Good Living
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Who Are You Some people have one “Who” moment. Evansville resident Todd Hubbard has been lucky enough to have three. Hubbard owns Hubbard Guitars, 813 E. Franklin St., where he builds and sells handmade acoustic and electric guitars. A 1992 graduate of the Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery in Phoenix, Ariz., he founded his business in Evansville in February 2012. The 45-year-old has long had an interest in music. His first guitar was a Sears acoustic that his father gave him when he was 10, and he’s been playing ever since. “Even when I was in the military, I was still building guitars,” Hubbard says. He did one tour with the U.S. Army in Bosnia and two tours in Iraq, serving from 1998 to 2006. It was while Hubbard was in Bosnia around April 2000 that he received a handwritten letter from Pete Townshend, the guitarist for The Who. The letter was in response to Hubbard’s offer of a handmade guitar. While Townshend declined, “it was the most polite no I have ever gotten.” Then, on Nov. 12, 2012, Townshend was on NPR’s “Talk of the Nation,” a radio show, taking calls from fans describing their favorite “Who” moment. “I called in and told my story and thanked
him for returning my letter,” says Hubbard. He added that Townshend’s handwritten letter, delivered while Hubbard was in the midst of fighting a war, had made a big impact on him and his fellow soldiers. That’s when Hubbard realized that Teen Cancer America and Teenage Cancer Trust could benefit from the donation of his handmade guitar. Teen Cancer America is a charity devoted to todd hubbard improving the lives of teenagers and young adults with cancer. Teenage Cancer Trust is a charity based in the United He adds that he was inspired to auction Kingdom with a similar purpose. Townshend off the guitar because he knew it was for a and Roger Daltrey, the founder of The Who, are great cause. the driving forces behind both organizations. “My goal is to progress the art form After completing the guitar, Hubbard and pass it on to those who want to learn drove it to Louisville on Feb. 16, the night The luthiery,” Hubbard says. “If I can better myself Who was playing in the KFC Yum Center. “I and someone else at the same time, you bet I received a backstage pass, and I got to meet will do that.” — Brendan Haas Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey … and we talked about things that the Teenage Cancer Trust is doing,” says Hubbard, “I gave them the For more information on Hubbard guitar, and they both signed it for the auction Guitars, call 812-455-5658. For more that will be held on a later date.” information on Teen Cancer America, visit “The experience of meeting them was just www.teencanceramerica.org. For more fantastic,” Hubbard says. “Their positive eninformation on Teenage Cancer Trust, visit www.teenagecancertrust.org. ergy is just phenomenal, and it’s contagious.”
Shelf Life
“That wasn’t cheating to Ryan. It was just being smart enough to get the edge on the next guy, something they were trying to do to him.” — Page 180.
Mob Murder of America’s Greatest Gambler Longtime Evansville residents Herb Marynell, a retired newspaper reporter, and Steve Bagbey, a retired police officer, wrote what they describe as the true saga of millionaire oilman, high stakes gambler Ray Ryan, the revenge-seeking Chicago hood who wanted Ryan dead, and a cop’s 35-year effort to close a gangland murder. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform 2013
22 May | June 2013 Evansville Living
“We had the same milk chocolate brown eyes, olive-toned skin, and soft brown hair that curled into ringlets, only Daktari’s was cut short and mine hung to my waist.” — Page 1.
Opalescent Evansville native and University of Evansville alumna Sarah Elle Emm wrote this sequel to Prismatic that was published in February. This young adult fantasy tells the story of young people facing segregation and an evil opposition in a mixed-race zone within the United Zones of the Authority. Winter Goose Publishing 2013
“My mystery hero squatted in front of me, his face half-hidden by the dark visor of his full-face helmet, but obviously concerned as to whether I was going to lose it or not.” — Page 3.
Speeding Tickets Evansville author Terry Mominee writes as Valley Brown in her first romantic suspense novel Speeding Tickets. This is the first of the “Rocky Road” series, and it tells the story of widow Christine Cassler and her tumultuous second chance at love. Broken Glass Publishing 2011
Photo by hannah jay
A custom guitar helps teens battle cancer.