Give Us Gibsons! is a musical duo featuring the improvisational flights of Phil Lawrence on mandolin backed by the fingerpicking and strumming of Ken Edwards on guitar.

Give Us Gibsons! play mellow acoustic music: some original instrumental compositions, some jazz standards, and songs by Reverend Gary Davis, Mississippi John Hurt, Jorma Kaukonen, David Grisman, and many others.

Phil and Ken both live in Sonoma County, about 10 minutes from one another, but they first met at a campside jam at a music festival four hours from home.  They liked the music the made together and decided to keep making it.

Phil and Ken don't play so much for fame and fortune as much as for the pleasure of the music they create.  And we're really hoping that you'll take a look in your attic, please, and ...

Give Us Gibsons!

 

Phil plays a 1916 Gibson F2 mandolin (pictured above), but longs for a vintage Gibson "Lloyd Loar" mandolin. He took his first mandolin lessons with the legendary Rudy Cipolla, and has performed with David Grisman, Mike Marshall and Chris Thile. He is also part of the jazz trio "The DLT3" and of the "Jubilee Klezmer Ensemble".

Ken fingerpicks a 1993 Gibson J100-Xtra guitar (pictured above) and would love a pre-1960 Gibson J-45, J-50 or SJ-200. He has performed in many venues around the SF Bay Area as half of the duo, "Easy Ed and Slidebar Slim" and in the band, "Rhythm Method" (the only band ever endorsed by the Pope!); and has opened for Charlie Musselwhite and for Dan Hicks & The Hot Licks.

What's with the name?
 

Why is the duo named
Give Us Gibsons?


Well, there are alot of great instrument makers, like Martin, Taylor, Monteleone, Gilchrist, etc., but for the music we play, we say "Give Us Gibsons!"

 
   
     
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