Stuart Mossman: A Modern Stradivari (2010)

This is the long-awaited feature length documentary about the life and work of legendary Luthier, Stuart Mossman. It features David, Keith and Bobby Carradine, reminiscing, playing Mossman guitars and singing. This is David's last film and shows him as a musician, singer and songwriter. The world is "flat-picking" and the steel string acoustic guitar is the most popular musical instrument on the planet. Thousands play sophisticated bluegrass in virtually every country, and many are as talented as the unknown, original backwoodsmen in the Ozarks. The instruments are the basis for modern, electronically amplified Rock'n'Roll. "Guitar Hero" is exploding and because of it a new, young population is fascinated by the guitar. Even if they start with the video game many graduate to the real instrument. Tragically, Stuart Mossman died young, leaving a grieving family and thousands of admirers - yet his work is the foundation upon which today's generation of Luthiers is building guitars from fine tone woods. Barry Brown, David Carradine and Scott Baxendale produced the film. As a teenager, drawn by Stuart's contagious creativity and optimism Scott worked for him, learning the guitar making craft. Stuart transformed lives and Scott eventually purchased the company, continuing to make important Mossman guitars. Scott now makes his own instruments and compares the resurgence of the hand crafted guitar, led by Stuart, to what happened in Cremona at the time of Stradivari. Mossman guitars will be playing for hundreds of years, long after thousands of factory made instruments have disappeared. Modern Bluegrass spans every musical form, from jazz and rock to traditional country. The popularity of the modern, steel stringed acoustic guitar, which began with the traditional genius of Doc Watson, has been growing since the 60s. Doc was the first to present it as the universal instrument it has become. Doc and Merle Watson electrified the musical world, bringing back-woods folk music to the international stage. Previously the world knew the guitar as backup in a jazz band, flamenco or an instrument played by Andre Segovia. Working with virtually no crew, our filmic goal was immediacy, intimacy and spontaneity. The story is spoken by those who lived it, directly to the audience, with unfiltered emotion - told with purposeful simplicity. The high definition video camera and custom mikes, also created modern digital sound. The film also features legendary bluegrass artist, Dan Crary, longtime associate of Stuart Mossman, and Beppe Gambetta, the international virtuoso from Genoa and Byron Berline, the great fiddler. Other world-famous musicians appear. We were in Winfield Kansas on April 7-11 at the Smithsonian Memorial to Stuart - where a hundred Mossman guitars and players gathered. Dan Crary gave a concert to honor Stuart. We took cameras to the world-famous Winfield Flatpicking Festival in September 2008, filming the largest gathering of Mossman guitars ever. Our film features two of Stuart's film roles -- with David Carradine and Hoyt Axton in Barry Brown's, "Cloud Dancer," and with the Carradine brothers in "The Long Riders." Stuart's daughters appear with his wife along with most of his family and virtually everyone who knew him when he was creating his guitars. Many of the workers in his factory appear. Even those critical of a man who lived a life of grandiose dreams, wanted to contribute their vivid memories of this amazing and unique artist. We are creating a CD of extended versions of the music in the film. This will include the three Carradine brothers, Dan Crary, Beppe Gambetta, Byron Berlin, many other brilliant instrumentalists, and a rare performance of Stuart Mossman playing his guitar and singing.