• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

Adam Rafferty

Funky Fingerstyle Guitar

  • Home
  • Free Guitar Lessons
  • My New Book
  • Store
  • Tour
  • Blog
    • All Posts List
  • Podcast
    • All Episodes List
  • About
  • Contact
    • NEW – “Ask Adam” Voicemail
    • Booking Contact
    • Contact (email)
  • Show Search
Hide Search
You are here: Home / Guitar / An Amazing and Creepy Coincidence

An Amazing and Creepy Coincidence

By Adam Rafferty 10 Comments

Guitarists Peppino Dagostino, Adam Rafferty, Pepe Romero and Carlos Barbosa-Lima
Guitarists Peppino Dagostino, Adam Rafferty, Pepe Romero and Carlos Barbosa-Lima
This is too weird. Enjoy…

When I attended the High School for the Humanities in NYC I was in the graduating class of 1986.

At the time I was a 17 year old aspiring classical guitarist, practicing hard for my first year of college in the conservatory.

A few of my high school teachers were “guitar aficionados” and one in particular, “Mr. S”, encouraged me very much. I’ll never forget when he said “You’ll be the Pepe Romero of the year 2000!” This was incomprehensible to me.

I have not spoken to Mr. S since high school. That’s approximately 27 years of zero contact – whatsoever. Yet this boost that he once offered stuck with me.

Pepe Romero is one of the greatest classical guitarists of all time. He was one of my favorite classical guitar heroes…I had a technique book of his from which I worked on the exercises daily, and I collected his LP’s.

Pepe was a reference point for absolute artistic greatness for me and a source of inspiration during high school.

Fast forward to 2013. This year I was invited to play at the Hersbruck Guitar Festival in Germany (which I am coming home from now) – and to my shock about 2 months ago, I saw on the festival website that Pepe Romero was on the lineup as well.

What a thrill to have a milestone like this…to play on the same festival and stage as the Maestro himself. I performed on Aug 21, and his concert was Aug 22.

On August 22nd I finally got to meet Pepe for the first time and thank him personally for his music. After the concert the players and organizers shared a meal and a good German brew. What a delight!

 

I thought this entire week about all the people who have suported and encouraged me, and I especially reflected of Mr. S’s kind words to me as a young guy. This support got me where I am today by planting positive seeds in my mind.

(Drum Roll Here…)

As I came back to my dorm room after this wonderful night with Pepe Romero, Carlos Barbosa Lima, Peppino Dagostino and the whole crew, I fired up my Macbook and noticed I had some new Youtube comments.

And..from literally out of the blue…yes, on the same day – within minutes of saying goodnight to Pepe, I had a wonderful, supportive Youtube comment from Mr S – to whom I have not spoken to in 27 years.

Mr. S had no idea about the concert, his comment was simply a thumbs up on a video.

I got chills.

Just goes to show…we are all inter-connected in wonderful an cosmic ways that we can’t even begin to understand with our rational minds.

You may now enjoy your goosebumps…welcome to the Matrix!

Filed Under: Guitar, Law of Attraction, Personal Developement, Success, Tour Diary

About Adam Rafferty

I’m Adam Rafferty – a guitar player born and raised in New York City, and currently spending most of my time on tour playing concerts and coaching my guitar students online at StudyWithAdam.com

Trending

  • 10 Tips for Healthy Guitar Practicing
  • Guitar Right Hand Technique – Nails vs Flesh?
  • How To Build Your Own Fingerstyle Guitar Arrangements – Part 1
  • Should You Use a Thumb Pick for Fingerstyle Guitar?
  • Don’t Use a Metronome
  • My Personal Fingerstyle Guitar Setup Measurements
  • 8 Tips for Playing Fingerstyle Guitar Without Making Mistakes
  • Critical Info for Youtube Musicians Who Perform Cover Songs
  • Youtube Recording Technique for Guitar Videos
  • The Secret to Improving Your Guitar Skills and Battling Frustration

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. rob steinhardt says

    December 17, 2013 at 9:08 am

    Locked into the grid there šŸ™‚

    Reply
  2. Saroz says

    December 17, 2013 at 9:09 am

    Apart from a great musician, you are developing as a great writer. May be we’ll get a writer named Adam Rafferty very soon!

    Reply
    • adamrafferty says

      December 17, 2013 at 9:11 am

      Wow thank you!

      Reply
  3. John Horne says

    December 17, 2013 at 9:10 am

    Amazing and a little creepy but somehow not at all surprising. As you know, the universe seems to work like this.

    Reply
  4. Marcy Calabrese says

    December 17, 2013 at 9:11 am

    That is so awesome! Cool.

    Reply
  5. Michael says

    December 17, 2013 at 9:11 am

    WOW! Wonderful story! Goosebumps indeed!

    Reply
  6. Ivor Osorio says

    March 28, 2014 at 3:03 pm

    Increibles historias, estuve en NYC en octubre pasado, hubiese sido un gran placer para mi conocerlo personalmente. Pronto volvere a NYC y ojala tenga esa oportunidad. Me encanta su musica, su performance y sus arreglos. Todo lo mejor para ti

    Reply
  7. Joe Glatzl says

    July 1, 2014 at 2:45 pm

    Yeah, Welcome to the matrix!
    And on the right side of my notebook lies the DVD “The Divine Matrix” by Gregg Braden!
    Goosebumps and a very warm WELCOME!
    šŸ™‚

    Reply
    • adamrafferty says

      July 2, 2014 at 4:04 am

      Gregg is awesome, and so are you Joe. Thanks for the comment!

      Reply
  8. Michael Fix says

    April 24, 2020 at 8:11 am

    I love those coincidences! So amazing when that happens.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Get private guitar coaching from me HERE.

Adam Rafferty

Copyright © 2023 Adam Rafferty and Crescent Ridge Publishing | Email Policy | Privacy GDPR, & Cookies

FREE - “Discover the 7 Tools You'll Need to Record Awesome Fingerstyle Guitar - At Home!”
Learn how you can get great results with very affordable equipment. I'll show you exactly what I used at home to record my most recent CD. Enjoy!
Start playing "Simplicity" and "Vitamin E Blues" - in just minutes...for FREE!
Your tabs will come INSTANTLY via email. Just fill out this form, grab your guitar and start learning - Instantly!
Discover 5 Powerful Techniques that Will Make You Sound Like a Full Band on a Single Guitar. Learn to play Bass Lines, Melodies and Grooves at the Same Time - Guaranteed!
Watch these FREE guitar lesson videos revealing my “secrets” to guitar technique, groove, and effective practice so that you can improve YOUR playing, INSTANTLY!
FREE - Get PDF tabs and 9 Step-by-Step Video Lessons for "Vitamin E Blues" - Instantly...
Your PDF tabs and video links will come INSTANTLY via email. Just fill out this form, grab your guitar and start learning - in just minutes!
Get the FREE PDF and Start Playing "Simplicity" for Solo Guitar in Just Minutes!
You will love learning and playing this song...and your friends and family will listen in amazement as YOU play it!
Learn to play "Silent Night" for Fingerstyle Guitar - Instantly!
You'll get a PDF and 8 Video Guitar Lessons, FREE.
Start playing "Vitamin E Blues" In Just Minutes...for FREE!
Subscribe to my newsletter and get Instant Access to the free PDF with the tabs and a 9 part video lesson, free! Grab your guitar and start learning - immediately.
We take your privacy seriously. No spam. See our terms and privacy here.
Learn to play "Silent Night" for fingerstyle guitar - Instantly!
You'll get a PDF with complete guitar tabs and 8 video guitar lessons - free.
FREE - “Discover the 7 Tools You'll Need to Record Awesome Fingerstyle Guitar - At Home!”
Learn how you can get great results with very affordable equipment. I'll show you exactly what I used at home to record my most recent CD. Enjoy!
Start playing "Simplicity" and "Vitamin E Blues" - in just minutes...for FREE!
Your tabs will come INSTANTLY via email. Just fill out this form, grab your guitar and start learning - Instantly!
Discover 5 Powerful Techniques that Will Make You Sound Like a Full Band on a Single Guitar. Learn to play Bass Lines, Melodies and Grooves at the Same Time - Guaranteed!
Watch these FREE guitar lesson videos revealing my “secrets” to guitar technique, groove, and effective practice so that you can improve YOUR playing, INSTANTLY!
We take your privacy seriously. No spam. See our terms and privacy here.
FREE - Get PDF tabs and 9 Step-by-Step Video Lessons for "Vitamin E Blues" - Instantly...
Subscribe to my newsletter and get Instant Access to the Free PDF - and videos! The will come INSTANTLY via email. Grab your guitar and start learning - in just minutes!
Get the FREE PDF and Start Playing "Simplicity" for Solo Guitar - Instantly!
You will love learning and playing this song...and your friends and family will listen in amazement as YOU play it!
We take your privacy seriously. No spam. See our terms and privacy here.
FREE - Get PDF tabs and 9 Step-by-Step Video Lessons for "Vitamin E Blues" - Instantly...
Subscribe to my newsletter and get Instant Access to the Free PDF and videos! Links will come INSTANTLY via email. Grab your guitar and start learning - in just minutes!
FREE - Get the Tabs and MP3 for
"Just A City Boy" - Instantly...
Your PDF tabs and mp3 will come INSTANTLY via email. Just fill out this form, grab your guitar and start learning - in just minutes!
FREE - Get the Tabs and MP3 for
"Ciao Bella" - Instantly
Your PDF tabs and MP3 will come INSTANTLY via email. Just fill out this form, grab your guitar and start learning - in just minutes!
FREE - Get the Tabs and MP3 for
"Listen to Your Heart" - Instantly...
Your PDF tabs and mp3 will come INSTANTLY via email. Just fill out this form, grab your guitar and start learning - in just minutes!
FREE - Get the Video Lessons, Tabs and MP3 for
"Shelter Island" - Instantly...
Your PDF tabs and video links will come INSTANTLY via email. Just fill out this form, grab your guitar and start learning - in just minutes!
FREE - Get the Tabs and MP3 for
"America" - Instantly...
Your PDF tabs and mp3 will come INSTANTLY via email. Just fill out this form, grab your guitar and start learning - in just minutes!
10 Tips for Healthy Guitar Practicing
The form collects information we will use to send you updates about promotions, special offers, and news. We take your privacy seriously. No spam. See our terms and privacy here.
Almost there! Please complete this form and click the button below to subscribe to the newsletter and gain instant access.
Learn to play "O Come All Ye Faithful" for Fingerstyle Guitar, Instantly!
We take your privacy seriously. No spam. See our terms and privacy here.
Subscribe to my newsletter and get Instant Access to the Free PDF - enjoy!
Learn "Angels We Have Heard on High" for Fingerstyle Guitar, Instantly.
We take your privacy seriously. No spam. See our terms and privacy here.
Subscribe to my newsletter and get Instant Access to the Free PDF - enjoy!
We take your privacy seriously. No spam. See our terms and privacy here.
FREE - Get the PDF Tabs for this "E7 Groove"
Instantly...
Subscribe to my newsletter and receive tips about guitar and get instant access to the free PDF.

Learn to use harmonics, slaps and percussion!
We take your privacy seriously. No spam. See our terms and privacy here.
Download The "Groove Scales PDF" and Watch Your Technique Improve Effortlessly!
Subscribe to my newsletter and receive tips about guitar and get instant access to the free PDF.

Learn this simple yet powerful warm up technique in minutes...
We take your privacy seriously. No spam. See our terms and privacy here.
Download The "4 Levels of Thumb Picking" and Watch your Technique Improve Dramatically!
Subscribe to my newsletter and get instant access to the FREE PDF!.

Full chord progression as played in the video is included in the tabs.
We take your privacy seriously. No spam. See our terms and privacy here.
Discover Lush Guitar Harmonies With a Simple
One Finger Move...
Subscribe to my newsletter and get instant access to the FREE PDF!

You'll also get the 'move' as well on D, G, C, E and A minor chords in the tabs!
Learn to play "O Holy Night" for Fingerstyle Guitar - Instantly!
We take your privacy seriously. No spam. See our terms and privacy here.
Subscribe to my newsletter and get Instant Access to the Free PDF - enjoy!
We take your privacy seriously. No spam. See our terms and privacy here.
Give Your Technique and Fretboard Knowledge a Boost - Quickly and Easily....
Subscribe to my newsletter and get instant access to the FREE PDF!

You'll get the 3 octave G scale with all tabs and fingerings - Instantly!
Learn to Play Arpeggios "Magically" on the Guitar - In Just Minutes...
It's actually so easy to understand and play arpeggios using this technique, that you'll feel like you're cheating! :-) Enjoy!
Give Your Technique and Fretboard Knowledge a Boost, Quickly and Easily...
Subscribe to my newsletter and get instant access to this free PDF. You'll get the "Boost Your Scale Chops" tabs with fingerings delivered Instantly!
We take your privacy seriously. No spam. See our terms and privacy here.
Are You Curious About the Jazz Solo from
my "Black Orpheus" Video?
Tabbed out just for you! Here's the improvised solo from "Black Orpheus" plus a lead sheet of the alternate chord changes I use. Enjoy!