Bryn Mawr Man Turns Guitar Talk Into Primetime TV Spot

Prime-time television has made room for a 58-year-old newcomer and his friends to tell stories about music, and even before his show premieres, Bryn Mawr resident Danny Gold is enjoying the ride.

The proprietor of  in Narberth is starring in 12 weekly episodes of "Danny's Guitar Shop" on WHYY's YArts channel. The premiere is set to run at 10 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1.

"I'm the prima donna" of the show, Gold said with a chuckle, singling out collaborators Ron Stanford, a filmmaker, and engineer Larry Freedman for putting in the long hours. On the show, Gold talks guitars, talks with people from various corners of the music industry and talks about whatever he thinks will draw people in. 

"It's all about telling stories, if you can make that interesting for people, even if they're not guitar geeks," said Gold, who has lived in Bryn Mawr for more than 20 years. "We're trying for as universal an appeal as possible."

The first three episodes will actually be running for a second time, having shown on Atlantic City public television in the fall, which is how WHYY took notice, Gold said. The team is currently editing the fifth episode, featuring Joe Tarsia, the recording engineer for many records by Philadelphia soul producers Gamble and Huff.

Production of the show hasn't affected Gold's day job too much, he said: "So far I've been able to combine without any conflict, and I usually have someone who can cover me at the shop."

The Philadelphia Inquirer featured Gold and previewed his show in Monday's edition.

Gold was somewhat surprised to realize he didn't know what programs he'd be competing with in his time slot, but, he said, "the way people watch TV now is different than the way we watched when I was younger."

That's not just because more programs are recorded, Gold said: "People surf. They don't alight on things for very long."

He won't have to worry about Teresa Decker changing the station at  when he's there on premiere night. The Haverford Avenue bar, which is a neighbor of the guitar shop, will host a premiere party beginning at 9 p.m., an hour ahead of show time. Then once the 30-minute episode ends, there will be live music from the Keystone Mountain Boys, who've studied under Gold, said Decker, general manager of the bar.

"Danny is a great personal friend of McShea's, and I just think it's the coolest thing ever that Narberth's little shop has taken a step into Philly prime time," Decker said.