Power Flatpicking Guitar

Steve Kaufman was born into a musical family in 1957. His father was a jazz piano player, and his mother was a classically trained pianist. Music was always around. At four Steve started plinking at the piano and did so for several years. He then moved on to the electric guitar at 10 for a few years and put it away. Next came the cello in 5th grade for a few years. After this, Steve picked up the acoustic guitar again and with the help of his older brother Mike, blazed right through a "Folk Guitar" method book. When finished, he thought if this is as hard as it gets it was not for him. Then his younger brother, Will, started playing the banjo and his instructor told him he needed a rhythm guitar player to help with his timing. Steve then picked up his guitar again and got into the bluegrass rhythm. One day Will brought home a Flatt and Scruggs LP, which featured Doc Watson on guitar, and Steve was hooked on flatpicking. Steve practiced hard with his newfound love of music, sometimes up to 8 hours a day. At age 18 he entered the National Flatpicking Championships in Winfield, KS, and made the top 10. The following year was a wash. In 1977, Steve took 2nd place to Mark O'Conner and in 1978, at 21 years old, he returned to win the championship. Then after being barred for 5 years, he returned in the 6th year to win the 1984 championships again. Winfield bans the winner for 5 years and they can come back in the 6th year but in 1986 they decided to open the contest to everyone and not bar the past years' champs. Steve returned to win his goal. He became the winner and the first and, at this writing, the only Three Time Winner of the National Flatpicking Championships. He is also noted to have three consecutive wins in the Nationals because he was barred all the years he did not enter. Steve continues to work hard in the world of music. He began producing books and videos in 1989 after teaching private lessons for close to 20 years. His catalog of instructional materials is over 85 ite