Guitar

Ian Duthie

Ian graduated the guitar program at the Musicians Institute in Los Angeles, CA in 1987. Studies included all modern styles and influences as well as music theory, song writing, live performance and recording. Specializing in rock guitar Ian has worked with many independent artists and bands.

Moving to Nashville in 1992 Ian has since worked in the local music industry in a variety of aspects. Currently teaching at Gene Ford Music Ian is also involved in freelance engineering/producing and composing.

Matt Lund

Matt Lund performs, composes and teaches music. His main instrument is electric guitar but he also plays acoustic, classical and pedal steel guitar. His style is influenced by experience with rock 'n roll, classical, jazz, blues, pop, R&B, country and fusion. 

He studied jazz, classical and other styles of music while earning his music degree from Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, Michigan.  In 2006, Mr. Lund relocated to Murfreesboro, Tennessee to pursue a master's degree in jazz guitar at Middle Tennessee State University, where he received a graduate assistantship. He has completed his degree and now teaches at the university and performs in the area.

Janet McLaughlin

Janet has 20 years experience teaching guitar - Janet’s teaching spans from the basics of chords, rhythm, music reading and the Nashville number system to the nuances of various genres and styles. She has a Bachelor of Music Education (BME, classical guitar major, voice minor) and is a professional singer-songwriter, As a professional musician, Janet has performed with Indigo Girls, Shawn Mullins, Emmylou Harris, John Prine, Roger Miller, Rick Nelson, Waylon Jennings, John Hartford, Pierce Pettis, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Jill Colucci, Mary Ann Kennedy, Maura O'Connell, Iris Dement, Dan Seals, Tom Chapin, Mark Collie, Steve Seskin, Randy Sharp, & Casey Kelly.

Janet also teaches keyboard, bass, banjo, mandolin and theory.

Ron Miller

Graduate of the Berklee College of Music. Director of the Night Train to Nashville House Band. Member of the Jazz Journalist Association, Indianapolis Jazz Foundation, the Music for LIfe Alliance, The AFof M, International Association of Jazz Educators and the Music City Blues Society. Ron is a seasoned performer with dozens of R&B legends.

Schylar Shoates

Schylar is a dynamic and encouraging instructor. This is the reason he has so many enthusiastic and proficient students. His positive attitude coupled with his rock 'n roll style make him one of our most popular instructors. Schylar has a degree from MTSU and before coming to Gene Ford Music, taught for 5 years at Chambers Guitar. Take lessons from Schylar and be ready to be a fan for life.

Gene Ford

After growing up playing rock and blues guitar, gene earned his Classic guitar performance degree from Towson University in Maryland.Gene is a Nashville session player, songwriter and has toured with many artists. Most importantly, he has maintained a successful teaching roster, providing highly individualized lessons for beginners and recording artists alike. Though many students are brought to Gene by producers, recording labels, and other music industry professionals, he considers every student equal in importance, with the capacity to enjoy music at every level of participation.

Geno Haffner

After graduating with honors from Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, Geno moved to Nashville. In addition to being an accomplished performer, Geno is also a composer. Home Town Woman, a song he co-wrote with bassist Scott Achord, has been cut by Rockin’ Dopsey, Jr. and Delicious Blues Stew. With Tom Larson and Moriah Harris, he composed the music for Twelve Dancing Princesses, a play written by Teri and Marianne Clark that premiered at the Houston Family Arts Center in Houston, Texas on September 1, 2006. Currently Geno is leading his own group, jump blues band The Dean Martinis. Their swinging take on Cool Yule is on the recent release from Red Beet Records Yuletide From the Other Side: More Music From East Nashville. Proceeds from the cd will go to the EarthMatters Networks, an environmental group based in East Nashville. .

Brian Lucas

With over 15 years of teaching experience, Brian Lucas has developed a style that caters to the unique needs of each student. He combines real world experience with proven teaching techniques.  Brian holds a Performance degree from the Berklee College of Music and is an active member of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA).

In his time living in Boston, NYC, Washington, DC, and now Nashville, Brian has become an accomplished vocalist, pianist, actor and musical director, working for companies including: HBO, Paramount, ABC and Touchstone as well as numerous professional theaters and has experience leading full union bands and orchestras.  His performance experience includes extensive work in both studio and live venues, and he is currently a regular singer/songwriter performer in clubs around Nashville, including the Bluebird Café.

Oscar Utterstrom

Background: Originally from Sweden, Oscar came to the United States to study in 1999. In 2002 he moved to Nashville and has since then been very active on the music scene both playing and teaching. Performance experience: Professional performances in the United States, South Korea, and Europe with groups and orchestras such as Halfbrass, Bump City, Nashville Jazz Orchestra and the MTSU Wind Ensemble.

Education:  Business/Management (Summa Cum Laude) from Berklee College of Music. M.A. in Jazz Studies (Summa Cum Laude) from Middle Tennessee State University. Oscar was Graduate Teaching Assistant while at MTSU. Recipient of the MTSU McLean School of Music Scholarship, Henry Grossman Memorial Scholarship (Berklee), Berklee Achievement Scholarship, and B.E.S.T. Award (Berklee Entering Student Talent).

Brian Lucas

With over 15 years of teaching experience, Brian Lucas has developed a style that caters to the unique needs of each student. He combines real world experience with proven teaching techniques.  Brian holds a Performance degree from the Berklee College of Music and is an active member of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA).

In his time living in Boston, NYC, Washington, DC, and now Nashville, Brian has become an accomplished vocalist, pianist, actor and musical director, working for companies including: HBO, Paramount, ABC and Touchstone as well as numerous professional theaters and has experience leading full union bands and orchestras.  His performance experience includes extensive work in both studio and live venues, and he is currently a regular singer/songwriter performer in clubs around Nashville, including the Bluebird Café.

Christina Watson Utterstrom

After graduating Magna Cum Lauda from Berklee College of Music in 2001, Watson moved to Nashville. Christina started learning piano by ear and began singing at a very early age. After studying piano formally for two years and winning the "Best Student" award from her teacher, Christina moved to Knoxville and, due to the lack of a piano, began singing as first soprano in school choirs. Realizing that singing was her musical niche, she continued to sing in groups both large and small. She began studying classical voice privately. The third and final year of Christina's Masters Degree preparation was spent teaching English in a high school in Coulommiers, France, about one hour east of Paris. While in Coulommiers, she studied classical voice with Madame Monique TrÈcan and was asked to sing soprano solos in performances with various choirs.

It was in France that Christina decided to follow her dream to become a professional singer... but not in the classical world. Jazz and blues had always been lurking in the background as the soul-stirring genres she wished to perform. Upon her return to the United States, Christina finished her Masters in French. She earned a four-year Professional Diploma in Vocal Performance from the world-renowned Berklee College of Music.

Duane Norman

Duane has been a full time professional musician for 22 years. He has traveled the world performing with an amazing array of artists including: The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, David Palmer of Jethro Tull, The Temptations, and Crystal Gayle. A graduate of the legendary Creative Music Studio in New York, he has had many successful students. Duane is currently endorsed by Gretsch Drums, Bosphorus cymbals, Vic Firth drumsticks, Gibraltar Hardware, Remo drumheads, and Toca Percussion. Visit Duane's website at www.duanenorman.com.

Bryon Larrance

A Tennessee native, Bryon Larrance discovered his passion for music when he received the gift of a violin on his fourth birthday, then found his calling six years later when he took command of his first drum set. He explored a variety of genres including jazz and rock with Led Zeppelin as a significant musical influence. Bryon earned both Bachelor and Masters degrees in music, studied under the New England Conservatory’s professor of percussion Bob Moses and Manhattan School of Music’s John Reilly before relocating to Nashville to study with world-renowned drummer Chester Thompson at Belmont University.

Bryon became a sought after session and touring drummer in Nashville and through the years has worked with Percy Sledge, Jack Pearson, Chris Rice, Rachel Kice, Marty Magehee, Roy Vogt, Shane Roberts, Wes Willett, Ericka Dunlap and Joe Beck. Most recently, in 2008, Bryon joined the John Cowan Band; an ensemble that Bryon feels will afford him the freedom to further elevate his passion for percussion to a new level with a band renowned for creativity across several musical genres.

Ron Miller

Graduate of the Berklee College of Music. Director of the Night Train to Nashville House Band. Member of the Jazz Journalist Association, Indianapolis Jazz Foundation, the Music for LIfe Alliance, The AFof M, International Association of Jazz Educators and the Music City Blues Society. Ron is a seasoned performer with dozens of R&B legends.