“I’ve gone from a kid who couldn’t go to the supermarket to playing with Buddy Guy and Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram”: This 16-year-old blues prodigy suffered extreme anxiety, then the guitar saved him – now he’s been called “the next Stevie Ray Vaughan”
Rhys John Stygal's story has been highlighted as part of a new campaign from UK retailer guitarguitar, which puts the spotlight on 20 inspirational guitar stories
(Image credit: Aaron Parsons)
To celebrate its 20th anniversary, independent UK gear retailer guitarguitar has launched a new campaign that shines the spotlight on 20 guitar players who all have one thing in common: the guitar changed their life.
It has been launched with a ‘Guitar Heroes’ photo series headed up by renowned music photographer Aaron Parsons, who has snapped the likes of Arctic Monkeys, Taylor Swift and the Red Hot Chili Peppers throughout his career.
The campaign sees players from all age brackets and demographics from across the UK share their tales of overcoming grief, adversity, viral fame and more, which all have the guitar at their heart.
A standout anecdote comes from 16-year-old Rhys John Stygal – a London-based blues guitar prodigy who, as a result of his autism, once suffered extreme anxiety and isolation, before the guitar completely changed his life.
Now, Stygal – who once was unable to leave his house with his mother – has a huge online following, and has transformed from a young teenager who couldn’t even go to the supermarket, to an up-and-coming guitar hero who regularly plays to crowds of up to 2,500 people.
Not only that, he’s managed to impress some of the biggest names in blues during his journey, and has performed alongside the likes of Buddy Guy and Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram.
Rhys John Stygal joins Buddy Guy, Greg Guy & Christone "Kingfish" Ingram at Celebrity Theatre, Sep 8 - YouTube
In guitarguitar’s campaign, Stygal credits the guitar with helping him find his place and understand his purpose, and giving him the confidence to stand up and communicate with thousands of people through this musical language.
Get The Pick Newsletter
All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!
“I’ve gone from a kid who couldn’t even go to the supermarket with my mum to playing on stage in Phoenix, Arizona next to Buddy Guy and Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram in front of 2,500 people,” he says. “Guitar saved me – it was a language I understood immediately.”
Despite his humble age, Stygal plays to audiences around the world and continues to grow his online presence by dazzling viewers with his blues chops.
Usually seen playing a Fender Strat across YouTube and Instagram channels, Stygal has been hailed as “the next Stevie Ray Vaughan” [namely, by YouTube's Pedal Pawn, below] for his searing tone, and his ability to cover SRV classics with an eerie accuracy characterized by formidable phrasing and a top-notch command of the fretboard.
Meet the NEXT Stevie Ray Vaughan... (15 Yrs Old) | Pedal Pawn Podcast EP.8 - YouTube
Stygal’s is just one of countless tales of how the guitar has been able to change people’s lives. Elsewhere in its campaign, guitarguitar has also shared the story of Miles Reed, whose relationship to the guitar took on a deeper meaning after he lost his father at a young age.
Then there’s Horse McDonald – a legendary Scottish singer-songwriter who opened for Tina Turner and B.B. King, and who first turned to the guitar as an escape from the homophobia she experienced in her youth. The list of inspirational guitar stories goes on.
“Buying a guitar is a special moment for any person, but the journey our customers go on with that instrument is why we are so passionate about what we do here,” says guitarguitar Marketing Director Adam Speck. “The 100,000’s of guitarists we’ve inspired over the last two decades all have their own incredible relationship with the guitar.
“And whether they are playing with it in front of thousands, benefitting from it as a form of therapy during difficult moments in their lives, or even proposing with one – that’s the magic of this great instrument.”
Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
