Did Alvin Karpis teach Charles Manson to play the guitar whilst they were both in the same prison?

Long before the fear, the media fixation, and cult of personality surrounding what we’ve come to know publicly as CHARLES MANSON, a 27-year old inmate at McNeil Island Penitentiary, dubbed “Little Charlie” by those on the inside, found true respite and solace in the form of a six string guitar. Late-blooming aside, MANSON took to the guitar like a fish to water. This initially came much to the surprise of his first guitar teacher, fellow inmate and legendary Ma Barker Gang heavy Alvin “Creepy” Karpis.

Whatever those "fanatical" interests were, they included an obsession with the Beatles. Manson's guitar was another obsession. He felt that with the right opportunities he would be much bigger than the Beatles. In prison, he became friends with the aging gangster, Alvin Karpis. The former Public Enemy Number One and sole survivor of the Ma Barker gang taught Charlie how to play the steel guitar. The prison record noted in May of 1966 that "he has been spending most of his free time writing songs, accumulating about 80 or 90 of them during the past year...He also plays the guitar and drums, and is hopeful that he can secure employment as a guitar player or as a drummer or singer."

Karpis had some interesting insights into Charlie's true personality: "There was something unmistakably unusual about Manson. He was a runt of sorts, but found his place as an experienced manipulator of others. I did feel manipulated, and under circumstances where it hadn't been necessary."