I was visiting friends in Hamilton, Ontario when I heard about this incredible guitar picker who had droped in to the Black Swan Coffee House. Of course I had to go see what this was all about. That's how I met Monte. We both loved the tune, SanFrancisco Bay Blues and had each worked out our own arrangement for it. We started to play together and it was great. Then Monte took off his finger picks and said play it again and I'll flat pick it. To this day, I've never heard anything like it. He was amazing! At one point I had to stop playing myself and just watch. I told him that if he ever came to Toronto he would have it made. He did and he did! We stayed friends for quite a while and then I started travelling and lost touch with him. The only news I had of him was from David Rae whom I only saw rarely. Although we lost touch with one another I always thought of him whenever I heard some great guitar music. The man touched my heart and its a damned shame we lost him so soon.