Eric is a musician/instructor/author living in Seattle, WA. He regularly performs and records as a solo classical guitarist and a singer/songwriter. He is an accomplished player of fingerstyle, blues, metal, rock, folk, primitive, and baroque through modern day classical guitar. He has performed at the Northwest Folklife Festival, toured the west coast of the United States, and been a prizewinner at the Northwest Guitar Competition.
    His studies began with the local legends of the Shenandoah Valley where he studied blues, folk, rock, and bluegrass styles. He earned a Bachelor in Music from James Madison University in classical guitar studying under Keith Stevens. He moved to Seattle to study classical guitar with Steven Novacek at the University of Washington, and continued his classical studies with Michael Nicolella. He has also studied blues with Curley Cooke, (Steve Miller Blues Band) and rock with Jay Roberts. He has attended masterclasses with Manuel Barrueco, David Russell, and Ben Verdery. He also studied voice with Mary Beth Felker.
     As an instructor, Eric founded the Blackforrest Music School in Seattle. He maintains a studio of forty continuous students ranging from ages 5-65. He hosts regular open mics for students to perform, and throws the ?Guitarbeque,? a party and performance event every summer. Previously he has taught at American Music School, Holy Names Academy, and Shenandoah Academy. His philosophy of teaching is to meet each student where they are, and to inspire them to a life of studying and loving music. He has been a full time instructor for over a decade, and his previous students have gone on to get recording contracts, study at prestigious schools such as the Berklee School of Music, or just be cool human beings.
    Eric has recently finished his first instructional book, The Blackforrest Music Guitar Reference to be released summer of 2011. This is the first in a series of books created to accompany any player?s journey of learning the guitar. Design and photography were done by Erik Bell.
    Aside from playing and teaching, Eric loves regular jam sessions with friends, and to go surfing in the cold waters of the pacific northwest. He lives with his wife Alyson, his daughter Edith, his son Huck, and a German shepherd named Cannon.