Erik Darling’s early career was in the folk scene of the 50s and 60s with “The Weavers”, the “The Tarriers”, and the “Rooftop Singers”. When I first met Erik I was working on his old 12-string, a goat skinned banjo, and his Bozo guitar. Later he fell in love with flamenco. He spent some time in Spain and studied locally. I made him a flamenco guitar based on an early Antonio Torres design. When he revisited his roots, he took nylon stings with him. Below is recording of the title track from his CD “Child Child”.
The instrument featured on the recording below is an Engleman Spruce top nylon “Erik Guitar”. With this instrument Erik wanted to bring together his early folk styles (He did not like the label folk music) from his 12-string days, mix it with his new found love of nylon strings on flamenco guitars with the depth of blue’s guitar. It was made with 7- fan bracing, a mild cutaway and Koa back and sides. Scale: 652mm. He liked D’Addario EJ45 Basses with Savarez Alliance treble strings on this one.
Before Erik passed, he wrote an autobiography, I’d Give My Life – A Journey by Folk Music.
