Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin
Bluegrass, Blues Slide, Fingerstyle
In 2026, Chris will mark 30 years of teaching at The Old Town School of Folk Music. He developed an interest in guitar during his teenage years, inspired by early Country Blues musicians such as Mississippi John Hurt and Blind Willie McTell—a style he continues to play and teach today. Additionally, Chris’s enthusiasm for Bluegrass music led him to refine his flatpicking technique and embark on a three-and-a-half-year world tour with the bluegrass band, The Special Consensus.
Since joining The Old Town School of Folk Music in January 1996, Chris has balanced his time between performing and teaching. With three decades of experience instructing both guitar and five-string banjo to students of all levels, he finds fulfillment in helping learners achieve what they once considered unattainable. His teaching methods incorporate both tablature and learning by ear.
”The real satisfaction I get is when I'm able to get a student to execute something they didn't think they could do. I work with both tablature and by ear, but mostly what I try to do is get my students to think for themselves.”
Started at the Old Town School in January of 1996
