In the Heartland

Flying to Minneapolis from Philadelphia, it's easy to see why the Heartland is called "the flyover middle" of the country. That term is used pejoratively, and I don't understand it.  Looking down at the farms, rivers, lakes, wandering dirt roads and quilt-like pattern from 30,000 feet is calming to me.  It also makes me wonder about the people.  Do they struggle to maintain the family farm?  Do their little children dream of walking down that long dirt road to the "big" (paved) road?  Do families spend free time in the summer playing in all those streams and creeks?  With no cities close by, what do they do for entertainment?  I like to think some of them play the works of art I saw today at the Minneapolis airport.

Minneapolis wasn't my final stop.  I was en route to Madison, Wisconsin for work.  As I was walking to my gate thinking, "This is the first of a series of six trips over the next few months," I saw an amazingly beautiful guitar in a glass case.  I cut through the crowd to admire it.  You would think the first thing to grab my attention was the unusual location of the opening in the guitar.  It wasn't.  It was the wood and its tones; the guitar looked warm and alive.  I don't play the guitar but I really wanted to hold that one.

The showcase was an advertisement for McPherson Guitars.  I had never heard of these guitars but assumed they were made in Minnesota.  Turns out they are made in Sparta, Wisconsin.  This is where, over 30 years ago, the company made a guitar with "a unique Offset Soundhole Technology" that apparently makes a difference in the sound of the music.  In addition, the various "tonal woods" from which to choose for a custom guitar also makes a slight difference in the sound.  These beautiful guitars look like they average between $5,000 - $6,000.

I encourage you to visit the website - with your volume turned on.  The sound of the guitars is so crisp it is almost as though someone is playing right next to you.  These guitars are played by many people, per the web site, including names I recognize like Brad Paisley and Amy Grant.

I know it's a stereotype from a "city person" like me - or maybe it's a romanticized view of the hardworking people whose lives I think I can understand from the plane - but these guitars seem to fit a sensitivity I imagine the "heartlanders" having that we may have lost on the coasts.  The guitars, like the people, are seemingly simple from my vantage point, but I really know they are not.