When he gets a rare moment away from managing the Wine Seller in downtown Port Townsend, Joe Euro delights in picking up his classical guitar and performing in front of an audience, especially if it’s for a good cause.

“I have been in this community since 1979, and there is no danger getting wealthy doing what I do,” Euro said. “But it has still kept a roof over my head for many years, and there are a lot of people hurting. It is nice to help out.”

Euro will perform at 7 p.m. Jan. 24 as guest artist for the ongoing Candlelight Concert series at Trinity United Methodist Church. Entry is by donation, although no one will be turned away at the door.

“Joe is pretty much of a mainstay,” series coordinator Richard Purnell said. “Joe is a wonderful classical guitarist. His finger moves that he does with his guitars, he has at least four different guitars that he’ll be performing on Thursday evening.”

The benefit performance will include neoclassical compositions Euro has crafted as well a few examples of his original “ambient space guitar” style.

“I’ll be playing quite a variety of instrumental guitar music, including many of my own neoclassical creations, often with variations and improvisations,” he said. “I’ll do a few light jazz solo guitar arrangements, too, such as, ‘Black Orpheus’ (Manha de Carnival) and maybe Monk’s ‘Round Midnight,’ or ‘Blue Monk’ for some jazzy acoustic blues.”

Euro said he may even throw out the song “Funny Valentine” in anticipation of Valentine’s Day.

“I do a lot of my own compositions,” Euro said. “A lot of them are in open tunings. I do a lot of things with reach-overs and hammer-ons and stuff, so stuff that would make Andres Segovia roll over in his grave, but it is still sort of in a classical style, with nylon strings generally. I play some stuff on a steel-stringed guitar, but it is mostly on a nylon-stringed guitar. There is a lot of open tuning.”

Andres Segovia was a classical guitarist from Spain.

Because of his original take on the classic art form, Euro has garnered much attention throughout the years outside of Port Townsend.

“I have been featured and in various levels of rotation on several NPR and PRI syndicated radio shows such as Echoes PRI, where I also was featured in a live Living Room Concert show. They actually flew up, rented a car, drove out to Port Townsend and turned my living room into a radio recording studio. I had to shut the windows and have no ice in any beverages, to keep noises down, but as I recall it was a rather warm August day.”

Euro said he has studied with Scottish classical guitarist David Russell, Rosewood Guitar founders Gary Bissirri and Steve Novechek, and Brazilian jazz legend Laurindo Almeida of the L.A. Four. He also performed with the late Bud Shank, also of L.A. Four fame, at Jazz Port Townsend several years ago.

Professional hiding in plain sight

Although he has played in gigs around the globe, Euro found decades ago it was hard to support himself or a family as a musician. So in 1982, he opened the Wine Seller.

“I still have this retail gig that takes up most of my life,” Euro said. “I opened the wine shop to support my guitar habit years ago, and to support my wine habit and fine dining. It’s been fun.”

Before that, Euro was fully involved in the life of a gigging musician.

“I have gone parts of my life where music was the main thing I did, but it is hard to make a living doing that,” he said. “You know the difference between a guitar player and large pizza? A large pizza can feed a family of four.”

Still, Euro said he enjoys performing when he can.

“It gives me a lot of satisfaction, and I have a number of CDs out,” he said. “I have been featured on all kinds of things around the world and radio stations, so it gives me just enough credibility. I’ve gotten to play with some luminaries and dignitaries, but it is not the main thing.”

Euro said he rarely strums his guitar in his shop during business hours.

“I noticed years ago that if I had a guitar with me behind the counter, and I picked it up and started playing, people would tiptoe around the store afraid to bother me,” he said. “This is counterproductive. They are supposed to be buying stuff, and here they are afraid to bother me. The moment I pick up a guitar, boom, it is going to get busy.”

The Wine Seller is one of the oldest shops of its kind in the state, Euro said.

“That makes me one of the oldest wine merchants in the state of Washington,” he joked. “But I am still on the right side of the grass and still kicking.”

Historic series

Since it was founded in 2001, the Candlelight Series has featured hundreds of performers, Purnell said.

The series was founded after the Nisqually earthquake damaged the Trinity United Methodist Church, Purnell said.

“The earthquake literally rocked the church off its foundation, and the church needed to raise some funds, and so they thought about asking entertainers to come in and to help raise money for the church repairs,” he said. “Then they found out there was a need for a venue like this. There is a lot of musical artists in our town, and we provide a venue for them to perform. We utilize money for our restoration.

“This building is 148 years old, built in 1871. We also donate to such agencies as Dove House, the Gathering Place and the food bank.”

Purnell said he and the church are grateful for the ongoing community support the series has received during the past 18 years.

“It is a wonderful outlet for our musicians and a wonderful resource for community needed programs.”

For more information about Euro, visit the Wine Seller website. For more information about the Candlelight Series, call 360-774-1644.