My Story

Buck grew up in the 60’s listening to AM Radio, the Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Four Seasons, all the Brit invasion groups, the Folk artists, Motown and Stax/Volt.  Piano lessons, church choir, learning songs on a Martin D12-35 and playing in rock bands were primary influences.  In the early 70s he played with the Washington, DC acoustic group, Early Van Pelt and was a regular side man with the Nighthawks.

For many years he lived in NJ and played in pit orchestras for Broadway musicals as a bass player and guitar player and also was Musical Director of many theatre shows in the U.S. and in Europe, eventually being nominated for two Helen Hayes Awards for best musical direction. 

He taught in private high school, College, University and The National Guitar Workshop where he was Head Teacher and wrote most of the curricula for Jazz Guitar as well as running Workshop Sounds Recording and the Keyboard and MIDI workshop.  He has written 18 books and book/cds published by Alfred Music.  During this time he was fortunate to play with Tony Trischka, Dave Hamburger, Stacy Phillips Mark Egan, The Kennedys, Mike Marshall and many more.

Ending up in Washington, DC in the 90s, he worked as a composer for TV, Film, Radio, Industrials and political clients including both President Clinton and President G.H.W. Bush.  He scored many episodes of America’s Most Wanted as well as commercials for PBS, the Smithsonian Institution and the Washington Post.  Being in DC led him to become a member of the Nils Lofgren Band and the Nils Lofgren Acoustic Duo which led to gigs with Mary Ann Redmond and the chance to play with Bruce Springsteen, Jeffrey “Skunk” Baxter and many more great artists.

Finally moving to Nashville in the mid-2000s, he has played with Robert Lee Castleman (grammy award winning songwriter for “The Lucky One” done by Alison Krauss), Americana Duo Bedhed and Blondy, Dobie Gray, Nick Nixon, Marion James and Suzanne Fiering and the Elegant Gypsies.  He plays guitars, lap steel, keyboards, mandolin, dobro and has a personal recording studio where he records original Acoustic Americana music.  

Currently   • Guitar, Songwriting & Music Technology Teacher                                                  Brentwood, TN 

                  • Audio Engineer • Songwriter • Studio Guitarist/Multi-Instrumentalist 

Professional Experience 

2017 - Present                             • A/V Technician at Encore Event Technologies                     Nashville, TN 

2015-2017                                   • Warehouse Manager at BonusBev LLC 

2013-2015                                   • Composer/Guitarist/Audio Engineer at InSessionAudio     Mt. Juliet, TN                           

2012-2014                                   • Guitarist for Bedhed And Blondy                                           Nashville, TN 

2011                                            • Jazz Band Instructor/Arranger at Kids On Stage                   Franklin, TN 

1998-2007                                  • Guitars/Keyboards/Mandolin/Vocals:                          

                                                   The Nils Lofgren Band / The Nils Lofgren Acoustic Duo     U.S. & U.K. 

1995-2001                                 • Theatre Musical Director: The Studio Theatre                        Washington, DC 

1995                                           • Guitar Teacher: Georgetown University                                  Washington, DC 

1991-1994                                  • Composer & Audio Engineer: Soundwave Post, Inc              Washington, DC 

                                                     • Fox TV – America’s Most Wanted 

                                                     • PBS TV 

                                                     • Film & Video for Associations, Industrials 

                                                     • Political Clients including: Presidents Clinton & Bush 41 

1987-1991                       Associate Professor of Music Technology:  Raritan Valley College     North Branch, NJ 

                                                    • Developed the Music Technology program 

                                                    • Designed & equipped the MIDI laboratory 

                                                    • Developed and taught the curriculum 

                                                    • Directed the Jazz Ensemble 

                                       Adjunct Professor of Music Technology                                                  SUNY New Paltz, NY 

                                                   • Taught Music Technology courses 

                                                   • Taught Jazz Theory and Jazz Guitar courses      

1984-1991                    Assistant Director / Head Teacher:  The National Guitar Workshop        New Milford, CT 

                                                 • Resource and Equipment Director 

                                                 • Head Teacher: Theory, Guitar, Music Technology 

                                                 • Author of Jazz Theory, Jazz Guitar, Recording Texts 

                                                 • Director of The National Keyboard/MIDI Workshop 

                                                 • Studio Manager & Recording Engineer of Workshop Sounds Recording 

 1983                            Musical Director:  HAIR! The European Tour                                            Europe 

Publications - Alfred Music Publishing

• The Ultimate Guitar Chord and Scale Bible                                             Book 

• The Ultimate Guitar Chord Bible                                                              Book 

• Guitar Chord Resource                                                                           Book + CD 

• Chord Connections - Guitar Harmony                                                    Book 

• Jazz For The Rock Guitarist                                                                   Book + CD 

• Jazz Guitar Concepts                                                                             Book + CD 

• Jazz Chops For Guitar                                                                           Book + CD 

• Blues Chops For Guitar                                                                         Book + CD 

• Stand Alone: Basic Guitar, Book 1 and Book 2                                     Book + CD 

• Stand Alone: Rhythm Guitar                                                                 Book + CD 

• Stand Alone: Blues Guitar                                                                    Book + CD 

• Stand Alone: Jazz Guitar                                                                       Book + CD 

• Stand Alone: Classic Rock Guitar                                                         Book + CD 

• Stand Alone: Rockabilly Guitar                                                              Book + CD 

• Stand Alone: Funk Guitar                                                                      Book + CD 

• Beginning Rock Keyboards                                                                   Book + CD 

Recording Discography 

2017                             • The Slow Lane                                                                                        Buck Brown 

2017                             • Cruise Control                                                                                         Buck Brown 

2013                             • Bedhed and Blondy Live                       (Electric Guitar)                          Bedhed and Blondy 

2006                             • Nils Lofgren and Friends Live DVD        (Keyboards, Guitars)                  Nils Lofgren & Friends 

2005                             • The Nils Lofgren Tribute Show DVD      (Keyboards, Guitars, Mandolin)   Nils Lofgren & Friends 

2003                             • Old Friends                                                                                                 Buck Brown 

2002                             • The Nils Lofgren Band Live                   (Keyboards, Guitars)                  The Nils Lofgren Band 

2000                             • Slip Away                                                                                                   Buck Brown 

1991                             • Any Poor Fool                                                                                            Buck Brown 

1989                             • Fireworks                                                                                                   Buck Brown 

Awards                 

                             Helen Hayes Award Nominations: Outstanding Musical Direction-Resident Production 

1999                      KEROUAC - The Studio Theater                                                                       Washington, DC       

1998                      HAIR        - The Studio Theater                                                                         Washington, DC       

1992                      The New York Film Festival Bronze Medal      

                             The U.S. Air National Guard Recruitment Film                                                   New York, NY 

1990                      Emmy Award: Best Children’s TV Show                                                           Cleveland, OH 

                              “The Worldly Wise Network”                                               

 Education            

                              Mike Santiago                                  Private Guitar Study                                    New Brunswick, NJ 

                              Berklee College Of Music               Guitar Performance                                       Boston, MA 

                             Roanoke College                             BA - Philosophy/Religion                               Salem, VA 

                             The Mount Hermon School              College Preparatory                                      Mt. Hermon, MA