Newbury native Eric Clemenzi shredded his way to second place in Guitar Player magazine's Superstar Competition a couple weeks ago in California.
Clemenzi, 31, faced off against nine other unknown artists in the fifth annual competition for the chance to win a record deal and bragging rights as Guitar Player's Superstar of the Year. The competitors showcased their talents inside the Bankhead Theater in Livermore before a panel of judges and an audience of more than 400 — a big difference from the 100 or so people Clemenzi has performed before with his band, Kangaralien.
"I was pumped," Clemenzi said of his second-place finish.
Although he did not win the record deal, Clemenzi will still be featured in Guitar Player magazine as a runner-up, and he also walked away with a collection of guitars, amps, pedals and more than $1,000 worth of guitar strings to show for his performance. Vancouver, British Columbia, solo-acoustic player Don Alder captured first place.
Clemenzi said the toughest part of the competition was trying to teach the house band, which had to back up all 10 contestants, his material in a short amount of time.
He doesn't plan on calling the competition the crowning achievement in his career. Clemenzi intends to press forward as a musician and teacher to more than 70 local students.
He's got a couple things in the works, including some potential endorsement deals, but he said they're not at a point where he can announce them yet. However, he has picked up an endorsement deal with Morley Pedals.
"It was a good overall vibe and definitely a life-changing experience," Clemenzi said of the competition. "I'm just waiting to see what happens from here."
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