Rodney Aleshire

Location: Truth or Consequences, NM

Challenge: Finger Amputee

Website: facebook.com/2fingersleft

Rodney Aleshire is a guitarist from Truth or Consequences, New Mexico in the USA.

Rodney says "What started me playing music was a mixture of my friend Damon in high school and his father Dale who played in a local rock/country cover band and who was also a friend of my dad. When I was 14 years old when my parents was off on the weekend dancing to Dales band Damon and I was in a small shed he here a hairbrush for a microphone and me with a broom for a guitar Jammin to some who and Bob Seger songs. The year was 1985. My parents think that may guitar for Christmas that year with a small amp but forgot to get me a cord to hook it up. tat Christmas evening I walked through cold and snow through the fields for about 3 miles to borrow a cord and tune the guitar and of course it was out of tune by the time I got back home but I continued to play using headphones and the knowledge of knowing where to put my fingers to the chord shapes Dale showed that same day. I was playing in his band 8 months later".

Currently Rodney has been cutting a demo of new songs he has written and some old songs sharing my time between writing and recording and learning how to use new software. He also enjoys rockhounding in the deserts of New Mexico.

He adds "I’ve played hundreds if not over 1000 in the armrest in the 30 years I’ve been playing. Worst experience I can think of when I broke four strings during one song thankfully it was a ESP guitar with a stop tailpiece so my last remaining two strains for someone in tune".

When asked about inspirations and heroes, Rodney says "My inspiration in the beginning are the same as most everybody else Jimi Hendrix Jimmy Page, Slash, the list goes on But recently it’s been Billy Strings and a nice lady out of upstate New York who i call Ms Nancy that I met playing a virtual open mic she is 79 years old and a songwriter and wrote her first song at the age of 72. With arthritic hands and in a scarred heart she brings me to tears with her songs and her determination".

Rodney was involved in a fireworks accident. A 2 1/2 inch mortar ball exploded prematurely. As a result he lost his ring finger completely, 2/3rds of the middle finger and my thumb was almost completely blow off. 6 pins were put in and over 500 stitches.

In the year after his accident when Rodney could hardly play guitar, he taught myself some piano. Check out a piece he wrote here called Merry Go Round

The biggest challenge Rodney has since his accident has been battling the frustration of re-learning things he already knew. He has entitled his CD soon to be released "The Professional Beginner". He adds "The missing fingers still want to do what they always did. they move to go to the places they were trained to go to. it’s hard to describe. And then of course the obvious cramps and soreness that come with such an accident".

For more about Rodney, please check out his Youtube page

Rodney Aleshire