Founder and President of Daisy Rock Girl Guitars
-Congratulations on winning the "Best In Show" at NAMM 2010! I am really proud to be a part of that!!! How did you find out you won & how did you feel when you did?
It was towards the end of The NAMM Show's busiest day, Saturday, and Myrna Sielsen from Middle C Music in Washington D.C. came up to me in the booth and started congratulating me on Daisy Rock's 10-year anniversary. She continued to say that the booth looked great and she was a big fan of the company and what I was doing for women guitarist. We chatted for a bit, Myrna is an awesome dealer for Daisy Rock, and I know her well. Then she mentioned she was on the panel of judges for "The Best in Show" award, and she had picked us as her selection for the prestigious award. It was awesome!!
-How long have you been in the music industry?
Well, I started playing guitar at 15, so I would say since then. No matter if you are a girl sitting in her bedroom playing music or the president of a music company, I would like to think we are all part of this amazing field.
-What jobs have you had?
You name it. I've probably done it. I toured with bands, I've been a cocktail waitress, a professional parrot trainer, an assistant to a veterinarian, a personal assistant to one of the top agents in Hollywood - Helen Kushnick, a writer, a musician......
-When did the thought "Guitars for girls" first enter your mind?
I was drawing with my daughter, Nicole. She drew something that started to look like a cloud, and then a daisy...then I am not sure exactly what happened, but something just clicked in me. I added a neck and a headstock. I took a second to look at it, and it hit me...girls need guitars made especially for them. A lot of the frustration I experienced as a young player would disappear if girls didn't have to struggle with an instrument that was just too big for them.
-How did your idea for Daisy Rock Guitars begin to come to fruition?
Well at the time, I was a stay at home mom and had helped my husband who worked for Schecter Guitars. When he came home, I told him of the idea. We sat down and really thought about what features a girl guitar would have that would make it easier for females. The instruments would be lighter in weight, so it wouldn't hurt to play for long hours, have Slim & Narrow neck profiles for smaller hands to be able to easily reach around the neck, and they would come in fun, inspirational, girlie colors and shapes. Then we drew up the specs and created our prototype.
-How did you come up with the idea for the logo?
Just by brainstorming, playing with different ideas on what we would call it.. it looked like a daisy and we knew it needed to ROCK!
-Did the logo inspire the name Daisy Rock?
I think we had the name first, then the logo and then it all made sense.
-What charities, schools, camps, organizations do you support? How do you select them?
I love to support anything to relates to children, breast cancer, and female musicians. Daisy Rock is all about female empowerment, so the more we can do as a company to help women and children feel confident and happy the further we go to fulfill our mission which drives us every day. Of course, you know we support any and all girl drivin' rock camps throughout the world :)
-What inspires you to give away instruments?
Our mission is to help more girls play guitar and enjoy music. We know there are many girls out there less fortunate than others who just need their first guitar to get them on the path of making music for the rest of their lives, and it gives me great joy to know that a Daisy Rock guitar could be the difference that changes someone's life for the better.
-What are your goals for Daisy Rock in the future?
The sky's the limit. I want every girl to play a Daisy Rock and feel what it is like to play an instrument that is made specifically with their dreams in mind.
-You have an amazing roster of artists, how does Daisy Rock select their artists?
If you're a girl and you are playing a guitar or bass, then we want to talk to you... its that simple.
-Any expansion planned as far as instruments-Keyboards for example?
We have been involved in licensing our name out more in that marketplace..... but our strong point is the fact that we make awesome girl guitars and basses.
-What's next for Daisy Rock?
Well, in the immediate future, we will be attending SXSW to help support the female guitarist there. We are also beginning to plan our Pretty in Punk charity event for this year, and we will continue to do whatever it takes to help more females play guitar and enjoy music.
-Anything else you would like to add?
That Denise Vasquez is a ROCK GODDESS!!!! Love YOU!!! Tish :)
Thank YOU Tish!
To learn more about Daisy Rock Guitars Visit their website
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PeAcE LoVe aRt & sOuL
Denise Vasquez
Artist & Founder of WO+MEN 4 A CAUSE
