- Eric -
Guitarist
|
Eric’s love for the guitar started when he saw Kurt Kobain of Nirvana play “Heart-Shaped Box” live on MTV. Grunge was all the rage and he immersed himself in the music of Nirvana. The death of Nirvana’s frontman left a void in his musical soul that was replaced by an unlikely candidate, that person was Muddy Waters. His grandfather played a cassette tape of the legendary bluesman playing “Sad Letter” and it shook Eric to his core. At that point Eric knew he had to get his hands on a guitar and learn to play the blues as quickly as possible.
Upon entering 10th grade, he took a guitar class at school and played until his fingers hurt trying to express these new emotions he felt. It was during this time a new faction in the world of professional wrestling was taking the County by storm. Their name was the New World Order (N.W.O.) and their leader Hulk Hogan had a new theme song to go along with his new bad guy persona. That song would cause another seismic shift in Eric’s life and change his guitar world forever. Hulk Hogan’s new theme song was “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” by Jimi Hendrix. Eric consumed everything Jimi Hendrix to try and sound like his newest guitar hero. This led him to the jazz band at school since this was the only place for him to play the guitar in an ensemble setting. After high school Eric attended South Carolina State University as a music performance major and again joined the Jazz Band because that was the only outlet for him to play the guitar. His guitar teacher, seeing his passion, drive and determination but frustration with not being able to play the music he loved told him to check out Miles Davis and gave him the CD “Kind of Blue”. |
The sophisticated sounds of that album opened a musical pandora’s box for Eric and not only gave him a more appropriate sound to use in Jazz Band but also opened his mind to a higher level of musical expression and freedom. Following Miles Davis’s musical journey Eric saw he could fuse his blues-rock roots with the open harmonic landscape and “stretch out” but also started to hear the sounds of Joe Pass, Wes Montgomery, and George Benson and fell in love with Jazz Guitar.
Eric had matured musically and now Jazz with its many roads and avenues was his new home. With a new perspective on music and a still growing thirst for knowledge Eric applied to and was accepted to Berklee College of Music where he studied with Ritchie Hart (student of George Benson) as well as many other professors who help to shape and hone Eric’s sound, style and abilities. Upon graduation Eric moved back to South Carolina and is constantly working on his sound and style to evolve it and hone his skills as a professional musician.
Eric had matured musically and now Jazz with its many roads and avenues was his new home. With a new perspective on music and a still growing thirst for knowledge Eric applied to and was accepted to Berklee College of Music where he studied with Ritchie Hart (student of George Benson) as well as many other professors who help to shape and hone Eric’s sound, style and abilities. Upon graduation Eric moved back to South Carolina and is constantly working on his sound and style to evolve it and hone his skills as a professional musician.
* All duo samples are performed by Eric and his wife, La Toya, who plays violin.
Eric's Song List
Note: This is not a comprehensive list. Many selections available upon request.
Contact us to customize music for your special event!
BROADWAY & FILM
As Time Goes By - Casablanca
Bewitched - Pal Joey
Can You Feel the Love Tonight? - The Lion King
Candle on the Water - Pete’s Dragon
Moon River - Breakfast at Tiffany’s
My Funny Valentine - Babes in Arms
Some Enchanted Evening - South Pacific
Somewhere Over the Rainbow - The Wizard of OZ
Tale As Old As Time - Beauty and the Beast
Till There was You- The Music Man
You’ll Never Walk Alone- Carousel
CLASSICAL
Air from (Water Music) - Handel
Air on the G String - Bach
Arioso - J.S. Bach
Canon in D - Pachelbel
Hornpipe (from Water Music) - Handel
Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring - Bach
Largo - Handel
Ode to Joy – Beethoven
Rondeau – Mouret
Spring, from the Four Seasons – Vivaldi
The Swan - Camille Saint-Saens
Trumpet Tune – Purcell
Trumpet Voluntary – Clarke
Wedding March (Traditional “Here Comes the Bride”) - Wagner
Wedding March (Traditional Bridal Recessional) – Mendelssohn
COUNTRY
Amazed - Lonestar
Bless the Broken Road - Rascal Flatts
Could I Have This Dance - Anne Murray
Forever and Ever, Amen - Randy Travis
When You Say Nothing at All - Alison Krauss
JAZZ
All of Me - Dean Martin
At Last - Etta James
Beyond the Sea - Bobby Darin
Call Me Irresponsible - Frank Sinatra
Come Fly with Me - Frank Sinatra
Fly me to the Moon - Frank Sinatra
Heart and Soul - Hoagy Carmichael
I’ll Be Seeing You - Billie Holiday
I’ve Got My Love to Keep me Warm - Tony Bennett
I’ve Got You Under my Skin - Frank Sinatra
La Vie en Rose - Louis Armstrong
More - Frank Sinatra
That’s Amore - Dean Martin
The Way You Look Tonight - Frank Sinatra
Unforgettable - Nat King Cole
OLDIES
Always - Irving Berlin
All My Loving - The Beatles
Can’t Help Falling in Love - Elvis Presley
Can’t Take My Eyes Off You - Frankie Valli
Close to You - The Carpenters
Dream a Little Dream of Me - The Mamas and the Papas
Dream Lover - Bobby Darin
Let Me Call You Sweetheart - Bing Crosby
Let’s Fall in Love - Harold Arlen
Love Me Tender - Elvis Presley
What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
POPULAR
All of Me - John Legend
Ashokan Farewell – Ungar
As Long As You Love Me - The Backstreet Boys
A Thousand Years - Christina Perri
Best Day of My Life - American Authors
Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol
Come Away with Me - Norah Jones
Hallelujah - Leonard Cohen
How Long Will I Love You - Ellie Goulding
In My Life – The Beatles
I’ll Be - Edwin McCain
Marry Me - Train
Perfect - Ed Sheeran
Something – The Beatles
Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton
R&B / SOUL
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough - Marvin Gaye
Endless Love - Lionel Richie
For Once in my Life - Stevie Wonder
How Sweet it is to be Loved by You - Marvin Gaye
I Swear - All For One
I’ll Be There - The Jackson 5
My Cherie Amour - Stevie Wonder
This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) - Natalie Cole
SACRED
Amazing Grace
Ave Maria - Charles Gounod
Be Thou My Vision
I Will Be Here - Steven Curtis Chapman
Panis Angelicus (O Lord Most Holy) - Cesar Franck
Take My Life and Let It Be
*Many Traditional Hymn Options Available by Request
Note: This is not a comprehensive list. Many selections available upon request.
Contact us to customize music for your special event!