Name: Ernie Pettaway
Age: 30
Occupation: Musician, personal trainer, salesman at Guitar Center
Are you local? I live in Concord.
Did you grow up in the Bay Area? I grew up in Concord and Benicia and Vallejo.
What do you do for fun? I make music.
What kind of music? I make hip-hop and R&B.
What parts do you do? Do you do production? I’m an MC. I do a lot of songwriting and I do mixing when called upon.
Do you sing at all? No. God no. Not unless it’s got some auto-tune on it. I need some pitch correction on that.
How long have you worked at Guitar Center in El Cerrito? I’ve been with the company about three and a half years. I’ve been at this store about two years.
What’s it like working in El Cerrito? It’s cool. You get a lot of eccentric people, a lot of comedy jumpin’ off in here.
From locals? Richmond and El Cerrito people? And Berkeley.
Do you have a funny story? My first year working here it was the NBA finals, I think the Lakers were playing, and the Lakers had just won. We were about to close. Right as we locked the door, this guy came running up, butt-naked, slammed himself onto the window, screamed a bunch of nonsense and ran off. Then he was just running up the street screaming and laughing. Butt naked. It was quite the experience. That’s the kind of stuff that happens around here.
Anything else you want to add? Look out for my new mix tape called "Smell My Finger." My friend Tyrade the Kalage just dropped his album called Little Giant, and it’s available on Bandcamp.
For other installments in our Who's Who series, click here and here.
Rob
8:59 am on Friday, December 2, 2011
Guitar Center in El Cerrito is closed, or on its way to closing, as there has been a For Lease sign on the building for months. I recommend Music Works, close to Potrero Avenue in El Cerrito, for your music needs. Duane and Joanne Wong are the owners. The staff are all very helpful and the atmosphere is relaxed.
Betty Buginas
6:49 pm on Saturday, December 3, 2011
I wondered about that, too, so I looked when I drove by today. I believe it said it is closing toward the end of January and then would "reopen" in Emeryville shortly afterward.
jimmy page
2:27 pm on Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Yes, Guitar Center El Cerrito is being relocated to: 5925 Shellmound St Emeryville CA in the public market where Border's used to be. The El Cerrito store will close on January the 28th at 5pm and then re-open in Emeryville at the address above on Thursday February the 2nd at 7pm. There will be a huge Grand Opening celebration with live bands and a lot of deals. Here is a link for the public market announcing the new edition: http://www.emerymarket.com/.
Al Miller
11:04 am on Thursday, January 26, 2012
Music Works is great for lessons, too. One of my grandsons got started on the guitar there and he really like it. Very competent, personal and supportive teacher.