John Housley, Guitarist…

He is a guitar playing phenomenon. He plays all genres of music and every type of guitar. His ability to fuse technical skill effortlessly with depth of musicality and precision makes him, perhaps, one of the best guitarists of today.

John received his first guitar on his 14th birthday in his hometown of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Within a short time learned to play and joined a rock band. He began his musical journey studying the guitar about this time. When he was just a sophomore he was playing in the high school jazz band. At the age of 16, he began teaching guitar at a local music store. Soon after graduating from high school was invited to teach classical guitar at Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor. There he also founded the Ann Arbor Academy of Music. The Academy averaged 400 students per week who learned from not only him, but also from some of the best players and instructors in the area.

In 1988 John went out on the road to play guitar with a touring band, and in 1995 joined Blackfoot, a multi-platinum southern rock band. He also started teaching and performing in Southwest Florida.

In 2001, John relocated to Omaha, Nebraska to study classical guitar, and in 2003 he moved back to Southwest Florida to resume performing and also began teaching guitar at the Fort Myers Music Academy.

Currently, John Housley is an adjunct professor of music at Florida Southwest College and performs classical, jazz and flamenco nueva at various establishments throughout Southwest Florida.

Regarded as an artistic and talented guitarist, John Housley has been delighting and entertaining audiences both nationally and abroad for thirty five years. He has studied classical guitar and theory with professors at the University of Michigan, Eastern Michigan University, and the University of Omaha.

His repertoire spans the history of the instrument with a focus on Spanish guitar by composers such as Tarrega, Villa Lobos, Sor, and Carcassi as well as Bach, Satie, Debussy and other orchestral composers.

Music is clearly the forum for John’s creative expression. He firmly believes that music stimulates creative potential and brings brightness and richness to the lives of all.