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---- " I { : 4 4 | a, pipes co JSS Aaa BR RS I eas 4 - THE PORT PERRY STAR, Tuesday, November 20, 2001 "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" -moving to the area when he w was 11. George Rizasnyi has chance meeting with Keith Richards Scugog native Cras guitar for Rolling Stones' legend Chris Hall" Port Perry Star When Keith Richards and his Rolling Stones mates take ot their upcoming tour to mark their 40th year together they' Scugog with them. Joining the rock legends on their global tour in 2002 tar constructed out of Nova Scotia wood and crafted' by Greenbank resident. For most of his life, George Rizsanyi has been building repairing other instruments as a way to pay the bill Guitars in Uxbridge throughout the mid-70s and furthe working under a violin worker and then in a Toronto opened his own guitar business in Greenbank, whe a former Blackstock resident. His business, however, hit the global stage when he crafted his first guitar for one of the music industry's biggest names: James Taylor. i "It's all about marketing; it's all about selling yours said Mr. Rizsanyi when asked how a small guitar sho; in Greenbank ended up creating guitars for rock ends. "James Taylor had been my musical idol fo many, many years and | decided that | wanted t make that man a guitar. | started writing him let ters in the early 90s and | kept sending them to management company who 1 finally realized we there to make sure he never gets a hold of his let: ters," he said. During the seven months that he continuousl wrote, Mr. Rizsanyi and his wife Lisa Lelliott we their first son, who they named Taylor. Quickly losing. hope in his efforts to reach Ja Rizsanyi caught his big break one night while wat¢ newscast. "At the end of one of their pro- grams they did an interview with James Taylor who was in (Toronto) to do a show. They wrapped up their interview by saying he was staying at the Harbour Castle and was quite surprised that they'd say where he was saying," said Mr. Rizsanyi. He quickly called the posh hotel and asked to leave a mes- sage for the artist, but instead the desk clerk rung him through to Mr. Taylor's room. "Here | am after seven months of futility and headbanging and I get rung through right to his room," said Mr. Rizsanyi. " We talked for five minutes and I told him my plan and he said he'd take my number and his management would get back to me." Fully expecting never to hear from his idol again, Mr. Rizsanyi was just happy to say he had talked with Mr. Taylor. However, much to his surprise he received a phone call two weeks later saying that Mr. Taylor was interested in his proposal. Mr. Rizsanyi quickly got to work and created three guitars for his next meeting with Mr. Taylor. "I built three guitars for him to check out because it increased my odds. | went backstage into his dressing room and he played for a while and took one and said if he didn't like it he'd send it back and if he did like it he'd send me a cheque." A few weeks later, Mr. Rizsanyi received a cheque for $1,500 U.S. From there, Mr. Rizsanyi's luck continued. Soon after, he was building a guitar for sting and then he crafted another for Noel Redding, bassist for the Jimi Hendrix Experience. It was during Mr. Rizsanyi's trip to Boston this past April to deliver a guitar to Mr. Redding that he met Charlie Karp, who was also playing with the Experience at that time. "Charlie picked up the guitar and I guess he liked it because he said he had to pass it on to Keith," said Mr. Rizsanyi. "I asked him who Keith was and he said, "You know Keith. Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones."." From there, talks were held between Mr. Rizsanyi and Mr. Karp in an effort to set up a time to present the guitars before Mr. Richards for his perusal. PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY GEORGE RIZSANYI Former Greenbank resident George Rizsanyi, bottom photo, left, had the chance to meet Rolling Stones legend Keith Richards on Nov. 11 when he created a guitar for him. Keith tries out the new guitar in the photo above. Mr. Rizsanyi now lives in Nova Scotia with his wife, Lisa. "We were trying for months to pin down a time to go and see him but he's pretty difficult to get a hold of," said Mr. Rizsanyi. Finally, a plan was set up and the Rizsanyis left their Nova Scotia home on Nov. 10 and drove 16 hours to Connecticut where they hoped to present Mr. Richards with two guitars. They met up with Mr. Karp on Nov. 11 and after a couple of hours of phone calls, it was finally agreed that they'd make the trip to Mr. Richard's Westin home at 3 p.m. "We got there and you had to go through two sets of gates; the security was incred- ible but we finally pulled up in front of this huge mansion in the woods. Charlie just walked in and started looking for Keith and here I was in Keith Richards' house freak- ing out over whether or not | should take my shoes off," recalled Mr. Rizsanyi. After making their way through the large home the group met with Mr. Richards and were then asked to have a seat downstairs. After making themselves comfort- able their fortunes turned when they were told that the appointment had been made for the following day. After some discussion, they were invited back to the home at 7 p.m. that night. "I freaked out for a bit because | thought we lost our chance but then we went back and there was Keith to greet us at the front door with one slipper on and one slip- per off. He was quite the guy," said Mr. Rizsanyi. After making their way into the solarium Mr. Rizsanyi produced two guitars. "They're made out of special wood from Nova Scotia. They're quite colourful vibrant wood and they have lots of character every time you strike one," he said. "Keith played both and then said "I want this one. This is my guitar," and that was that. He bought one of my guitars." After that the group posed for a few photographs and the visitors got a few auto- graphs before they were asked if they wanted a drink. "Keith was drinking vodka and Orange Crush, which he said was his favourite drink. 1 had a Heineken and my wife had some wine and it sort of hit me that here we were in the middle of Connecticut having a drink with Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones," said Mr. Rizsanyi. "The guys sort of went off to the solarium together and he played some music and we just talked. He kept going on and on and he had so many stories to tell. It was an amazing night. We never asked him anythi~o; he was a huge fountain of information and each story was more fascinating than the last. "We spent an amazing four hours at his house, he didn't have to see us and he cer- tainly didn't have to invite us in and sit down with us. He was an absolute sweetheart and | don't know what held The Rolling Stones together for 40 years but I'm pretty sure it was him. He's a gem. That whole day was a real experience of a lifetime."