more fully through your music.

MUSIC  TRANSCRIBING  SERVICE

It still amazes me that students are amazed when they bring in a CD, play a song, and I play it back to them on my guitar.  This is not an exclusive talent.  All of the professional musicians that I knew in "my day" could do the same thing.  It was a learned skill and required of us.  I find that now even some professional musicians have not developed this ability.  We have a lot of clients bringing in recordings to us to transcribe (listen to and write down the music) for them.  We have several transcribers on staff to provide this service so there is literally no song that cannot be written out for you in notation, tab, chords, or our own EZ Numbers method.  Each transcription is charged per song according to length, complexity, and number of parts to be charted.  Call us now if you are interested in our transcribing service.

COWBOY  EARL

Cowboy Earl has performed for NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and the troops from nineteen different nations.  He has entertained embassy officials, heads of state, and military leaders.  Earl made history and gained international recognition by being the first and only entertainer to sing and play for Partners in Peace at Camp Lejeune NC in 1996 and again in 1998.  He was chosen not only because of his ability to entertain but also because he educates and conveys a true sense of American culture and heritage. 

Earl is a multi-instrumentalist and singer who can easily perform any style of music.  His shows weave history, humor, and audience participation into a fun yet educational program.  In addition to radio, tv, and personal appearances, he performed 15 years at Mike's Farm for young and old alike. His CD, "Cowboy Earl's Campfire Songs" has been used by teachers as an educational tool in classrooms all over eastern North Carolina.  Segments of the "Cowboy Earl Show" have also been aired on PBS.  His picture has also appeared in hundreds of school annuals making him a celebrity among the younger set.

As owner of The Earl Jones' Music School since 1975, he has taught thousands of people of all ages to play stringed instruments.  With a fun and easy method he maintains a larger student clientele than any other instructor in eastern North Carolina.  For more information on concerts, bookings, or lessons, call Earl Jones at 910-353-6633 or 910-324-3974.

THE COWBOY EARL YOUTUBE THEATER

A video roundup of free music:  rock, country, classical, jazz, Christian, bluegrass, Cajun, zydeco, rockabilly, surf, etc.  Free shows including the live "Cowboy Earl Show"  and other concerts and performances.  Free music lessons for guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, drums, bass, steele, piano, and wind instruments, etc.  Also view new talent from Earl Jones' Music School and recording artists from the Early Birdz record label.  Keep checking our website daily for new videos or call 910-353-6633!