Gerry D  
Instruments: Piano, Guitar, Voice, Drums, Bass Guitar, Synthesizer, Harmonica, Lap Steel Guitar, Banjo, Ukulele, Mandolin, Recorder, Conga, Latin Percussion
Styles: Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, Country, R&B, Gospel, Funk, Spirituals, Latin Jazz, New Age, Soul, Punk

I started playing acoustic folk styles in 1962 and added 60's rock and more as time went on. I joined my first rock band in 1965 and have now played all styles of rock, blues, folk, country, bluegrass, jazz, and contemporary Christian and worship music. I also play and teach bass and other stringed fretted instruments, keyboards, and drums and percussion. I began teaching private music lessons in 1968 and began teaching professionally in 1989 at AZ Bible College. I was the Music Dept Head and the Head of the Guitar Studies Department at the New School For The Arts Charter High School. In 2000, I switched to teaching elementary music and discovered my passion to inspire kids at a much younger age to love to play music and to show them that music is something they can enjoy for a lifetime.

I write all my own lesson materials focusing on what the student needs to know to play, understand, and enjoy music to achieve their goals. I have used several method books in the past but find them all limited or focused on styles or technique that is not what the student wants or needs to learn. I can teach from any established method if that is preferred, but instead enjoy challenging the student to understand what music is and how music is played on their chosen instrument, not just to read.