Robert Bowden

Robert plays everything with strings really well! He teaches fiddle, mandolin and banjo for the Fifth String. Fiddle in the styles of traditional bluegrass, contest waltzes, Irish and old timey. Mandolin in the traditional style of Bill Monroe and banjo in the style of Earl Scruggs and J.D. Crowe along with the frailing and claw hammer styles of Appalachia. From beginner to advanced, Robert teaches improvisation, music reading, and right hand technique and chord theory sufficient enough to participate in group jamming and band performing.

A master in the style of bluegrass, Robert is the teacher for intermediate and advanced players also. A fine instructor for beginners, Robert is at a level of playing that can add "game" to anybody's playing. A very skilled player, he can help any musician improve their chops on any instrument he plays.

Just an interesting note, when a young boy around ten, Robert took his first lessons in the mid sixties from some guy named Jerry Garcia in Palo Alto. Much better than the late great Garcia on banjo for sure. Even played with some of the boys.

Want to be on top of your game, let Robert show some stuff.

James Gavoni

James has been playing guitar for twenty-five years and teaching at the Fifth String for fifteen. Expertise in teaching classical, rock/metal, blues, folk, jazz, bluegrass and finger picking. James also teaches music reading and theory along with tablature and ear training. He earned an AA in music from American River College, a minor in music from California State University, Sacramento and currently plays in the local jazz duet, Eclectic Garden.

James is a very accomplished composer and writer and uses these skills to help the student become a versatile musician able to play improvisation in many different styles. Low key and patient, James has been very successful with the young adult wanting to explore the areas of modern rock. While teaching the student their favorite styles, he also introduces and explores other styles to help develop a well-rounded musician.

Ross Hammond

With a BA in Education from California State University, Sacramento, Ross teaches folk, rock and jazz guitar in either standard notation or tablature. The founding member of the well-known jazz trio "The Sardonic", Ross helps the intermediate student understand and develop the necessary improvisational skills for playing in a band while guiding his beginning students through basic chord theory and song composition sufficient to play and sing most popular songs.

With his heart in jazz, Ross is an excellent teacher for that player who already knows some improv lead but wants to take it the next level of arrangement and composition. Passing chords and color tones, Ross is the guitarist that can show the new jazz player the ropes. One of best new up and coming players around.

Mike Kelly

Having played with the likes of the Michael Gregory Jazz Band, Mercy ME and many others, Mike emphasizes the need to understand and play many different styles of music and encourages the student to explore them all.

From beginner to advanced, Mike is the kind of bass player that will inspire you to be the best bass player you can. No better player in this town.

Peter Kett

Born in England, Peter has been playing guitar for over thirty years while teaching for twenty. His main area of expertise is in the styles of folk, rock blues and fingerpicking. A lover of all styles he is also adept at teaching beginning bluegrass flatpicking, classical, country, slide and open tuning. Pete has AA's in theory, songwriting and performance, and has nearly completed a BA in music from California State University, Sacramento. Lessons can be taught with standard notation, tablature or by ear. Pete has taught at the Fifth String for over ten years, and has become the best at teaching young children (ages 6 and above) and has developed a guitar instruction method with an approach of his own for teaching minors that have shown to be very successful.

To quote Pete, " I make a point of teaching the student what they want to learn, not just what I can teach. However while teaching the student the songs they like, I also introduce and teach a set curriculum for beginning and intermediate students. My intention is to help the student become a well-rounded and versatile musician".

Chema Salinas

Dave Shapiro

Our Berklee School of Music graduate with a B.A. (Summa Cum Laude) Musical Composition, Dave teaches jazz improvisation, composition and arranging. Dave has played and arranged for many great musicians including Bela Fleck, the late great Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, Peter Rowan, Norton Buffalo and Tony Rice.

Dave teaches guitar, banjo, mandolin and uke in about any style you would like. A favorite of both the jazz and bluegrass communities, he teaches in both standard notation and tablature. One of the best at improvisation on guitar, banjo or mandolin, David uses the education he received to help the student develop into a good improv player. He works to explain and develop his jazz student's arrangement and composition skills sufficient enough to play in a jazz band while working with his folk, rock and bluegrass students to understand rhythm and lead techniques necessary to play in rock or bluegrass bands.

For all you advanced jazz players, Dave can take you to the next level. Check out his new Jazz CD !!!!

Greg Townsend

From the bay area bluegrass scene, Greg teaches bluegrass guitar, mandolin and beginning banjo. He was the guitar player from Grant Street String Band and currently plays mandolin with the Green Brothers. Greg teaches bluegrass lead in the styles of Clarence White and Tony Rice along with traditional rhythm in the styles of Jimmy Martin and Lester Flatt. Lots of syncopation, crosspicking and bass runs mixed with right hand techniques that help develop strong bluegrass guitar players.

Greg also teaches mandolin in the style of the late great Bill Monroe. Emphasizing a strong right hand with great attention on rhythm, he helps the student learn the art of lead improvisation and rhythm necessary to play in a bluegrass band. Music is taught by tablature or by ear.

Greg teaches beginning banjo in the style of Earl Scruggs, introducing the student to the right hand techniques necessary to play bluegrass banjo.

Julie Meyers

New to our family of teachers is local musician and songwriter Julie Meyers. In her own words, "Julie Meyers never wanted to be a solo artist. Despite being a singer and songwriter since her early teens and despite countless performances, sharing the stage with musicians like Sebadoh and Evan Dando (arguably responsible for the singing and the songwriting during aforementioned early teens), Julie has never released a solo album. Instead, she has cut her musical teeth playing guitar and keyboards, singing, and writing with various Sacramento acts (SquishtheBadMan, The Famous Celebrities, Anton Barbeau, David Houston, The Splints, and a brief but heady stint with The Sores). Maybe all of this frenetic collaboration has churned up her creative insides enough to explain her current "solo" sound - tangled chords from a DIY guitar wrapped around darkly pristine vocal melodies. With Brian Grupe on bass and Dave Middleton on drums, Julie is preparing to release her first solo full-length record in August/September, but it is - of course - a full band effort."

Steve Randall

Another proud addition to our teaching staff is Steve Randall. It would be silly, and far too space consuming, to list off the number of groups he's played with but it's basically a who's who of Sacramento pop and alt-country acts. Currently Steve is performing every wedesday with Richard March at the Americana Ramble at Marilyn's on K street. Anton Barbeau and the Arlenes are two more of Steve's currently active groups. Maybe one of the reasons he is so sought after is that he is an outstanding guitarist, well versed in all styles. That's him on the left there holding the award he recently recieved for being named the best guitarist in Sacramento. No argument here, we're glad to have him on board.

Sherman Baker

Sherman teaches beginning to intermediate Folk,Country,Rock and Blues guitar. He currently teaches students of all ages from six to sixty. He is also a Singer and Songwriter who has played with Michael Fracasaso, Matt the Electrician, Landon Pigg, Jackie Greene,Tim Bluhm and many others in the Sacramento and Bay areas. He has played most area venues including the Sac State Ballroom for an audience of 1200 as well as The Concert in the Park series for the last two years. He is a huge fan of Rock music from Chuck Berry to Neil Young to "modern" bands such as The White Stripes and Radiohead. He is also is a fan and player of old Country such as Hank Williams and Johhny Cash as well as electric blues artists Muddy Waters and Freddie King.