Pat Kirtley has made a career of telling stories through his guitar, conjuring places both exotic and traditional, with a category-defying repertoire of blues, folk, pop, celtic, latin, jazz, and down-home country. His music is known for its honesty, humor and depth.
As a creator of new acoustic music, he has penned a virtual library of fresh, lyrical compositions for guitar. Pat's talents won him the title of US National Fingerstyle Champion in 1995, National Thumbpicking Champion in 1994, and his playing continues to garner international praise. He was hailed as one of "The Next Generation: Hot New Acoustic Acts for the Millenium" by Acoustic Guitar Magazine.
As a writer, Pat has been a featured columnist for magazines Onstage, Electronic Musician, Home Recording, Wood & Steel, and Germany's Akustik Gitarre. He is also known and respected as a guitar educator, traveling thousands of miles each year giving musician workshops as an international clinician for Taylor Guitars.
He is a veteran of the festival scene, having been a featured performer and presenting masterclasses at major events across the country and internationally. Pat has produced numerous instructional videos from Guitar Workshop and books from Mel Bay. He was selected as one of the artists for Narada Records' CD project "Guitar Fingerstyle" which sold over a quarter million copies, followed up by appearances on Narada's Masters of Acoustic Guitar and Guitar Fingerstyle 2.
Under his own name Pat has produced five acclaimed albums which have become perennial staples of the acoustic guitar world. Pat co-produced and appears in the respected "World of Celtic Guitar" series from Vestapol Videos, which spawned accompanying books from Mel Bay and CD's from Rounder, and produced "The Nine Pound Hammer". a performance - documentary on the Kentucky Thumbpicking style.
Pat's music is featured on National Public Radio’s Morning Edition and All Things Considered. On broadcast TV, Pat's performances are featured on two seasons of KET Network’s award-winning Jubilee music series, and his music has been used as soundtracks on Lifetime Network’s The Wire.
As a creator of new acoustic music, he has penned a virtual library of fresh, lyrical compositions for guitar. Pat's talents won him the title of US National Fingerstyle Champion in 1995, National Thumbpicking Champion in 1994, and his playing continues to garner international praise. He was hailed as one of "The Next Generation: Hot New Acoustic Acts for the Millenium" by Acoustic Guitar Magazine.
As a writer, Pat has been a featured columnist for magazines Onstage, Electronic Musician, Home Recording, Wood & Steel, and Germany's Akustik Gitarre. He is also known and respected as a guitar educator, traveling thousands of miles each year giving musician workshops as an international clinician for Taylor Guitars.
He is a veteran of the festival scene, having been a featured performer and presenting masterclasses at major events across the country and internationally. Pat has produced numerous instructional videos from Guitar Workshop and books from Mel Bay. He was selected as one of the artists for Narada Records' CD project "Guitar Fingerstyle" which sold over a quarter million copies, followed up by appearances on Narada's Masters of Acoustic Guitar and Guitar Fingerstyle 2.
Under his own name Pat has produced five acclaimed albums which have become perennial staples of the acoustic guitar world. Pat co-produced and appears in the respected "World of Celtic Guitar" series from Vestapol Videos, which spawned accompanying books from Mel Bay and CD's from Rounder, and produced "The Nine Pound Hammer". a performance - documentary on the Kentucky Thumbpicking style.
Pat's music is featured on National Public Radio’s Morning Edition and All Things Considered. On broadcast TV, Pat's performances are featured on two seasons of KET Network’s award-winning Jubilee music series, and his music has been used as soundtracks on Lifetime Network’s The Wire.
