Daniel

A Little About Me

Like most kids, Daniel neglected the student-sized guitar that lived in the corner of his bedroom collecting dust. But the enigmatic rock n’ roll sound and the soul of the blues he picked out from his father’s music collection one day at the age of 12 changed everything. Blues players such as Mike Bloomfield, Peter Green, BB King, and Roy Buchanan motivated him to pick up the guitar and play. He never looked back.

Searching for inspiration, Daniel found the Internet to be a goldmine of information. He discovered guitar players such as Merle Travis, Chet Atkins, and Brent Mason. It was an immediate connection for him. He searched to find the roots and players who still executed this style of music. Fortunate to live in the Nashville area, Daniel took a trip to Lower Broadway one summer’s day when he was 14 and experienced a tremendous revelation.

Yearning to find a way into the social circles of the musicians working in the Honky-Tonks, Daniel devoted countless hours combining the conventions of playing authentic country music with his knowledge and love of the Blues. He soaked up the sounds of guitarists such as Roy Nichols, Don Rich, Clint Strong, Grady Martin, James Burton, Danny Gatton and Hank Garland searching for gold. This journey gave Daniel a love for a completely new style of music, and a way to make some money! Daniel, 14 at the time, was not old enough to play in the bars regularly, so he decided to work on the street of Lower Broadway with an old acoustic guitar nearly every weekend for a little over a year. This not only gave Daniel his chance to be immersed in the lifestyle of the Honky-Tonks, but to actually meet the players who made the music what it is today. Players such as James Mitchell, JD Simo, Johnny Hiland, Rod Riley, Jeff Garris, Jason Link, Tim McDonald, and many other local players had and still continue to inspire him week after week.

Daniel’s hard work and determination started to get him noticed. A chance meeting with rock photographer Robert M. Knight in Nashville gave him a core spot in the Brotherhood of the Guitar organization.

Daniel recently achieved a long-standing goal. In the summer of 2012, he gained the privilege of working with the Don Kelley Band. The band, his sole source of inspiration for the past 3 years, is known for having only top-notch pickers in the realm of country music. Daniel, the youngest one to hold the spot, is thrilled to now be a part of the band. The lineage of guitar players in this band goes all the way back to Brent Mason, Redd Volkaert, Johnny Hiland, Guthrie Trapp, Kenny Vaughan, JD Simo, and now, Daniel.

Daniel’s love for hard work and discipline hasn’t diminished in the slightest since he picked up that dusty guitar 5 years ago, and he intends to keep it that way. His performance combines the concepts of authentic blues, classic country, and many other styles. With his natural talent and drive, it is the clear that for him, the sky’s the limit.