Joe Scott

As a Colorado native who grew up near Boulder, Joe was surrounded by not only the natural beauty of the Rocky Mountains but also a vibrant acoustic-based music scene. He began playing the acoustic guitar at age 12. By the time he was 14, his dad suggested he take up the 5-string banjo. So instead of learning the latest Led Zeppelin and Beatles songs, he immersed himself in Bill Monroe, Lester Flat, and Earl Scruggs. Over the next several years, he was involved in various folk, bluegrass and rock groups based in the Colorado area. At age 23, he attended the Guitar Institute of Technology in Hollywood, CA. There he studied all styles of acoustic and electric guitar and was fortunate enough to study with many of the world’s finest guitar players, such as Robin Ford, Tommy Tedesco, Frank Gambale, the late Howard Roberts and jazz great Joe Pass. After graduating GIT, Joe toured the country extensively playing guitar, banjo, mandolin and vocals with the New Christy Minstrels, a popular 1960’s folk group based in Los Angeles. In 1985 he returned home to Colorado to start the group Wind Machine with Steve Mesple. Wind Machine toured for the next 14 years, and released 13 critically-acclaimed recordings. Wind Machine ended its run in the spring of 1998, and Joe moved on to start Acoustic Eidolon, an internationally-renown acoustic duo with wife and cellist Hannah Alkire. Over 20 years and 12 albums later, they continue to tour around the world, bringing incredible acoustic music to audiences large and small.