I'm a lucky guy. After five years of college and earning a degree in math and business administration (and graduating Phi Beta Kappa) I was offered a lucrative job in the actuarial department of a major insurance company. At age 22, I was going to start a business career four rungs below vice president with a promising future. I was lucky because, on the day of my orientation, I decided to bring my business suit to Good Will and buy a $25 used Yamaha Guitar instead. I had never owned a guitar before and had NO IDEA how to play it. But I had a dream. Three days later, a bluegrass guitarist moved in downstairs from me. By week's end, I had a job toting equipment and running the soundboard. I had successfully traded in a nearly six-figure job for a two-figure job. But the benefits were phenomenal. Although I never really wanted to learn bluegrass per se, I learned hundreds of simple techniques as an apprentice to a master guitar player - techniques that can take any folk, country, blues, or pop guitarist levels above most other players in their genre. Starting at the bottom, I picked up one side job after another until I found the best of all - teaching. Since 1990, I have taught thousands of students. I had a 15-year gig teaching the LSAT to future lawyers. I've been teaching private guitar lessons for 30 years. I have led workshops & panel discussions on guitar, performance, songwriting, and social activism at dozens of festivals and conferences all around North America. I have recorded six CDs. My albums have charted as high as No. 3 and my songs as high as No. 2 on the Internation Folk Radio Charts. I've played over 3000 concerts in 49 U.S states and 5 Canadian provinces. Like I said I've been lucky. But perhaps the biggest fortune I've had was performing alongside the folk music icon Pete Seeger more than 50 times over the last ten years of his life. From Pete, I learned much more than songs and performance techniques. I learned humanity. And can you believe it? You can put a lot of respect for nature and for other human beings into your guitar playing. It may sound strange, but from Pete, I have learned to listen to my instrument in a way I never did before, and I have learned how to coax out the best sound and use the best techniques that are called for by the song its self. I have formed such a love bond with the guitar that I can't help but want to share it all with anybody who would like to learn. If that's you, I'd love hear from you. Thanks!
Teaches all skill levels
Teaching since 1990
Touring Guitar Workshop Instructor
Teaches ages 18+
Has background check
I'm a lucky guy. After five years of college and earning a degree in math and business administration (and graduating Phi Beta Kappa) I was offered a lucrative job in the actuarial department of a major insurance company. At age 22, I was going to start a business career four rungs below vice president with a promising future. I was lucky because, on the day of my orientation, I decided to bring my business suit to Good Will and buy a $25 used Yamaha Guitar instead. I had never owned a guitar before and had NO IDEA how to play it. But I had a dream. Three days later, a bluegrass guitarist moved in downstairs from me. By week's end, I had a job toting equipment and running the soundboard. I had successfully traded in a nearly six-figure job for a two-figure job. But the benefits were phenomenal. Although I never really wanted to learn bluegrass per se, I learned hundreds of simple techniques as an apprentice to a master guitar player - techniques that can take any folk, country, blues, or pop guitarist levels above most other players in their genre. Starting at the bottom, I picked up one side job after another until I found the best of all - teaching. Since 1990, I have taught thousands of students. I had a 15-year gig teaching the LSAT to future lawyers. I've been teaching private guitar lessons for 30 years. I have led workshops & panel discussions on guitar, performance, songwriting, and social activism at dozens of festivals and conferences all around North America. I have recorded six CDs. My albums have charted as high as No. 3 and my songs as high as No. 2 on the Internation Folk Radio Charts. I've played over 3000 concerts in 49 U.S states and 5 Canadian provinces. Like I said I've been lucky. But perhaps the biggest fortune I've had was performing alongside the folk music icon Pete Seeger more than 50 times over the last ten years of his life. From Pete, I learned much more than songs and performance techniques. I learned humanity. And can you believe it? You can put a lot of respect for nature and for other human beings into your guitar playing. It may sound strange, but from Pete, I have learned to listen to my instrument in a way I never did before, and I have learned how to coax out the best sound and use the best techniques that are called for by the song its self. I have formed such a love bond with the guitar that I can't help but want to share it all with anybody who would like to learn. If that's you, I'd love hear from you. Thanks!
Teaches all skill levels
Teaching since 1990
Touring Guitar Workshop Instructor
Teaches ages 18+
Has background check
Spook has been a wonderful guitar teacher, always offering great insight and helping me understand new concepts with my guitar. He is very accommodating to my interests and will structure my lesson around what I am trying to learn. I have seen clear improvements over a short period of time while working with him and suggest him to anyone regardless of level!
Spook is a knowledgeable, patient, perceptive, fun, and inventive teacher. He teaches music, guitar performance, and songwriting in small, digestible steps so you can really get your head (and fingers) around it. But, more important than all of this, he is an advocate and a friend.