Meet the Maker: Kevin Aram

by Cyndy Burton

Originally published in American Lutherie #104, 2010



In May of 2010, Jeff Elliott and I celebrated thirty years together in life and lutherie by traveling to England. The trip was conceived twenty years ago after the 1990 GAL Convention, when husband and wife Kevin and Alison Aram visited us following the convention where Kevin gave a comprehensive lecture on Julian Bream’s 1973 José Romanillos guitar. He presented not only the plan of that landmark guitar, but the fascinating story surrounding it in AL#25 (BRBAL3).

Kevin and Alison had long ago given up that we’d ever make it across the pond, but we did (on luthier time!), and they graciously welcomed us into their home. They live on a very old farm in north Devonshire in a substantial stucco-faced stone building that once housed dairy cows. They are surrounded by stunningly beautiful rolling countryside and the sounds of sheep and cows in the neighboring pastures and their own hens clucking nearby. The nearest town is ten miles down a mostly single-lane road. But they have wireless, and UPS delivers.