Peter Finger (born 11 October 1954) is a German acoustic fingerstyle guitarist, songwriter, composer and record producer. His most notable recordings include "Just Another Day in May", "Vielleicht Im Nächsten Leben", "Fanesca", "For You", "101 South", "Blue Horizon", and "No Man's Land". Allmusic journalist, Tim Sheridan, noted when relating to Finger's 1999 album, ''Open Strings'', that "Finger displays remarkable skill and sensitivity as a musician. The title track is a standout showcase of jaw-dropping technical skill and melodic invention".

Biography

Life and career

Peter Finger was born in Weimar, Thuringia, Germany. He came from a musical family with his father being employed as an orchestral conductor, and Finger studied both violin and piano before taking lessons on guitar playing at the age of 13. He won first prize for classical violin in the Jugend musiziert on two occasions. He later studied music in Münster. His debut recording took place in 1973, which saw ''Bottleneck Guitar Solos'' issued by

Kicking Mule Records Kicking Mule Records was an American independent record label, founded in Berkeley, California in 1971 by guitarist Stefan Grossman and Eugene "ED" Denson, formerly co-owner of Takoma Records. The company's name comes from the country blues sexu ...

. Following further releases, Finger toured from 1976 onwards and performed worldwide. He later expanded his activities to include production work for radio, television and films. In 1981, he commenced composing works for orchestral arrangements, and this led four years later to similar work for television and film productions. In 1985, he was awarded first prize in a competition run by the Oldenburgisches Staatstheater, for his composition "Herbstwind" ("Autumn Wind"). In the same decade, Finger also performed in a duo with the vibraphone player, Florian Poser, and in a trio with Trilok Gurtu and Charlie Mariano. By 1988, Finger had set up his own music publishing business and record label, the latter being known as Acoustic Music Records. From 1995 onwards he worked as the publisher of the ''Akustik Gitarre'' magazine. Finger returned to recording in the early 1990s, which included the albums ''Niemandsland'' (1993) and ''Solo'' (1995). In 2000, Finger produced the Open Strings Festival in Germany for the third time.

Live performances

In 2008, Finger performed at the Guitares au Palais. In 2009, Finger appeared at the International Çukurova Instrumental Music Festival.

Production work

Finger has produced albums such as ''

Guitar Bazaar ''Guitar Bazaar'' is the second solo recording by Tim Sparks on the Acoustic Music Records label, released in 1995. History After a journey to Hungary, Yugoslavia and Bosnia in the late 1980s, Sparks began an interest in Eastern European music. H ...

'' (

Tim Sparks Tim Sparks (born October 31, 1954) is an American acoustic guitar player, singer, arranger and composer. Life Raised in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, he was given his first guitar when a bout of encephalitis kept him out of school for a year. T ...

, 1995), ''

One String Leads to Another ''One String Leads to Another'' is the third solo recording by American guitarist Tim Sparks, released in 1999. History The title is taken from a quote by John Renbourn. While speaking of Davey Graham's travels in Morocco "where he came across ...

'' (Tim Sparks, 1999), and '' Vicki Genfan Live'' (2003).

Equipment

Finger uses mainly his own-built guitars under his 'Finger' brand, and guitars manufactured by the luthier, George Lowden.

Discography

Albums

Compilation albums

References

External links

Peter Finger homepage

Akustikgitarrist.de

Audio sample: Peter Finger plays Getaway
{{DEFAULTSORT:Finger, Peter 1954 births Living people Musicians from Weimar People from Bezirk Erfurt German classical guitarists German male guitarists German rock guitarists German songwriters German classical composers German male classical composers German film score composers Male film score composers German record producers German music publishers (people) Music publishing companies of Germany Fingerstyle guitarists Acoustic guitarists Music industry executives Stockfisch Records artists