Stephen was born and raised in Columbia, SC and has been teaching guitar professionally since 2000. He moved to Greenville during the summer of 2007 and opened Greenville Guitar Academy in November of that year. His teaching style is very student oriented, and he places emphasis on creativity and initiative in both playing and writing music. More than anything else, Stephen wants his students to have as much fun playing the guitar as he does, he requires this same philosophy from all of the staff teachers at Greenville Guitar Academy.

Stephen studied music at the University of South Carolina and guitar under jazz guitarist Robert Newton (Grover Washington Jr.). He gigged around Columbia with various groups for the better part of a decade and was a frequent guest performer with King Hippo. Most recently, Stephen entered the studio with The Fossil Record and laid down the lead guitar tracks for their first album “Living in Reverse.” His musical tastes include blues, classical, country, folk, jazz, hip-hop, and especially rock. He has shared the stage with musicians like drummer John Blackwell (Prince, Patti Labelle, Justin Timberlake), Patrick Davis (solo artist), and guitarist/keyboardist Les Hall (Crossfade, Trey Anastasio). While playing with his former band The Fossil Record, Columbia's Free Times observed "...the secret weapon is guitarist Stephen Williams, whose fiery solos give the whole deal a scintillating glow." M. Miller

Jef Chandler is a native of Greenville, South Carolina and a graduate of Furman University. He has been writing songs, playing in bands and performing live since he first picked up the guitar at the age of 12. In that time he has had the privilege of opening up for such acts as the Austin Lounge Lizards, Fred Eaglesmith, Scott Miller, Tish Hinojosa, Jump Little Children, Billy Pilgrim, and many more.

From 1995 until 1998 Jef played with the popular acoustic band from Greenville called Big Brown Bowl. In 1999 Jef released his debut solo album Talking Out the Fire. The songs on the album range stylistically from crunchy rock anthems to bluegrass to country. Many of the tunes have received airplay on radio programs throughout Europe and in the United States. When the album first came out, Mike Miller of The State in Columbia, in his year’s end retrospect for 1999, called the CD one of the underground best releases by a South Carolina artist that year. For the past decade Jef has toured the southeast with a changing roster of talented musicians from the upstate of South Carolina. In October of 2004 Jef released his second solo CD Everything Good is on the Highway. As with his first CD, Everything Good received airplay on independent radio programs in Europe and the US, and the song Empire of Idle Thoughts charted in the top 100 on the indie Country charts in Europe in March of 2005. Currently, Jef Chandler is playing club gigs and festivals in the southeast. His new cd, Account, was released in January 2009.

Jef is an extremely talented songwriter and guitarist, who is not only capable of guitar instruction but can work with aspiring songwriters as well.

After playing bluegrass banjo and guitar for more than 30 years, Gary decided to share his music knowledge with some students. He has taught banjo and guitar at Dreamcatcher Guitars in Roswell, Georgia, and at Ponce De Leon Music in Cummings.

In his own words:

"My goal as a teacher is simple, to insure my students' success as musicians! I offer a straight forward, easy to understand method that teach banjo techniques that enable the student to learn and play one new song each week. My students range in age from eight to 65. I play several different guitars, but my pride and joy is my 1982 Gold Star Banjo! I am passionate about music and have an extensive collection, because I feel collecting and listening to music add to your success as a player. Some students expect immediate gratification. The reality is, it takes time and effort on your part."

Gary will share with you the methods that will have you playing your banjo or guitar today.