How to Play Johnny Smith Style Closed Position Voicings

Donnie Wright Founder & Artistic Director

Donnie Wright was born in Greensboro, North Carolina and has lived there all his life. Donnie grew up around country, 50’s rock and bluegrass musicians, and started playing guitar at age 14 and excelled with his passion for music. After getting married to Deborah, his high school sweetheart in 1989 and then giving his life to Christ in 1991, he began pushing his way toward helping church worship teams with the ability that God had granted him. In 1996, he became one of the worship leaders for the triads Vineyard Church and soon after became a vocalist and lead guitarist for Greensboro’s World Harvest Church.In 2003, Donnie started working with Greensboro’s Daystar Church and went on to help build one of the top Worship Teams in the triad. Also during this time, as his three girls danced for Pleasant Ridge Fine Arts Academy, he had the honor of becoming friends with Suzanne Hock, which co-directed the dance school and was in need of a guitar teacher. So Donnie joined the team and taughtguitar for Pleasant Ridge and then Greensboro Performing Arts, for the next four years.Around 2007, Donnie broke off from Greensboro Performing Arts and opened Highland North Music. With about 15 students and many dedicated parents, Highland North Music went on to push nearly 50 students per week by 2013.

Located on Battleground Ave, Highland North Music has helped students reach their highest potential in their passion for music and develop great skill levels through different genera’s including, Rock, Country, Blues, Reggae, Worship and Contemporary Christian just to name a few.

Around 2010, Donnie started also started working with an awesome group of musicians, Mick and David Farlow, Tian Garcia, Paul Foster and Josh Boyd at The Cathedral of His Glory. Within just a couple years, Josh joined the Highland North Music team and started building an awesome Drum department. By 2011, Donnie went on to join up as one of The Cathedrals lead guitarist and help produce one of the greatest Christmas Productions in the State of North Carolina.

In growing Highland North Music, we have continued to build spectacular Christmas and spring concerts working together as a music team with teachers and students. At Highland North Music great pride is taken in our students and we continue to push the ideas of Learning and Performing.

Donnie has built the school with an awesome staff of dedicated musicians that know the importance of teaching fundamentals of music and passionately growing; never forgetting the most under used and over looked idea of music: FUN! “If it is not FUN, then WHY are you doing it at all!” We truly believe Music can be learned just as easy as a child that in just five short years went from birth to saying mom to being able communicate with college level professors, without a super course in English nor even being able to read! WOW!

Entering into our 8th season and knowing that the future is bright, Donnie and his team make ready to grow, grow, grow into Highland North Music’s awesome future!

***

Joshua Boyd Percussion Coach

Joshua Boyd born on December 25th, 1993, is a native of Greensboro, North Carolina. Growing up in church, he always had a thing for drums. At the age of 5 he began taking music more seriously and started playing drums for Nu-Life Church of God in Christ. From then on, his talent and passion for music accelerated.

In the year of 2008, he became the full time drummer at Cathedral of His Glory. During Josh’s High School years, he joined the marching band at Ben L Smith High School during his sophomore year and became a selection leader of the drum line his junior year.

In 2012, along with playing for Cathedral of His Glory, he started playing at Restoration Christian Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. Josh has traveled to many cities such as Buffalo, NY, Niagara Falls, New Haven, Connecticut, Washington D.C., and many more with Restoration Christian Church doing what he loves the most.

Currently Mr. Boyd is playing drums for both churches, teaching, mentoring younger musicians and is also a on call drummer for special events, outings, church services, and weddings. He’s a reliable musician that people love to interact with whenever they are in need.

***

Michael Naylor Administrator & Bass Coach

Michael Naylor started off his journey into music in middle school playing trombone. Quickly finding a love for music, over the course of middle school and high school Michael took home other instruments to learn and taught himself a wide variety of wind instruments from Saxophones to Tubas. Borrowing a friend’s electric guitar in high school armed with a chord poster, guitar became another instrument learned, leading into stringed instruments. Towards the end of high school, as a favor to a friend’s band he filled in playing bass for a gig at the last minute and fell in love. Having started on trombone, bass guitar became a natural fit.

In 2003 upon moving to Greensboro to attend UNCG Michael found Daystar church, and after running sound for a few years began playing bass with the praise and worship team. It was during this time that Michael became great friends with Donnie Wright and began helping with recitals for Highland North Music. As time moved on, Highland North Music became bigger, and Michael became more involved with helping out in other facets beyond just playing with the school band. This lead to more new instruments being learned including the mandolin in some bluegrass sets. After graduating from UNCG with a B.S. in Computer Science, he has continued to be involved with Highland North Music both as a musician and any other facets needed.

Through helping with Highland North Music, Michael has enjoyed expanding his musical knowledge both in theory, practice and in new learning endeavors. Michael is thankful for the friendships cultured through Highland North and thoroughly enjoys serving with the Highland North staff. He is greatly looking forward to what the future holds for this school and the future musicians of the Triad.

***

Curtis Moore I have played violin for 16 years, and singing for 7. I studied Music Education at Appalachian State University, and currently I am the choir director at Cathedral of His Glory in Greensboro, NC and I perform often at different events such as weddings and parties. “A mediocre music teacher tells. A good music teacher explains. A superior music teacher demonstrates. A great music teacher inspires.”– William Arthur Ward. Curtis Moore Academy of the Arts, Violin Instructor Phone ***

Vance Archer Vance D. Archer III has been a musician for over 60 years with a career that spans from classical cello and in the Family String Quartet to 30 years of leading Folk Music, Irish Celli and Contra Dance bands in the greater New York City/New Jersey region. Since moving to Greensboro in 2005, Vance has become active in the Triad Music and Art Scene. He plays fiddle in the Irish Pub Band, Banna and the Bluegrass Band “821“. Vance convenes the Triad Fiddlers, a circle that teaches old time and Irish fiddle tunes and techniques to all, and the folk music circle “Bishop’s Bridge” which plays acoustic music from all traditions. Vance hosts a monthly “Traveling Hootenanny” where folks join for an evening of socialization and singing. Vance performs a monthly solo concert series in various Triad Assisted Living venues. For these solo performances he plays Guitar, Autoharp and Fiddle while leading the singing. He also provides solo and duet background entertainment at socialgatherings and trade shows. Vance can gather the proper mix of musicians to accommodate most musical venues. Vance would rather practice outside than inside. He can often be seen strolling in the Bog Garden, Bicentennial Gardens, Country Park or the Arboretum fiddling with his dog Jolly tied to his belt. ***

Mike Highfill I was born in Cailfornia while my father served in the Air Force and moved back to his hometown of Greensboro, NC when I was 15 months old. I have lived in North Carolina since, mostly in Greensboro, but also at Carolina Beach from 2005-2012 and Sparta, in Allegheny County, from 2012-2014. My music career began at the age of 10 when I started playing trumpet at Frazier Elementary School. It was in my Jr. High years that I discovered guitar and bass, on which I was self-taught. During High School, in addition to trumpet, I also played fluegel horn, French horn, and baritone. I was a diligent, dedicated music student. My horn came home and was used daily, even if my other books didn’t! I was definitely a band nerd. With the exception of the 7th grade(where the older kids had 1st section covered, from elementary through high school I was in the 1st trumpet section, always competing for first chair and achieving that goal the majority of my young career. I graduated in 1980from Northeast Guilford High School,and briefly attended UNC-G School of Music. After working several years managing my father’s commercial janitorial business, I attended the School of Nursing at Guilford Technical Community College, where I tutored fellow nursing students in biology, pharmacology and nutrition. This led to a 21-year career in clinical nursing, primarily in Critical Care areas, i.e. ER, CCU, Post Anesthesia, and many years in a ventilator hospital. I had the good fortune to be lead EKG and Advanced Cardial Life Support review instructor for 3 years at the Sugical Center of Greensboro. After much soul searching and prayer, I decided to retire from nursing in 2010. A friend in church owned a screen porch, sun room, and garage door installation business and I worked with him until the construction business fell apart nationally. I only lost my job; my friend lost his 22-year business. Employment opportunities were beyond scarce outside of nursing and I questioned mydecision to leave it, but as always, God had a plan that put me where I needed to be. Both my mom and step-dad would become gravely ill at the same time, which required me to take care of both of them. My step-dad has since passed away and my mother has returned to her home in Summerfield but still requires help, which I am able to provide. While my trumpet playing days ended around 1980, my passion for music has never left, playing guitar and/or bass with many talented musicians and several bands, both secular and Contemporary Christian since. My musical interests are too varied to list but simply put, if it’s good music, genre doesn’t matter. There is a reason we still listen to Mozart! I have been writing songs since High School and have co-written with other musicians, which continues to the present. It is my absolute belief that music is a God-given gift and therefore is meant to be shared. I look forward to helping students learn and grow in and for this art!

How To Play An Acoustic Guitar For Beginners Free How To Play Acoustic Guitar 101

Categories