Growing Bolder With Roger McGuinn

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Added: Sat. Dec 20, 2008 10:59am
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Roger is Roger McGuinn, rock and roll icon. He was the founder and frontman for The Byrds. One of the greatest rock guitarists ever, Roger is credited with creating folk rock, country rock and helping popularize Bob Dylan. He’s influenced everyone from The Beatles, to Tom Petty, and R.E.M. These days he’s busy preserving American Folk Music and doing his best to save the planet.

We were there to shoot an episode of The Growing Bolder TV Show and we had the run of the place. For three hours we moved from room to room, shooting, laughing, and learning. Now 66, Roger is engaging on many different levels and in many different subjects. The conversation can turn on a dime. Music, religion, conservation, technology, collecting, travel. He’s a man of many passions and there is never enough time.

Roger and Camilla met in an acting class back in 1977. They were married in 1978 and have spent the past 30 years on a trip for two. They have formed their own label and write, produce and distribute Roger’s music. Camilla books the shows and Roger plays the gigs. They travel quietly through life, making a conscious effort to positively affect everything they touch. Humble, compassionate and generous, the McGuinn’s begin each day in prayer. Then they get busy.

In the past year, in addition to the normal “rock star music-biz” kind of stuff, Roger has invented a solar-powered ice maker and engineered a solar-powered scooter. That led to a large array of solar panels on the roof of their home. “It’s our Mercedes,” says Camilla. Although the solar conversion has all but eliminated their power bill, Camilla says it’s not about the cost of the conversion or the amount of the savings. “The reason to go solar is simply because you should."

It's impossible to capture the McGuinns in a single show but the upcoming Growing Bolder TV show will come pretty close. It’s filled with music and memories, rare home movies, and exclusive behind-the-scenes videos. It airs January 4th at 11:30 am on WMFE TV-24 in Central Florida. Look for the entire show on GrowingBolder.com in the following weeks.