When Cal met Dutch 

In Australia’s history of contributions to blues, country blues and finger-style acoustic guitar, Dutch Tilders is deservedly legendary and iconic.
What a remarkable talent.
One evening in the mid-70s, frustrated with simply strumming chords, I made a decision to either learn how to play or else put guitars down forever.
Fortunately, I made the right decision (others might disagree), and Dutch was there to get me started on the right track.
I read in the newspaper (no web to search in those days) that Dutch was giving lessons in country blues at the Council of Adult Education on Flinders Lane, Melbourne. So, I signed up.
The first class was filled, having about 20 students. Of course, Dutch started us on the classic country favourites Freight Train (Elizabeth Cotton) and My Creole Belle (Mississippi John Hurt), and from those, we progressed onwards and upwards with Blind Blake, Big Bill Broonzy, Mance Lipscomb, other blues greats, and some of Dutch’s original numbers, such as Good Morning Cigarette Blues and his fingerstyle arrangement of Somewhere Over The Rainbow, which was terrific.
I loved the way that the thumb kept the beat with the alternating bass while the fingers played the melody. A whole new world opened up. I still have some of Dutch’s handouts from those days.
Over the course of that year, and then the next year, slowly most of the class dropped out, until only one other fellow and I were left. So, we had virtually private lessons from Dutch for the modicum charged by the CAE. Quite a deal, I’d say. 
After the lessons, Dutch and I would retire to Young and Jackson’s, one of Melbourne’s most venerated pubs at the corner of Swanston and Flinders, for a pot or two, maybe three, sometimes joined by one or two of the other students. Dutch always had a funny yarn to tell. 
Those lessons started me on my journey, and I’d play for as many hours as I had free. In a few years, I played at a few haunts in the Melbourne acoustic scene, sometimes alone, sometimes with others. 
OK, here’s a funny story.
A group of friends and I were camping at a folk festival at Corryong circa 1977.
Dutch was there, camping also (as I recall).
So one morning, we’re sitting around the campfire, drinking coffee, and I’m playing Diddy Wah Diddy, My Creole Belle, Louis Collins, etc.
And up rolls Dutch, with his guitar, and we start playing, with Dutch doing all sorts of wonderful licks and knocking everyone out.
Meanwhile, the other campers are hearing Dutch (and recognising him) and pretty soon, we’re surrounded by about 100 campers.
And one of my friends says, “Gee Cal, you sure have drawn a big crowd.”
Everyone laughed.
Great quip.
So we played a few more songs, and Dutch got really pumped up, and was singing up a storm.
Then I politely dropped out, and Dutch put on an impromptu show of country blues and his original tunes. He could sound just like Big Bill when he got going. And then he slips in his instrumental of Somewhere Over The Rainbow…wow.
By this time, about 200 people are surrounding us, clapping and cheering.
Dutch loved it.
He was such a showman.