A Luthier's Life: The Guitar Odyssey of Roger Fritz

Right here in Little Ole’ Fairhope, we have somewhat of a musical legend. His name is Roger Fritz, and for 60 years, he’s been making custom guitars. And not just any guitar, but guitars played by some of the best artists who have ever taken the stage. 

There’s a photo in his shop of The Beatles’ George Harrison playing one of Roger’s guitars on stage next to the framed letter George wrote to Roger. The letter thanks him and describes how much he loved playing Roger’s hand-made guitar and how great the sound was. Pretty cool!

On October 20, Willie G. Mosley’s latest work, A Luthier’s Life: The Guitar Odyssey of Roger Fritz will have its release party and book signing from 6 PM to 9 PM at the Mobile Arts Council at 6 South Joachim Street in Downtown Mobile. Linda and I plan to celebrate with Roger and his talented and vivacious wife, Christy, and up-and-coming artist daughter, Greta, son Emmerson, and all his friends. 

Roger is a gifted musician as well as a guitar maker. He plays with several local groups around the Scenic 98 Coastal area, like Rondall and the Kit Kats, the Leavin Brothers, Mike Estep, and others. Christy, the love of his life, also plays and sings with Roger. We recently were entertained by the duo they call ROGERWOOD at The Book Cellar in Fairhope. They have fun together, and it’s evident that they always enjoy playing music.

The book is written by Willie G. Mosley, who has penned several books about music. Residing in Tallassee, Alabama, he is the senior writer for Vintage Guitar Magazine. He also wrote Mike Huckabee’s Million Dollar Collection. The publisher is Doug Sikes at Acclaim Publishing.

Willie told Roger, “You’ve had a very interesting career, I’d like to write a book about you.” Roger says, “I guess I have. I remember the nightmare gigs where shots were fired, bar room brawls, and pile-ups on the dance floor.” The book, which Roger hasn’t seen yet, will include funny, odd stories, and unusual plot turns as he goes from one music career to another. 

Roger tells me that he bought his first store-bought guitar in 1964 when they lived in Granite City, Illinois. “It was a red Fender Mustang. Mom had to co-sign for me and I paid it over a long time.” The family moved to Mobile and Roger attended Murphy High School where he and his friends formed a band.

In 1969, the band entered the Murphy High Talent Show playing two Jimi Hendrix songs and was disqualified because the music was so controversial. At a CYO event, there was an empty coffin in the back of the room that they had borrowed for their show. Roger got in it with a microphone to sing. Bandmate, Tommy Sirmon, sat on top of the coffin on purpose, and Roger panicked, cussing with a live mic. “I had to resort to vulgarity.” The Sisters quickly shut that session down as well.

Roger is well-known in the music industry and has had many articles written about him. He spent some time in Los Angeles as a session musician, where he met Christy. He’s recorded with Michael Jackson, and Booker T. Jones, an organ and piano player from Booker T. & the MGs. An instrumental R&B/funk band, this group was influential in shaping the Southern soul and Memphis soul sound. 

Sheryl Crowe is also from Granite City and she and Roger recorded an album back in the day.  It was her Home for Christmas album, produced by Bill Bottrell, a Grammy-winning producer who did all of Cheryl’s albums. Roger and Bill hit it off and they recorded a Shelby Lynn album in Mobile at the old Jackson Street Fire House. Roger can be heard on Shelby Lynn's Where I’m From. 

Roy Buchanan, an American guitarist and blues musician, was a pioneer of the Telecaster sound. Considered one of the most influential electric blues guitarists, he played one of Roger’s custom Roy Buchanan Bluesmaster guitars and was responsible for the George Harrison connection. After sending Harrison a guitar and receiving the letter, Roger says, “It put me into a different light. There was a good buzz after that.”

He mentions Danny Gatton as “one of the best guitarists no one has ever heard of.’ “Danny had small, pudgy fingers like pistons, but he could go to town. I put him into the top ten of guitarists.” He tells me that he’s noticed guitarists’ fingers will grow longer and stronger, depending on if they are right-handed or left-handed. (We then look at Roger’s hands to see any difference.) 

I asked Roger what goes into making a Fritz Brothers Guitar. “Three things: How they play, how the guitar sounds, and how they look, in that order. Whenever I make a guitar, I want to make a guitar that I want to play and hear.” He goes on to say the size of a guitar depends on fret spacing which is tied to the complete scale length. Different guitar makers are noted for scale length.

When Roger began his career after college, he lived in Nashville and played music with Tree Studios, now SonyTree Studios Music Production. He also worked for Gibson Guitars and Accessories, and became a certified Gibson Brands Repair and Restoration expert and still is. Throughout his career, he has become friends with some of the best musicians in the business, many of whom play his guitars. The list includes the Bangles, Aerosmith, Eddie Duran, Randy Jackson, Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones, and many others. 

His shop is where he makes new custom guitars and repairs and restores older guitars that artists send him. He has also just completed a state-of-the-art recording studio and has his first recording session booked in a few weeks. He expects this to become a regular thing for up-and-coming bands.  

I asked Roger what his best memories are. He said, “Meeting Christy in California.” His proudest moment was “When my kids were born.” Christy joined us at the workshop/studio, and a little while later daughter Greta, a 19-year-old student at The University of West Florida in Pensacola, joined us too. 

Greta played a recording she had recently done, which was a beautiful rendition of a song she had written. Christy, who is also an artist, among many other things, tells me 22-year-old Emmerson will join the Space Force upon graduation from South Alabama, where he is a business major.

Theirs is a beautiful, creative family full of love and joy. The Fritz family enjoys entertaining friends and family around the pool and fire pit with dogs and cats, and pretty much anyone who wants to join in. Willie Fritz, Roger’s first cousin, is the Head Football Coach at Tulane University, so I guess talent is in the bloodline. 

Make plans to celebrate A Luthier’s Life with Roger at Mobile’s Art Council on October 20. It’s going to be a blast!