Fan Mail

Dock Green Silverhawk

So good seeing you and talking to you at Musical Echoes. I am really enjoying that D cane flute so much. It is a most incredible piece of work. It resonates in my hands when I play it, it almost comes alive. It was made for me. You rarely find one of the deeper flutes that get all the upper register notes. This one does. And the tone is beautiful. I had a D# in my performing flutes, this one replaced it. And that little A that I have is an awesome little flute. It also filled an empty spot in my performing flutes. Usually the higher flutes are a little too much or too little something. This one is perfect. It's a sweet little flute. The tone is not shrill, it's sweet and mellow. The tuning on both flutes is right on the mark. It seems you have the ability to get every bit out of a piece of cane that is possible. They make a person sound good. Your flutes are a Stradivarius in the flute world. Yeah, that's a good way to put it. God has truly given you a gift. Again, I thank you so much for them. They are two of my performing flutes and will be on my next CD.Creator has truly gifted you with a wonderful ability of getting everything possible and beyond out of a piece of cane. I can't say enough about your work.

Again I thank you so much.

Take care and God bless,
Dock Green Silverhawk

Ron Warren writes:

I am Echota Cherokee and ordered two of your flutes from Oregon flute store earlier this year. I liked them so much I now have six and have gifted two others. Of my six flutes, one is in what Joan Callavan calls your "older style" - as in your web site photo without a tapered mouthpiece and with a low rounded block. Do you still make flutes in this style? If not, could you be talked into making another flute in that style?

My web site is (linked above) if you want to hear some of my music. I haven't yet recorded with your flutes, but plan to in the next year. I thought I might be using them mostly for more traditional songs and, of course, they are great for that. But they also work very well with other instruments and for other styles. I was sharing the stage with some jazz players this past weekend and even used one of your flutes for a rendition of "I Heard It Throught the Grape Vine"! This week, I was trying out a new tune with my guitar player for a gig we had coming up. We tried it with someone else's flute, then with yours and agreed that the tune had more character on yours. Ever since I received my first Gilliland flute, I haven't gone to a gig without packing at least a couple. For my ears, you set the standard for cane flutes.

Thank you so much for the work you do.

Ron Warren (Tsalagi)

Dear Mr. Gilliland,

I had occasion to play one of your cane flutes this evening in a classroom setting. I have been captivated by traditional flutes and flute music for several years and am learning to play. I saw a class listed here in Maine in our adult education center with a focus of intoducing students to the Native American flute, basic fingering techniques, and decided to enroll (actually, I couldn't refuse...I had been on a healing quest earlier this summer and asked Spirit to guide me in learning to play a beautiful flute gifted to me some years earlier - and upon my return read the class listing...seemed rather more than a coincidence!).

The instructor had one of your flutes (he purchased it from the Oregon Flute Store (one of my favorite websites to browse)). He let me play it this evening, and I tell you, I couldn't wait to get home and search the internet for your name. I have several beautiful flutes...but your flute is, by far, the most beautiful sounding flute I've ever played. I fell in love with the way it resonates. Thanks for making them! One day I'll have one too!

Sincerely,

Val Lovelace

Howdy Jim,

Thank you so much for the flute. It is awesome!! I have wanted one of your flutes for a long time and was afraid I would miss my chance by not being able to make Musical Echoes this year. I snuck off from my job at lunch today and drove over to Russ's house to pick it up. I have been sitting on the back porch playing it for much of the day. Since I am new to cane flutes, I wanted to ask you if I should put any walnut oil down the bore. Some bansuri flute makers do that as well as shakahachi players. I just want to do all I can to take care of this very special flute. I told all my coworkers in the office about it and told them about you having a flute fly on the space shuttle. Being I worked for phytoresource research inc. and was a subcontractor for NASA in Japan, I think it is extra cool. Again, thank you for your generosity.

Sincerely,
Mark Slater

Native American Flutes

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