I used to be a CPA — spreadsheets in the morning, flatpicking and sanding picks at night — until a guitar lesson I posted unexpectedly took off. This led me to quit my desk job for what I now call the Woodshed — a place where my passion for country and bluegrass meets my family tradition of teachers and craftsmanship.

Also along the way, a hobby of making strings and picks — or shall I say, my ongoing chase of the tone and feel that make flatpicking more fun — grew into Woodtone Strings, which I use daily for practicing, recording, and producing my girlfriend Soonka’s debut album here at home. You’ll see us (and sometimes our dogs Rocket and Dakota 🐶) throughout the site in jam-along videos of country and bluegrass classics — and soon, in lessons built around our original songs as well.

To learn more about what I’ve built within CGO, keep reading. If you’d like to get updates on our music, sign up for the Woodshed Newsletter. Thank y’all for being here.