What bad news!

I've only chatted with Greg a few times here on this forum, but we never met. We are the same age and he was one of the first stick players I knew.

I had a tumor diagnosis and surgery last September and it all went very, very well. But I think it changed me a lot, my thinking, my family, my job, a lot of things. No matter what disease ...

Hoping the best for Greg ...
I hope he can come back in a normal life soon!

I'm so sorry to hear that Greg's in hospice! One of the most awesome musical experiences of my adult life was watching him and Rob Culberson jamming together at Interlochen and having Greg as a teacher for a week. His contributions to Stickdom remain unmatched and legendary. His knowledge of Sticks, how they're made and played, and how to make them even more awesome, is also unmatched since Emmett, the Man, himself, and I'm very sad to hear the news.

Such a sad news. I never met Greg in person but i had some very nice Skype lessons with him. I enjoyed his remarks and his friendly personality. During playing i allways remember his advice. I wish you all the best, Greg and think about you and your family.
A dutchman in Austria.
Heel veel sterkte!
Peter

Still shocked. I met Greg and have Greg stories but I’m not feeling it. I’m a man of hope and believe, and I’m hoping and believing. I pray.

Hi all,

I had a chance to speak with Greg briefly this week. I'm grateful for the fact that I had a chance to tell him in the most straightforward ways I could think of how much his work mattered in my life. When I got my first Stick there was only Emmett's book and Greg's first book for it. No other instructional materials existed. The Stick Book just fit how I was used to working on music as a recently college grad. I pushed through it cover to cover. Some of the pieces in the book I still pull out occasionally. I was surprised that on a few occasions Greg asked me to play Charmed Life and Shapes with him at shows. Charmed Life takes on a whole new force when played by Stick and Alto Stick in octaves all the way through

I'll always be grateful for the times we got to share at seminars, concerts, trade shows.. I wish there were 100s more! I'm not sure where my music career would be without Greg's efforts to unlock and explain the Stick.

Greg has long shepherded a new musical world for so many of us. So grateful that he was my first Stick teacher. Greg has that rare ability to see his student’s gifts before practice makes it so. Ever encouraging, sufficiently demanding, a generous guide, Greg is a true artist’s artist. His music continues to inspire. I hope you know how appreciative this community is for all of your gifts to us, maestro.

Journey on,

Harry Shifman

An excellent and most appropriate choice of word.

My best wishes for a peaceful transition, Greg. After learning of the Stick in the mid seventies, your videos on YouTube reignited my interest in the instrument, culminating in the acquisition of a gold plasma Railboard in 2017. Thank you.

So sad to hear about Greg.

I got my Stick in 2010 and 6 months after I went to a workshop in Connecticut where I met and took a workshop with Greg. I enjoyed hanging out in Erice, Italy with Greg at another conference and I learned a lot from Him. A wonderful human being, and an awesome musician. The first time I heard him was on Youtube doing "Tomorrow Never Knows".

https://youtu.be/RCXjEIQANes

I'm shocked to read this. I just enjoyed the remixed "Lift" so much over my Easter holidays last week.
He is such a big figure and positive force in the Stick community!