Brad Nickerson - Fire Relief

Brad Nickerson of Nickerson Guitars is one of the finest luthiers working today, building exquisite acoustic and arch top guitars entirely by hand from his small shop located in the hills outside of Asheville, North Carolina. Brad lives a humble life with his two dogs and cat, on a very small piece of land in the woods with a well source for water. Making a living as an independent luthier is extremely difficult, and as a veteran builder in his 70s, Brad has no savings or insurance of any kind.
Last month, Brad's shop and dwellings (three tiny yurts) were destroyed in a fire accident, and Brad lost just about everything, including expensive woodworking and luthier tools he had collected from the last thirty years (thankfully, his pets are fine). All luthiers work with extremely hazardous materials used for finishing, lacquering, etc., and it is truly a nightmare to experience an accidental shop fire. 
Currently, Brad has no hot water and is facing a tremendous task of cleaning debris, finishing current work, and getting back on his feet from the challenges and hardships that continually accrue in this type of situation.
My name is Sean McGowan, and I'm a professional musician and educator living in Denver, CO. Brad has been a dear friend to me and my wife Andrea (he was a member of our wedding party) and inspiration since we first met back in the mid-1990s. I have witnessed how incredibly hard he works, meticulously developing instruments of heirloom quality. His generous spirit has touched many musicians, as well as students of guitar-building. On Brad's behalf, I am reaching out to anyone who may have been touched by his artistry and guitar-making, and might be interested in offering any level of support while Brad focuses on recovering and rebuilding his life. Deep & sincere thanks, Sean & Andrea McGowan