RockyGrass Academy

With more than 50 years as a performer, Dan Crary's music continues to transcend the boundaries of style and genre. A native of Kansas, his childhood interest in the guitar turned serious during Dan's early years in the late 1950s performing in Midwestern churches. Building on this spiritual base, he developed an approach to the steel string, flat-top guitar that transformed what had always been an instrument of accompaniment into one with a leading role, capable of fluent, expressive melodies and a variety of textures. In his travels around the United States, Crary learned and integrated traditional American styles and tunes, transforming them into strongly personal and creative works that are at once deeply rooted and freshly new. A long and distinguished recording career, featuring solo projects and group efforts (California, Bluegrass Alliance, Berline Crary & Hickman) plus many guest appearances around the world, have brought Dan Crary acclaim as a versatile performer able to range from Mozart to Anglo-American fiddle tunes to moody, evocative original compositions.

A two-time IBMA guitar player of the year, Jim was born into a musical family in Middleboro, KY with a guitar in his hands. While he was influenced early in his career by flatpickers such as Tony Rice, George Shuffler, Doc Watson, and Clarence White, it was the fingerstyle playing of Merle Travis, Chet Atkins, and especially Jerry Reed, that caused "a turn in the road" for him. His diverse tastes led him into country, bluegrass, blues, jazz and other styles. Country superstar Holly Dunn asked Jim to join her Rio band in 1990, which led to tours with other superstars such as Travis Tritt, Trisha Yearwood, and Sara Evans. In search of more bluegrass playing, Hurst began his long-running collaboration with Claire Lynch in 1995, as a member of her Front Porch String Band. Jim continues to be a sought-after Nashville studio musician, recording and performing with John Cowan, Tim O'Brien, Sam Bush, Mark Schatz, and many others. Tim O'Brien describes Jim as: "one of the most under-rated musicians on today's acoustic scene."

Swiss-born Uwe (Oo'-vay) Kruger has been playing music since early childhood - when Uwe and his younger brother Jens played a single guitar together on the floor, one brother taking the upper three strings and the other the lower three. He was introduced to American folk music through the brothers' father, who would return to Switzerland from business trips to the United States with folk music records. For more than twenty-five years Uwe has been astonishing audiences with his blend of guitar styles. Uwe's unique style, a blend of flat picking and finger picking, shows influences from Doc Watson, Jerry Garcia, and Eric Clapton, to Beethoven, Bach, and Brahms. Since 1997, Uwe and the Kruger Brothers have been performing in the US - sharing stages with Bela Fleck, Doc Watson, Ricky Skaggs, Gillian Welch, Nickel Creek, Bill Monroe, and Vassar Clements, among others. Uwe moved to North Carolina permanently in the fall of 2003.

Sandy has been a long-time instructor at the Academy and helped shape its programming since its inception. He has been teaching music classes at Colorado Mountain College and at his music store Great Divide Music in Aspen, since 1976. Sandy is a multi-instrumentalist and currently performs with the Flying Dog Bluegrass Band from Aspen. Sandy is one of only two instructors that have taught at every Academy since 1992. Having created a loyal student following both in Aspen and Lyons, he will once again be serving as a guitar instructor this year.

John has been playing guitar and mandolin for over 35 years, performing professionally for over 28 years, and teaching for more than 25 years. Well-known as the teacher of Chris Thile and Sean Watkins, John is a regularly returning instructor at numerous music camps around the world. John’s musical performances with both Bluegrass Etc. and California have led him throughout the U.S. and Canada, Europe and Japan, as well as into the studio doing sessions for other artists. John regularly performs on commercials and soundtracks for radio and television. John also recorded the soundtrack for, and appeared in the CBS Television Special "The Legend of the Beverly Hillbillies" in a four piece band along with Roy Clark, Byron Berline and Earl Scruggs. He recently recorded a Grammy nominated album with Byron Berline, Vince Gill, and others. John was featured on the cover of the May/June 1993 issue of Bluegrass Now Magazine, and is most recently featured on the cover of the May/June 1999 issue of Flatpick Guitar Magazine.

The gifted young mandolinist/fiddler from White House, TN, Andy Leftwich, started playing the fiddle at the age of six, learning first from his father, and then from local pickers in the small-rural town just a short half hour away from Music City USA. By the age of nine, Andy had won the Tennessee State Championship for Beginners. By the time he was a teenager, Andy was a well-known musician in bluegrass circles. In 1997, Andy started playing professionally, joining Valerie Smith and her band, Liberty Pike, as the lead mandolin player. Three years later Ricky Skaggs made a surprise call to the Leftwich home and invited Andy to join him and the band for a show that weekend. Andy has been a member of Kentucky Thunder ever since. His blazing mandolin break on "Shady Grove" from Ricky and Kentucky Thunder's Grammy winning "History of the Future" served notice that not only were Andy's fiddle skills extraordinary, but that his mandolin playing was a force to be reckoned with. His debut CD "Ride" on Skaggs Family Records charted high in the bluegrass charts and brought more attention to his prodigious composing and production skills.

A native of Columbus, OH, John has been performing on the banjo for over thirty-five years. In the early sixties, John began playing with an Ohio group called Sid Campbell and the Country Cut-ups. In 1969, John relocated to California to form The Hickman Brothers with his brother George. A few years later, John formed a lasting friendship with fiddler Byron Berline. Their collaborations continued for many years - from Sundance to the LA Fiddle Band to Berline Crary & Hickman (BCH) to California. John now lives in Guthrie, OK where he does repair work at Byron Berline's Double-Stop Fiddle Shop. John's past banjo students include Alison Brown.

At age six, when Swiss-born Jens (Yens) heard the banjo on one of his dad's American records, he yearned to play it. But having no access to one, Jens played their mother's accordion instead. When Jens turned ten he acquired a tenor banjo and started to play Dixieland jazz; a year later, Jens and Uwe made their first public appearance, and two years later Uwe bought Jens his first five-string banjo. At age 16, Jens left home to travel throughout Europe, earning a record contract with CBS. Four years later, Jens crossed the Atlantic, heading for the Bean Blossom Festival and Bill Monroe. Monroe introduced Jens to the Grand Ole Opry, as the first known European banjo player. After living with Bill for the summer and following his advice, Jens returned to Switzerland to develop his own musical style. For four years, Jens spent days and nights learning tunes from all the records he could find. Since MerleFest 1997, the event that launched the Kruger Brothers' career in America, Jens has performed with Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson, John McEwen, Willie Nelson, and Ricky Skaggs, to name only a few.

For over thirty years, Mark Schatz has been a prominent figure in the New Acoustic Music scene. Twice named IBMA Bass Player of the Year, he has worked and/or recorded with an impressive variety of artists including Bela Fleck, Jerry Douglas, Maura O'Connell, Tony Rice, John Hartford, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, and Tim & Mollie O'Brien. Mark earned his Degree in Music Theory and Composition, including a year at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he picked up the old-time banjo and went to his first old-time fiddle festival in Fiddler's Grove, North Carolina. In recent years, Mark worked with Nickel Creek during the several years before their hiatus. He also acts as Musical Director for the internationally-acclaimed Footworks Percussive Dance Ensemble, which showcases his other talents such as clawhammer banjo and Southern Appalachian clog dancing. Mark has two solo recordings, Brand New Old Tyme Way & Steppin' in the Boilerhouse, both released on Rounder Records.

Byron Berline is a three-time National Fiddle Champion who turned to a musical career after earning a B. A. in Physical Education at the University of Oklahoma. Originally from Oklahoma where he began playing the fiddle at age 5, Byron lived and worked in Los Angeles for 26 years before returning to his home state in 1995. Touted as "one of the most inventive fiddlers ever," his skill, versatility and artistry continue to be recognized by his peers, the press and audiences world-wide. He is a witty, charming personality and his music is evidence of that. Byron's professional career reads like Who's Who in the music business: Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys (1966-67); Dillard & Clark (1969-1970); Dillard Expedition (1970-71); Country Gazette (1971-75); Sundance (1975-85); Berline, Crary & Hickman (1978-90); California (1990-96 and this year's RockyGrass reunion); Byron Berline Band (1996- Present). Byron is one of the most sought after session fiddlers and his long list of recording credits are proof, from The Band, The Byrds, The Eagles, and The Rolling Stones to Bob Dylan, Elton John, Linda Ronstadt, Willie Nelson and numerous symphony orchestras.

Encouraged by his father’s love of music, Casey held his first fiddle at the age of six. Suzuki lessons gave way to instruction and guidance from some of the genres most progressive and talented players — Darol Anger, Vassar Clements, Byron Berline. After four years at the Berklee College of Music under the tutelage of Matt Glaser, Steve Earle took Casey on his first road gig with his venerable Bluegrass Dukes. Tim O’Brien, a long-time mentor, inivted Casey to join his band full-time shortly after he moved to Nashville. Since then, Casey has worked with a host others, including Darrell Scott, Béla Fleck, Jim Lauderdale, Lee Ann Womack, John Mayer, and Blue Merle. Most recently Driessen has toured China and Tibet on an embassy-sponsored excursion, and recorded on the soundtrack for Walk the Line, the Johnny Cash movie. Currently, Casey is appearing with the Tim O’Brien Band, Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet, Darrell Scott, Frank Vignola, and performing music from his Grammy-nominated debut record, 3D, with his own band, The Colorfools.

Born in North Bay, Ontario, Canada, Jason Thomas is an award winning multi-instrumentalist, playing a wide range of musical styles on fiddle and mandolin. Jason began studying violin at age twelve, having private violin lessons for just one year, and then he continued to study a variety of fiddle styles, largely self-taught, winning a few contests along the way, including winning the Canadian Open Mandolin Championship, and twice winning the Florida State Championship on both fiddle and mandolin. Since college, Jason has been a full-time professional musician, touring extensively across the country and overseas. He has made his home in Central Florida since 1984. He enjoys playing a wide variety of music - from bluegrass to blues, Celtic to country, gypsy jazz to folk/Americana, Cajun to Western Swing. Jason has performed with many other notable musicians such as Vassar Clements, Sam Bush, Tim O'Brien, Byron Berline, Aubrey Haynie, Open Road, and Kane's River, among others.

Originally from the San Francisco area, Rob Ickes has become known as one of the finest dobro players on the planet since moving to Nashville in 1992. He is the leader of the Grammy nominated bluegrass band Blue Highway, and has been named the IBMA's "Dobro Player Of The Year" seven times. He has recorded 4 groundbreaking solo albums for Rounder Records. His session work includes work with Patty Loveless, Earl Scruggs, Alison Krauss, and the Grammy winning "Great Dobro Sessions". He and Dave are featured artists on the critically acclaimed CD " Nashville Acoustic Sessions" with Raul Malo and Pat Flynn.

Growing up in New York City, Joel was surrounded by musical influences - Broadway to classical, jazz to rhythm and blues. Joel began his musical career early in life, picking up the bass at the age of 12. Like many musicians, Joel began learning music with classical training on the piano. After several years of lessons he switched to the bass, devoting the rest of his life to his love of the instrument. In 1989 Joel moved to Switzerland and began a successful career as a bassist with various country/rock and jazz groups based throughout Europe. It was during this time that he met the Kruger Brothers and developed what would turn into a deeply rewarding musical alliance and friendship. In early 1995, Joel was initiated into the 'Brotherhood' and has been performing full time with the band ever since.

The distinctive sound of Dave Pomeroy's electric upright bass has been heard on over 400 albums and six Grammy winning CDs with artists such as Emmylou Harris, The Chieftains, Elton John, Earl Scruggs and Alison Krauss. He has performed live with dozens of major artists including Duane Eddy, John Fogerty, Steve Winwood, and Mose Allison. He has been voted "Studio Musician of The Year" and "Bassist of The Year" at the Nashville Music Awards. Dave has released 7 albums on Earwave Records, including his solo CDs "Basses Loaded" and "Tomorrow Never Knows." Dave's bass is currently the backbone of the trio, Three Ring Circle, and his versatile rhythmic and melodic playing helps push the music in new directions.

Bryn grew up in Livermore, CA where her mother (mathematician/flutist) and father (chemist/vocalist) started her on piano at age three. After moving through flute, violin, and french horn, Bryn eventually settled on the cello and upright bass. She attended the Berklee College of Music on a scholarship, majoring in Jazz Performance. After meeting a bunch of bluegrassers in Boston, she joined the Two High String Band. After relocating to Austin, she met Peter Rowan and started playing with him in the fall of '98. A year later Tony Rice joined to form the Peter Rowan & Tony Rice Quartet. Bryn currently lives in Nashville, when she's not touring with such artists as Old and in the Gray, Darrell Scott, Steve Earle and The Bluegrass Dukes, Uncle Earl, Shawn Camp, Jim Lauderdale, Tony Rice Unit, or many others. Most recently Bryn has performed with Patty Griffin on her "Children Running Through" tour.

There were very few role models for a young woman starting out on the bluegrass highway back in the mid ‘70’s when Claire Lynch joined a band called Hickory Wind. A native of Kingston, New York, who has lived in Northern Alabama since the age of 12, Claire was offered a position in the band, decided she was going to be a bluegrass singer, and that was pretty much that. After changing its name to the Front Porch String Band, the group worked regularly throughout the Southeast over the next several years, becoming fan favorites on the strength of its open-minded musical approach and incredible lead singer. During a ten year hiatus, Claire launched dual careers as a songwriter (her songs have been recorded by Patty Loveless, the Seldom Scene, Cherryholmes, Kathy Mattea) and a session vocalist (gracing albums by such leading artists as Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, and Patty Loveless). After multiple Grammy nominations in the 1990s again with the Front Porch String Band, Claire now performs with her progressive bluegrass quartet, the Claire Lynch Band.

A life of music began early for Steve Spurgin, starting with lessons in classical piano at age five, moving on to French horn and choral training in school. By the summer of 1965, fresh out of high school, the first paying job in music came along and Steve launched a professional career that has touched on five decades. After playing folk music in and around Dallas, Texas for a few years, Steve moved to the Los Angeles area in the late 60’s, bought a set of drums and spent the next fifteen years providing the backbeat for various rock bands including Freddy Fender, Mason Williams, The Limeliters and Byron Berline’s cutting-edge country/bluegrass band Sundance (which also included Vince Gill). During all this time, Steve continued to pursue his true passion: songwriting. Steve spent three years as a Nashville staff writer for The Welk Music Group, assigned to Gene Watson and Reba McEntire. That association saw many of Spurgin’s songs recorded as well as producing two major country-market hits for Gene Watson. In 1994, after winning the prestigious "New Folk" award at the Kerrville Folk Festival, Steve began concentrating on a solo approach to his career.

Eileen Carson Schatz, Founding Director of Footworks Percussive Dance Ensemble since 1979, has toured internationally including guest choreographer and performer in Riverdance in London and with the Smithsonian Institute in Japan. Footworks has performed at Merlefest, Greyfox, Icons, and many other festivals, as well as the Kennedy Center and performing arts centers and universities across the country. Eileen was the artistic director and choreographer for the production of Tim O’Brien’s “The Crossing” with dance.  As Artistic Director, choreographer, dancer and lead vocalist for Footworks, she has received a National Endowment for the Arts Choreography Fellowship, a Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Award, an “Annie” Award for Performing Artist from the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County, MD, won the national Chris Austin Songwriting Competition, and was selected Artist of the Year by Young Audiences of Maryland in 2006. Eileen has performed and taught for over 30 years and is a 2007 graduate of the Teaching Artist Institute of Maryland.

Originating from a group of music camp counselors working in Cordova, AK in 1999, Bearfoot won the 2001 Telluride Bluegrass Festival band competition – an honor they share with past recipients Nickel Creek and the Dixie Chicks. Dropping the “Bluegrass” from their name to signify their expanding musical boundaries into the wider frontiers of acoustic Americana and folk, the five-piece band has toured across the U.S., including a prestigious showcase at IBMA. The band’s fiery acoustic interplay, twin fiddles, and five strong lead vocalists have been featured on their two CDs, including 2007’s Follow Me, produced by Gene Libbea. In 2002, Kate Hamre created the Bluegrass Camps for Kids – adapting the format from the camps in Anchorage and Cordova. Bearfoot created the RockyGrass Kids Camp.

First it was BCH: Berline, Crary, and Hickman -- and they were great. Just a fiddler (OK, a three-time national champion), a flat-picker (well, not just any flat-picker, one of the originators of the style), and a quiet five-string banjo man (who is recognized as one of the finest in the world). But they pushed the envelope of traditional bluegrass without abandoning what was essential in the music. The people came, and they loved it. Then, BCH added a cool bass player named Steve Spurgin. He came with a rich baritone voice and some great original songs -- and then they were four. It was an even richer sound now: more voices, more instruments; they could do even more. But when they added a fifth, acclaimed mandolinist John Moore, California was born and the real fireworks began. The band dominated the IBMA Instrumental Band of the Year award for three straight years (1992-94), before calling it quits in 1996. We are thrilled to have California at RockyGrass for one of their far too infrequent reunion shows.

In the fall of 2004, Claire Lynch made plans to reunite with former Front Porch Stringband bandmate Jim Hurst. Hurst himself had earned two IBMA awards for “Guitar Player of the Year.” Along with Ontario’s fiddler-extraordinaire Jason Thomas and redoubtable bassist Mark Schatz, most recently of Nickel Creek, they now comprise the Claire Lynch Band which has been touring since April 1, 2005. “These players are all ‘bluegrass and beyond’ stars in their own rite… all are award-winners and nominees with a myriad of experience.” In the Winter of 2005, Claire signed a three-album deal with Rounder Records. The first release, New Day (2006) scored a #1 song on the National Bluegrass Survey and an IBMA nomination for “Song of the Year”. The band followed this success with the anthology collection, Crowd Favorites (2007) which earned another couple of top ten positions on the survey. Claire is currently working on her follow-up CD, describing it as “bluegrass-inflected acoustic.”

Born and raised in Switzerland, Jens and Uwe Kruger have been performing professionally since 1973. After playing for twenty years throughout Europe in various styles and venues, Uwe on guitar and Jens on banjo, the brothers invited bassist Joel Landsberg to join them, and the three musicians formed the acoustic trio audiences around the world know as the Kruger Brothers. Kruger Brothers performances are exciting, calming, entertaining and spontaneous, reflecting their sheer joy in playing music. Since 1997, Uwe, Jens, and Joel have appeared regularly in the United States - sharing the stage with many popular artists, including Willie Nelson, Bela Fleck, Doc Watson, Ricky Skaggs, Gillian Welch, Nickel Creek, Bill Monroe, Peter Rowan, Tony Rice, Vassar Clements, Alison Brown, and Vince Gill, among others. A highlight of their career arrived in June 2007 when they performed with the Bangor Symphony Orchestra to present the world premiere of Music from the Spring: A Romantic Serenade for Banjo, Guitar, Bass & Orchestra.

Three Ring Circle is a "jamgrass acoustic power trio" formed by three of the hottest pickers to be found anywhere - Rob Ickes, Andy Leftwich, and Dave Pomeroy. Individually they are world-renowned players who are known for expanding the vocabulary and boundaries of their chosen instruments. Individually, they have worked with everyone from Elton John to Ricky Skaggs, Earl Scruggs and Bruce Hornsby, but as 'Three Ring Circle', they are collectively blazing a new trail for fans of instrumental music everywhere. Their music is exciting, innovative, emotional, and as Duke Ellington used to say, "Beyond Category." The trio format allows them unprecedented creative freedom and stylistic versatility. Their debut CD - which includes 7 originals written by all three members and creative reworkings of tunes by Stevie Wonder, Jeff Beck and Bireli Lagrene - has been described as "sweet lyricism, audacious virtuosity and greasy funk" (No Depression).

Kate started playing music when she was about eight years old. Her first instrument was piano, which she played for a number of years, until she discovered that she would never grow big enough to carry it to jam sessions. She began playing the fiddle in sixth grade, taking private lessons with Mary Schallert and Frank Solivan II. The following year, she started playing bass for her school since its orchestra had no bass players. Soon after, she became interested in playing bluegrass bass, and Bearfoot increased her musical growth dramatically when they started touring her freshman year of high school. Kate spent three years managing “Bluegrass Camps for Kids”, a program that instructs more than 250 kids every summer on how to play bluegrass music. She now owns this business, and runs the camps around the U.S., Canada, and Ireland. Kate also acts as Bearfoot’s manager as well as being a full time Elementary Education student. When Kate isn’t playing bass, she likes to downhill ski, hike, fish, eat coffee ice cream, and call Angela about band matters.

Mike Mickelson provides Bearfoot's rhythm and flat-picking guitar work on his 1948 Martin D-18. In addition to playing his guitar, Mike writes songs about his adventures in Alaska. His claim to fame is that he has about 40 half written songs, and one day he will sit down and hash them out. Born and raised in Cordova, Alaska, he spent most of his childhood ten miles out of town by boat at his family's birding lodge. Without distractions like electricity or a real bathroom, he concentrated on playing guitar, exploring the wilds of Alaska, skiing, snowboarding, surfing, or fixing what was broken around the house. Mike is notorious for his great story telling, so if you ever have the need to get your Alaskan story fix, Mike is the man to talk to. You will most likely find him doing homework for his Elementary Education degree or under the hood of his ’69 Ford, broken down on the side of the road. Unfortunately his truck is not all that breaks.

Jason Norris is known for being the “I’m gonna go out and jam with everyone at this festival” guy in the band. He started playing mandolin at age 9, learning from Alaskan locals. His enthusiasm for the mandolin and bluegrass music is infectious. He is often seen at Alaskan festivals yelling “Happy Bluegrass!!!” to everyone he sees. Currently Jason is working on a framing job in the tiny town of Nome, AK, usually acknowledged as the Home of the Iditarod. When he isn’t pounding nails or playing music, Jason can be seen scaling Alaska’s mountains, snow machining, or carrying Kate’s bass.

Angela Oudean grew up in Anchorage, Alaska with a family of musicians. She had been influenced to sing and play music through various family activities like going to church, music festivals, and even singing along with the radio on long road trips. She learned to play the fiddle and guitar by taking lessons, attending acoustic music camps for kids, listening to CDs, and watching her family and friends play. Angela was in many childhood bluegrass and folk bands that performed all over Anchorage. When she was 16, Angela became a part of Bearfoot and began to get more serious about playing bluegrass fiddle after traveling and performing more than she had ever done before. After graduating high school, Angela decided to attend East Tennessee State University. While in Johnson City, Angela plays fiddle with an up and coming singer/songwriter group called the Everybodyfields. Angela is planning on graduating college May of 2006 with Bachelor of Science in Sociology, and a minor in Bluegrass.

Odessa hails from Northern California and now hangs her hat in Nashville, TN. Odessa began playing violin at age 4 and has been heavily involved in the classical music community. She has played with the Santa Rosa symphony and made her debut at Carnegie Hall at the age of 13 with the Young Peoples' Chamber Orchestra. Odessa has shifted her focus to bluegrass and old-time fiddle, becoming a full-time member of the Biscuit Burners for several years. Since moving to Nashville she has been welcomed by the local music community not only for her amazing ear for harmony and melody on her instrument, but also for her heart warming vocals and unique but familiar songwriting style.

Michael Hornick is the builder of Shanti Guitars. After building his first guitar in 1985, he worked at Santa Cruz Guitar Company, and presently works alone in his shop in Avery, California, building about twelve instruments a year. Michael has built the first place guitar prize for the nationally recognized Telluride Troubadour contest from its inception in 1991, and helped design the original mandolin and mandola kits. His love of lutherie is reflected in the high quality of craftsmanship found in each of his custom instrument. Michael has assisted students in the building of well over one hundred mandolin kits over the past fifteen years.

Dan Roberts has been intimately involved in instrument production for both Gibson and Flatiron.  He spent five years as production manager and builder at the Santa Cruz Guitar Company. He presently lives in Montana and is the service manager and repairman for the Santa Cruz Guitar Company. He has offered his expertise at the RockyGrass Academy for the last nine years.

Bobby Wintringham is returning for his fifth year as an instructor at the Academy's mandolin building experience. He is a full time luthier building San Juan Mandolins in his shop in Dolores, Colorado.  Says Bobby, "The only thing more rewarding than building instruments is being able to share that knowledge with others."

Gary Lundy has been assisting Michael and Dan in the Mandolin Building class since 2000. He apprenticed with Dan and has now built three mandolins and two guitars. The third guitar is on its way. In 2005 Gary began Lundy Guitars and has begun taking orders. In his other life he's a Professor of English at the University of Montana-Western. He lives in Dillon, Montana.

Chuck has known Michael Hornick since 1992, owns a Shanti guitar, and has assisted Michael with the mando building class since 2002. Each year Chuck produces a mandolin while assisting other students with theirs. In his other life, he is a master mechanic building hot rods in California.

Marcus has been building and repairing instruments for 15 years. He graduated from a four year guitar building school in Norway and received his bachelor degree in classical guitar making in Germany. Marcus apprenticed with Dan Roberts and worked for Santa Cruz Guitars for 2 years doing high end acoustic guitar repairs. He is currently building and repairing instruments full time in Bozeman, Montana. Marcus has been helping with the mandolin building experience since 2006.