Butch Hodgkins, of Sparta, is guitar luthier who specializes in traditional guitar forms and resonator guitars known for their volume and pleasing, modern tone. Butch’s custom instruments are sought after by musicians playing bluegrass, delta blues and other forms of traditional American music. Growing up in Jamestown, Butch was surrounded by talented musicians and began playing at a young age. In his early 40s, he become a self-taught woodworker. He explains, “My journey into the world of luthiery has been nothing short of an adventure. I didn’t have the luxury of a formal mentor or the internet when I first started out. I had to rely on trial and error and scouring for resources.” After exhausting local libraries and bookstores for books on carving techniques and assembly, Butch realized he needed hands-on learning: “To truly understand the craft, I started examining every instrument I could get my hands on, studying their construction, and talking to the owner about what they liked and disliked…I sought out other luthiers, picking their brains for insights and tips.” Resourceful out of necessity, Butch explains, “Living in a rural area, resources were scarce. From the beginning, I became very creative in my approach to building, continuously repurposing whatever materials I could find and fashioning my own tools when possible.” Since mastering his craft through “trial and error, sweat and determination,” Butch has built custom resonator guitars for some of the industry’s most prominent players. His instruments were selected by George Gruhn, one of the leading experts on acoustic instruments, for sale at Gruhn’s Guitars in Nashville. Butch states, “For me, luthiery isn’t just a craft; it’s a tradition that I am beyond happy to pass to my sons.”
The resophonic guitar, or “Dobro” as it is widely known, is part of the traditional sounds of the Cumberland Plateau where Butch calls home. Butch is drawn to this instrument in particular because, “the Dobro is a perfect testament to the importance of experimentation in the workshop and close collaboration between musician and builder.” While guitar manufacturing has become increasingly corporatized and automated, Butch prioritizes traditional building methods, “I believe such commoditization threatens the very heart of what has made American music such a special and dynamic thing. I feel it’s critical for musicians and makers to celebrate the lessons passed down through the tradition while constantly innovating to meet the demands and imaginations of working musicians…I am determined to play a role in keeping the tradition of builder-musician collaboration as local and personal as possible by ensuring the next generation has ready access to the lessons I’ve been so fortunate to learn.”
As part of the Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program this year, Butch will continue to mentor apprentice Oscar “Trey” Upchurch III. Butch raised Trey and his brother, and their love for music and working with their hands was sparked by Butch’s influence. “Like most instrument builders in these mountains, I grew up watching my father patiently craft beautiful instruments from the cherry, maple and other iconic trees of Appalachia,” Trey explains. “His love for music and the comradery of musicians sparked something that has shaped every part of my life. After completing a career in the U.S. Air Force and pursuing my lifelong passion to become an educator, I returned to my father’s workshop alongside my brother. What started as a way for the three of us to reconnect and help Dad push through a few rather debilitating rounds of surgery on his wrists, became something of an obsession to capture this amazing craft in the best way I know—by learning it well enough to hopefully someday teach it myself.” Trey has designed and built several guitars from scratch and is eager for additional, focused training time to improve his skills in wood selection, joinery techniques, finishing, and custom inlay work. “By formalizing our work together, I want to capture and record the more technical adjustment, and ‘fine tuning’ work Butch has perfected over the years…His touch in creating the unique ‘voice’ of the wood and instrument are almost impossible to learn/teach without witnessing firsthand.” Trey’s passion for preserving this tradition provides a strong sense of purpose and identity: “Our best hope of preserving traditional practices in these areas continues to be by fostering and advancing the community of individuals like myself who stand committed to a far higher ideal than cheaper product. Working together, we can preserve, advance grow our community of traditional builders and I am determined to be part of that effort.”
