Music has been with me my whole life. Picked up the mandolin at age 4 and haven’t put it down since. I also play and teach banjo, guitar, bass, ukulele, fiddle, singing and songwriting. Having grown up in a family of musical educators, I learned how to teach all by ear, with no written materials whatsoever. I teach note-for-note, pick-stroke by pick-stroke, meticulously explaining everything as the student develops more and more proficiency to hear and understand the words and phrases that make up musical language and vocabulary. I have developed fun ways to inspire students to keep a regular practice schedule and develop the discipline to make steady progress towards short and long term goals. One skill that sets me apart is my ability to help students unlock their own creativity and write their first songs and instrumental compositions.
I love roots music, but I have also spent many years working in hip-hop and managed a recording studio and record label nest Washington DC with served many local urban artists doing pop, r&b, and dance music. I think it can be important to have a well rounded view of so many global musics to understand how they can all inform each other in good ways. I may be the only person In the world who has played for Bill Monroe at the Grand Old Opry and also collaborated with Raekwon from the Wu-Tang Clan. My main instrument in my late teens was drums in a punk rock band and I also played a good bit of metal guitar. Lately I have been studying a lot of South America music with a focus on traditional Peruvian healing and medicine songs.
IBMA honored me with award-nominations for Song of the Year, Mandolin Player of the Year, and Instrumental Album of the year. My bluegrass band, Christopher Henry and The Hardcore Grass headlined many US festivals coast to coast, and two month-long tours of Australia. For the last five years I have also been performing, recording, and collaborating with the legendary Peter Rowan including many memorable performances at MerleFest in Wilkesboro. I’ve played the Grand Old Opry, I’ve met so many of my heroes, I’ve checked off so much on my musical bucket list, it’s nice to be settled here in Charlotte and focused on being of service to the local community and contributing what I have to help other folks grow and develop their own natural creative abilities.
