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The best kept secret in music
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Discography
At First Sight, November 2013
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Bio
I was eleven years old when I took my father’s old ES-335 out of the closet and started to play for the first time. Inspired by my older brother, an accomplished electric guitarist in his own right, and by my father, I quickly became enamored with the guitar and have since dedicated myself to becoming the best player I can be.
My earliest influences were mostly rooted in blues, so I initially set out as an electric guitarist playing in the styles of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert King, and Jimi Hendrix. As a teenager I began to branch out into jazz, and acknowledge George Benson, Joe Pass, and Django Reinhardt as major influences to this day.
It was about two years ago that I heard Chet Atkins play for the first time and I was immediately hooked! I immersed myself in learning as much as I possibly could about Chet’s amazing technique, phrasing, and beautiful arrangements, which then led me to discover the great Tommy Emmanuel. One of the highlights of my career has been playing with Tommy, and I've also had the pleasure of sitting in with renowned jazz guitarists Frank Vignola and Vinnie Raniolo. Other influences of mine are John Knowles, an exceptional guitarist that received the honorary Certified Guitar Player (CGP) award from Chet, and the modern master Pete Huttlinger.
I've also gone back to study some of the original masters of the style such as the incomparable Merle Travis and Jerry Reed. I continue to be inspired by their playing and am working on creating my own exciting style blending traditional fingerstyle guitar with a more contemporary approach.
I am very busy these days with a regular playing schedule around the Cleveland, Ohio area and teach private students in my home studio or by Skype. I can also be heard playing guitar, mandolin, ukelele, and banjo with The Speedbumps, an eclectic contemporary acoustic ensemble out of Kent, Ohio. In my spare time, I like to hang out with my dog Jazz and stay healthy by working out regularly. I am also working on my first CD which is planned for release later on this year, so stay tuned for updates!
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