About the Project

A history told through musicians

Guitarists Behind the Story explores classical and fingerstyle guitar in East Tennessee through the lives of players, teachers and composers. The collection connects Knoxville’s musical community with the wider traditions that help listeners understand its music.

Local connections and a wider context

Some entries document direct local history: musicians who taught, performed, broadcast or helped build musical organizations in Knoxville and East Tennessee. Others provide broader musical context. Their inclusion does not imply that they lived or performed here; each entry explains its connection to the larger story.

Begin with the historical overview, or explore the guitarist directory.

Sources and an incomplete record

The entries link to supporting sources so readers can follow the evidence. Where the surviving record is limited, the text identifies what is known and what remains uncertain. Jeremiah McGrath’s research entry, for example, preserves a documented teaching connection without inventing a fuller biography.

Help strengthen the history

Corrections and additional sources can help make this history more complete. If you have a relevant program, publication, photograph or documented recollection to suggest, please visit the Knoxville Classical Guitar website to get in touch. Include the entry or passage concerned and enough information to identify the source.