Introduction

My name is Fred, and I'm a guitarist.  Actually, I'm a classroom music teacher, but it's just so much cooler to say that I'm a guitarist.  I do play guitar everyday with my students, mostly basic open chords for children's songs, but I get to play everyday.

I enjoy playing all kinds of music, but my current favorite genres are instrumental surf and rockabilly.  I studied jazz while I attended college, but I rarely play jazz tunes these days.  I've become bored with classic and modern rock, and the blues doesn't really interest me too much.

Interesting guitars are my favorites; even though I own a stratocaster and Les Paul, I am attracted to less common designs.  Today my number one is my shell pink Fender Jaguar, followed by my Gretsch 6120.  I also play a Martin 0016 quite a bit, especially while teaching.

I wish I had more time to play, practice, write, and arrange.  I've played in an instrumental surf trio for the past year and have written and arranged a few tunes along the way.  My most recent arrangements are "California Dreamin'" and "God Only Knows", and I'm working up "Thunderball" and "Skyfall" from the James Bond films.

I'm a bit out of practice lately - my second daughter was born last month so my guitar time is limited, but summer break is on the horizon, and I'm hoping to have more time!  Until then, I'll keep picking up a guitar for a few minutes at a time and trying to have short and efficient practice sessions!