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Bill Hart
Hart started taking lessons when he was thirteen. Initially, he played rock, influenced by the diverse guitar styles of Jimi Hendrix, David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, and Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page. One day, in a music store, he saw a jazz musician playing a guitar and doing the most incredible things. Bill wanted to know how the guitarist played that amazing music. Thirty years later, Hart modestly says he is still trying to figure it out. Currently, Hart is the one playing the amazing music, while always keeping it accessible to one and all.
Hart's early training was fairly non-traditional. As a teenager, he spent time playing in theater's performing “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and “Little Shop of Horrors”, where he was the designated musician, providing live music for the shows. Fascinated by the mathematical precision of music, Bill attended the Guitar Institute of Technology in Hollywood, California, graduating with honors. Bill has studied under master guitarists Mike Stern, Steve Khan, Wayne Krantz and Scott Henderson. Bill's true joy comes from playing his original compositions. Bill Hart has opened for jazz greats such as Herbie Hancock, Marcus Miller, Lou Rawls, Yellow Jackets, Acoustic Alchemy, Joey Defrancesco, Norman Brown, Rippingtons and Mike Stern.
Hart has been the head of the guitar program at the Atlanta Institute of Music for fifteen years, teaching and mentoring over 1800 students. He has participated in numerous music clinics with seminar partners such as Scott Ambush and Joel Rosenblatt (Spyro Gyra), Mike Stern (Miles Davis Band), Adam Nitti (Steven Curtis Chapman), Shane Theriot (Neville Brothers) and Jimmy Herring (The Grateful Dead and Widespread Panic). Mr. Hart has released four albums: "Watch the Sky", "Think About It", "Subject To Change" and the new release "This Is Why".
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Take Five With Bill Hart
by AAJ Staff
Meet Bill Hart:Born and raised in Canada, Hart started playing guitar at nine years old. He moved to the United States at the age of thirteen and was playing professionally by sixteen years old. His first professional experience was playing with his rock band in a pit for theater shows, featuring shows like Rocky Horror Picture Show and Little Shop Of Horrors. Influenced by rock and blues and fascinated by jazz he went to study at Musicians Institute ...
read moreBill Hart: Subject to Change
by Geannine Reid
Guitarist Bill Hart's early training was fairly non-traditional. As a teenager, he spent time playing in theaters performing The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Little Shop of Horrors. Fascinated by the mathematical precision of music, Hart attended the Guitar Institute of Technology in Hollywood, California, graduating with honors. Hart has studied under master guitarists including Mike Stern, Steve Khan, Wayne Krantz and Scott Henderson, and his true joy comes from playing his original compositions. Bill Hart has opened for jazz ...
read moreBill Hart Tells Us... "This is Why"
Source:
Michael Ricci
This Is Why, the latest release from guitar guru Bill Hart, is a fusion freight train transferring payloads full of blues, funk, rock and jazz. It is precisely this jambalaya of genres that makes Mr. Hart's music so accessible. This is Why" features five-time Grammy nominee award winner Mike Stern (guitar) along with Enrico Galetta (bass), Gary Wilkins (bass), Charles Marvray (drums), Tom Knight (drums), Jef Ven Veen (drums and Ahsa Ahla (percussion). The result is deep groove, thick interplay ...
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Primary Instrument
Guitar
Willing to teach
Advanced only
Credentials/Background
Bill Hart teaches guitar at The Atlanta Institute of Music.