Friday June 5, 2009 - Gretsch could not possibly be more excited about welcoming Canadian guitar ace Paul Pigat as the newest Gretsch artist, clinician and family member.

Pigat wowed Gretsch fans at the four-day April 2009 Viva Las Vegas rockabilly event, and did so once again when he stopped by Gretsch guitars headquarters in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Thursday, June 4, to play a dazzlingly virtuoso lunchtime set that left listeners' jaws somewhere around their ankles.

Toronto native Pigat took up guitar at age 11 and was gigging steadily by age 12. Over a lifetime dedication to live performance, recording and study, he has become a superb guitarist, vocalist and songwriter with an astoundingly versatile sonic palette. Indeed, even a brief listen to Pigat (who doesn't consider himself a rockabilly purist) reveals doses of jazz, delta blues, western swing, Travis picking, rock 'n' roll, Chet Atkins and, hell, even a little '80s shred.

He has talent informed by a sterling music education—Pigat attended the Claude Watson School of the Arts and graduated from the University of Toronto in 1992 with a bachelor's degree in music theory and composition. He then taught at the Eli Kassner Guitar Academy in Toronto while continuing to explore live performance work with various bands. He moved to Vancouver, B.C., in 1994, where he continued to hone his reputation as an extremely talented and versatile guitarist.

Pigat heads four different Vancouver bands, including rocking hillbilly trio Cousin Harley, considered western Canada's premier rockabilly and roots band. He has recorded, performed and toured with artists including Neko Case, Michael Kaeshammer, Carolyn Mark, Taj Mahal, Mae Moore, Lee Aaron, the Blind Boys of Alabama, Joshua Redman, Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys, Aaron Neville, Jim Byrnes, Zubot & Dawson and others.