My Story
Buck grew up in the 60’s listening to AM Radio, the Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Four Seasons, all the Brit invasion groups, the Folk artists, Motown and Stax/Volt. Piano lessons, church choir, learning songs on a Martin D12-35 and playing in rock bands were primary influences. In the early 70s he played with the Washington, DC acoustic group, Early Van Pelt and was a regular side man with the Nighthawks.
For many years he lived in NJ and played in pit orchestras for Broadway musicals as a bass player and guitar player and also was Musical Director of many theatre shows in the U.S. and in Europe, eventually being nominated for two Helen Hayes Awards for best musical direction.
He taught in private high school, College, University and The National Guitar Workshop where he was Head Teacher and wrote most of the curricula for Jazz Guitar as well as running Workshop Sounds Recording and the Keyboard and MIDI workshop. He has written 18 books and book/cds published by Alfred Music. During this time he was fortunate to play with Tony Trischka, Dave Hamburger, Stacy Phillips Mark Egan, The Kennedys, Mike Marshall and many more.
Ending up in Washington, DC in the 90s, he worked as a composer for TV, Film, Radio, Industrials and political clients including both President Clinton and President G.H.W. Bush. He scored many episodes of America’s Most Wanted as well as commercials for PBS, the Smithsonian Institution and the Washington Post. Being in DC led him to become a member of the Nils Lofgren Band and the Nils Lofgren Acoustic Duo which led to gigs with Mary Ann Redmond and the chance to play with Bruce Springsteen, Jeffrey “Skunk” Baxter and many more great artists.
Finally moving to Nashville in the mid-2000s, he has played with Robert Lee Castleman (grammy award winning songwriter for “The Lucky One” done by Alison Krauss), Americana Duo Bedhed and Blondy, Dobie Gray, Nick Nixon, Marion James and Suzanne Fiering and the Elegant Gypsies. He plays guitars, lap steel, keyboards, mandolin, dobro and has a personal recording studio where he records original Acoustic Americana music.
Currently • Guitar, Songwriting & Music Technology Teacher Brentwood, TN
• Audio Engineer • Songwriter • Studio Guitarist/Multi-Instrumentalist
Professional Experience
2017 - Present • A/V Technician at Encore Event Technologies Nashville, TN
2015-2017 • Warehouse Manager at BonusBev LLC
2013-2015 • Composer/Guitarist/Audio Engineer at InSessionAudio Mt. Juliet, TN
2012-2014 • Guitarist for Bedhed And Blondy Nashville, TN
2011 • Jazz Band Instructor/Arranger at Kids On Stage Franklin, TN
1998-2007 • Guitars/Keyboards/Mandolin/Vocals:
The Nils Lofgren Band / The Nils Lofgren Acoustic Duo U.S. & U.K.
1995-2001 • Theatre Musical Director: The Studio Theatre Washington, DC
1995 • Guitar Teacher: Georgetown University Washington, DC
1991-1994 • Composer & Audio Engineer: Soundwave Post, Inc Washington, DC
• Fox TV – America’s Most Wanted
• PBS TV
• Film & Video for Associations, Industrials
• Political Clients including: Presidents Clinton & Bush 41
1987-1991 Associate Professor of Music Technology: Raritan Valley College North Branch, NJ
• Developed the Music Technology program
• Designed & equipped the MIDI laboratory
• Developed and taught the curriculum
• Directed the Jazz Ensemble
Adjunct Professor of Music Technology SUNY New Paltz, NY
• Taught Music Technology courses
• Taught Jazz Theory and Jazz Guitar courses
1984-1991 Assistant Director / Head Teacher: The National Guitar Workshop New Milford, CT
• Resource and Equipment Director
• Head Teacher: Theory, Guitar, Music Technology
• Author of Jazz Theory, Jazz Guitar, Recording Texts
• Director of The National Keyboard/MIDI Workshop
• Studio Manager & Recording Engineer of Workshop Sounds Recording
1983 Musical Director: HAIR! The European Tour Europe
Publications - Alfred Music Publishing
• The Ultimate Guitar Chord and Scale Bible Book
• The Ultimate Guitar Chord Bible Book
• Guitar Chord Resource Book + CD
• Chord Connections - Guitar Harmony Book
• Jazz For The Rock Guitarist Book + CD
• Jazz Guitar Concepts Book + CD
• Jazz Chops For Guitar Book + CD
• Blues Chops For Guitar Book + CD
• Stand Alone: Basic Guitar, Book 1 and Book 2 Book + CD
• Stand Alone: Rhythm Guitar Book + CD
• Stand Alone: Blues Guitar Book + CD
• Stand Alone: Jazz Guitar Book + CD
• Stand Alone: Classic Rock Guitar Book + CD
• Stand Alone: Rockabilly Guitar Book + CD
• Stand Alone: Funk Guitar Book + CD
• Beginning Rock Keyboards Book + CD
Recording Discography
2017 • The Slow Lane Buck Brown
2017 • Cruise Control Buck Brown
2013 • Bedhed and Blondy Live (Electric Guitar) Bedhed and Blondy
2006 • Nils Lofgren and Friends Live DVD (Keyboards, Guitars) Nils Lofgren & Friends
2005 • The Nils Lofgren Tribute Show DVD (Keyboards, Guitars, Mandolin) Nils Lofgren & Friends
2003 • Old Friends Buck Brown
2002 • The Nils Lofgren Band Live (Keyboards, Guitars) The Nils Lofgren Band
2000 • Slip Away Buck Brown
1991 • Any Poor Fool Buck Brown
1989 • Fireworks Buck Brown
Awards
Helen Hayes Award Nominations: Outstanding Musical Direction-Resident Production
1999 KEROUAC - The Studio Theater Washington, DC
1998 HAIR - The Studio Theater Washington, DC
1992 The New York Film Festival Bronze Medal
The U.S. Air National Guard Recruitment Film New York, NY
1990 Emmy Award: Best Children’s TV Show Cleveland, OH
“The Worldly Wise Network”
Education
Mike Santiago Private Guitar Study New Brunswick, NJ
Berklee College Of Music Guitar Performance Boston, MA
Roanoke College BA - Philosophy/Religion Salem, VA
The Mount Hermon School College Preparatory Mt. Hermon, MA