Guitars, Love of Music Bind Father and Son

For Steve—and Nick—McElroy it all started with a Christmas present about 40 years ago: a 12-string Yamaha acoustic guitar. By both of their accounts, it is a beast with a massive dreadnought body and rich tones that emanate from the depths. “It is like a telephone pole with wires on it,” said Steve, “If you can play that guitar, you can play anything.”

After being taken with Beatle mania in grade school, Steve played the guitar at countless gigs in his home state of Rhode Island, then in New York City as a bona fide hippie in the ‘70s, and then in Florida. Finally, he handed it over to his son, who learned “Here Comes the Sun” as his first song on the guitar. And played it over and over. “It was like, OK, George, time to learn something else,” Nick laughs. “From there, I was hooked.”

 Tonight both musicians perform at separate venues in downtown Norcross: Steve will be doing an acoustic set at 45 South Café at 7 p.m. and Nick will play his blues-tinged rock with lead guitarist Tyler Glass at Iron Horse Tavern at 10 p.m. Glass said he will add a level of jazz and funk on top of the earthy sound, courtesy of diverse influences like Bela Fleck, Prince and Stevie Ray Vaughn. 

Things are happening now for the younger McElroy: Nick recently performed at Eddie’s Attic in the storied songwriter competition, where Shaun Mullins, Jennifer Nettles and John Mayer all got their start. He was asked back for a second show on Feb. 28 and was recently chosen by the Shad Ireland Foundation to do charity shows all over the country in 2011.

While there was the handing over of instruments and unique exposure to music--Nick had been hanging out at gigs since he was a child--one did not directly teach the other how to play. “I think that—like a lot of fathers and sons—if I made a suggestion, he’d do the opposite,” said Steve.

Nick says was in church choir growing up and that he was in chorus in middle school (he was booted out for having a bit too much personality) but he just never thought he could sing. “My dad would try to get me to project my voice because he could hear that I could keep tone,” said Nick. When he finally screamed, “I can’t do it!” Steve said, “Do that right there, sing like you are yelling.” It actually worked, according to Nick.

 When Nick was 12, his dad said he could play out with him on stage if he would learn to play the bass. So Nick got one with a smaller, three-fourths neck and at 12 he played his first gig at On the Border in Lawrenceville. “I remember my legs were shaking. I could barely hold the guitar,” said Nick. Now he has an easy presence on stage, taking requests for everything from Bob Marley to Jack Johnson and quipping with the audience on breaks.

After that, Nick went on to form some bands in high school, entering a school talent show and doing a Battle of the Bands, before forming the Abbott’s Bridge Band, Nomadic by Nature and Point of Reverb. But Nick said he was anxious at that point in his life. “People thought I was being full of myself, but the guitar became my security blanket,” he said.

Steve said his son’s talents amaze him.  When Nick was in high school, his dad looked at the notebooks where he pieced together his lyrics. “I’d say, ‘Wow, where did that comes from?’” said Steve. He said that first it was Nick’s writing ability that impressed him then, in the last few years, he’s been knocked out by his vocal abilities.

After Nick moved to Valdosta then came back to Atlanta to try his luck in the Atlanta music scene, they live together again. And that 12-string is back within both of their reaches.