A brief history of
Peter Rodman:
Significant times and formative experiences

"When I was born, Harry Truman was the President"
(Tom Russell, Modern Art)

Raised on Maryland corn, corned beef hash, string beans, and crab near the head of the Chesapeake Bay
Rocked out to 78 rpm rockabilly and Burl Ives, then LP Harry Belafonte
Saw Johnny Cash and the Carter family perform live at the Red River Ranch in 1958!!

Completed education at The Gilman School in Baltimore, 1963
Member of The Travelling Men, the Tarrier Trio, and the Boiler Room Trio during those scary folk years
Member of the clandestine fraternity Alpha Rho Tau (A.R.T.) in the lair of Jack Garver, water colorist

One of the four fabulous rocking Forerunners at Harvard College!
Married at 21...

A long interlude for ever higher education, esoteric research on monkeys and apes, and 34 years as
Professor of Anthropology at UC Davis....
Son Halsey born!!
Divorced....
Married to Mary Monroe!!
Sons Henry and Ray born!!

Started guitar building at home in Davis, California, in 2005

60th birthday (Dang...)

Retired to learn more lutherie in 2006

11th guitar sold to Jeff Simons, my first customer and co-owner of Watermelon Music, in 2008

FIrst Porsche, April 2010

40th guitar completed in spring 2011
(39 still in progress)

Master Class with Bruce Sexauer, luthier, October-November 2011
















Member of:
Guild of American Luthiers
American Stringed Instrument Association
Northern California Association of Luthiers
American Association of Physical Anthropologists
Sigma Xi
(Not a very good) Fellow, California Academy of Sciences