My thanks to NetGalley and ECW Press for an advance copy of this book that is both a memoir of a man in the midst of creation, and a biography of the work being created, along with a history and description of the importance of guitars, guitarists, and music to the world.

When my parents left New York City for the wilds of Connecticut, a deal was made, at least so it seemed that every weekend would be spent, barring illness or weather, in the Bronx with the respective grandparents. This meant a lot of driving. The trip would start with news radio, for traffic, but once the trip was set, or we were returning home, it would be set to top 40 as AM radio was the only band we received. I fell in love with music early, picking up the feelings that beats, lyrics, and the way the song was played and sang left me as a listener. FM radio was an emotional bomb, hitting hard in places top 40 hadn't hit, movie soundtracks and jazz, world and experimental filling my ears with possibilities. I loved music, but my shyness never let me learn an instrument, nor even go to a Karaoke bar. I loved lyrics that told a story, and instrumentals that did the same thing. Much of my reading over the years has been about bands, making of albums, and recording history. Many of these are look back at books, made for nostalgia, or to be included in a box set, years after the fact, when memories and stories have changed or morphed for better telling. Few have been books following an album from pre-history, to conception, creation, and release. Until now. Ten Telecaster Tales: Liner Notes for a Guitar and Its Music by Rik Emmett is the story of a creator, the art that is created, with all the doubts, fears, experience and talent only a legendary musician and writer can tell.

The book starts at a beginning, talking about the history of the Telecaster guitar, and those musicians who made their career and some of the their greatest songs on it. Emmett, vocalist and guitar player for the Canadian rock band Triumph, goes into the technical details of why this guitar is the instrument it is, and why after trying to get away from touring, he decided to plan and craft his own Telecaster. And the seeds for his new album. Emmett discusses his creative process, from the room he writes in, and draws in. There are discussions about the arthritis that arises, the feeling of getting old, but still vital, and how vital music is too Emmett. From there we are introduced to his album, Ten Telecaster Tales. Each song gets a chapter, and Emmett details the ideas, the influences and how these songs came to be. A biography of an album, title by title.

I've read a lot of liner notes, and books that accompany box sets and as I said earlier, except for the technical details there are as many stories to a songs creation as there are people in the studio at the time. I've never read a book that looks at every song, can tell the story of its creation, from inspiration, an old idea worked on, or an idea that just struck Emmett. I have always loved books about how people create things, and this is one of the best on song creation. Emmett has a very good style, one warm, welcoming and instructive, but one that is still amazed by what happens when tape, or digital, records. The book is also illustrated showing rooms, places, hands that are healing and the artist being creative.

An interesting book for performers, even if they are still new to the works of Rik Emmett. There is a lot to draw from as a creator, and little hints, and ways on how to shape an idea into something more solid. Gear heads will enjoy the technical info, and the history of different guitars and techniques. A very good book, full of fascinating information, and very inspiring.

Received arc from ECW and Netgalley for honest read and review,this review is my own.
I have grown up listening to Triumph and read the last book from Rik, so this was another delve for me into my past, and it was another great read and thoroughly entertaining.
It gave a great insight into the writing and style of Rim and showed what a great musician he is.

*Ten Telecaster Tales* is a unique, genre-bending experience that blends music with storytelling. Rik Emmett takes us behind the scenes of his creative process, revealing the roots, influences, and philosophy behind his compositions. What makes this album stand out is how it’s packaged: it’s not just music, but a book that dives into the art of songwriting and the personal journey of crafting each piece. Emmett even commissioned a custom guitar for the project, adding a personal touch to every note. With fairy-tale vibes and a mix of vintage and modern influences, it's a beautiful and thoughtful exploration of the connection between music and storytelling. If you’re into music that comes with a story, this one's a must-listen!

This was a wonderfully done book about the history and power of guitars, I thought it had a great story to it and worked with what the description promised. Rik Emmett wrote this in a way that was engaging and not boring.