When a Guitar Chooses You

In this episode - When a Guitar Chooses You — And a Musician Steals the Show.

Every so often, something nudges you back into the wide-eyed wonder of being a kid again. It feels like it was just yesterday—for me—June 2, 2023—thanks to a guitar shop, a long drive, and one very talented musician.

I finally made the pilgrimage to Norman’s Rare Guitars—the mythical land where famous guitarists roam and ordinary folks (like me) try not to look like we’re hyperventilating. I walked in clutching my humble Squier Strat like a kid carrying his lunchbox to the Oscars.

Enter Brandon Soriano, encyclopedic guitar wizard and “Spec Check” champion. Within minutes, he had me test-driving Fender Strats like I was choosing a getaway car. Just as I settled on an American Ultra Strat, Michael Lemmo—yes, that Lemmo—walked in, the effortlessly cool host of Guitar of the Day.

He plugged in the guitar I was thinking about buying . . . and suddenly I wasn’t thinking anymore.

“Stevie Ray? He said, "Try this.”
“Van Halen? Flick that.”
“Smooth jazz? Here, let me melt your face gently.”

The man didn’t play the guitar.
The man unlocked it.

And somewhere between a blues run and a chord so pretty it should’ve come with a warning label, I thought:

“Well, there’s no doubt—I guess I’m buying this thing.”

So now I own a Stratocaster played by Michael Lemmo himself—an instant heirloom, a future family legend, and a very expensive excuse to annoy my neighbors.

And as if that weren’t enough, recently the universe added a soundtrack.

Michael—under his band name LEMMO—just released a spectacular new EP: Haunted. It’s moody, melodic, and the perfect companion for breaking in a new guitar (or pretending you’re cooler than you actually are).

Start with “Haunted” and “Recycle.” They hit that rare space between nostalgic and brand-new—a little like holding your first real guitar. Short. Punchy. Musical. And yes—absolutely worth giving LEMMO’s Haunted a listen on Spotify, Apple Music, or wherever your ears hang out.

I’m Patrick Ball. This is On the Fly. Be a kid again, stay curious, ask questions. See you in the next episode.

Comments

Don Hanley said…

Love at first finger flight over strings. I hope you bring your strings when we meet next!

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November 23, 2025 at 8:48 AM

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