GUSTAVO FOFÃO

GUITAR OF CHOICE
Gustavo plays the Avenir 20 Series Large Auditorium Engelmann Wenge Fan Fret with the SGI NS3 Natural Sound 3 Pickup
BIO
Seeking references in Fingerstyle techniques, he designs pieces that shed sensitivity in the form of sounds. Thus, he manages to establish the ‘music x soul’ connection and delivers to the public works that perfectly fulfill the purpose of awakening a feast for the senses.
MARIO PARIZEK

GUITAR OF CHOICE
Mario plays the Avenir 25 Series Engleman Wenge Fan Fret Guitar
BIO
Mario Parizek: From Street Performer to Concert Hall
Mario Parizek began his career as a street performer in 2015, captivating audiences with his unique and original compositions. As a dedicated composer, Parizek exclusively plays his own music, a commitment reflected in his two acclaimed albums, “Coming Closer” and “Dark Dust.”
One of Parizek’s most notable collaborations is with Hermann Delago, an Austrian arranger for symphonic wind orchestras. Together, they created “Fingerpick Meets Blasmusik,” a groundbreaking piece that blends percussive fingerstyle guitar with wind orchestras and big bands. This innovative composition has been performed by orchestras across Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, the USA, and at the 20th Tampere Guitar Festival in Finland, where Mario served as the soloist.
Before pursuing music full-time, Parizek worked as a carpenter and later in a guitar shop, where he began his independent guitar studies, bypassing formal university training. After relocating to Vienna, he became a full-time street performer, playing hundreds of shows over 2-3 years and developing his current live performance program. In 2023, Mario Parizek was invited to teach at the prestigious Thomas Leeb Acoustic Guitar Boot Camp. The same year, he participated in the Busking World Cup in Korea, advancing to the “Round
of 16″ out of 1,700 participants. Most recently, in 2024, he performed at the NAMM Showcase stage, further solidifying his reputation as a figure in contemporary guitar music.
DYLAN RYCHE

GUITAR OF CHOICE
Dylan plays the SGI-Boucher Model from our Boutique collection.
BIO
Dylan Ryche (pronounced ‘Rike’) originally hails from Melbourne, Australia where as a young boy in the late 80’s he was captivated by the big hooks, big choruses, big melodies…and big hair of 80s rock n’ roll. His mission? Be a songwriter.
He promptly took some guitar lessons and sat down in his bedroom – which was covered in posters of Skid Row, Warrant & Poison and set about writing as many songs as possible, filling up tape after tape (this was the cassette era!) of songs and ideas. During this time he wrote songs and formed bands with virtually everybody that he knew. Eventually, an increasing interest in country music, progressive rock and the solo guitar playing of Yes guitarist Steve Howe led him to pick up a Tommy Emmanuel book and study the acoustic guitar more seriously. He figured – ‘Hey – you could write, play and rehearse without needing five people to all get to the same rehearsal room at the same time. Talk about being more efficient!’
After relocating to Canada in 2008, Dylan Ryche has recorded three original solo guitar albums; “Acoustic Fingerstyle Guitar” in 2011, “Daydreamer” in 2017, and “Two Tigers” in 2021, along with multiple singles. These releases showcase his dedication to songwriting craft and evolution as a composer.
Fingerstyleguitarists.com notably said of Ryche, “This man is a compositional genius.”
Dylan is the 2012 champion of the prestigious Canadian Fingerstyle Competition held annually at the Canadian Guitar Festival.
Total Guitar Magazine called Ryche ‘one of the best acoustic guitarists right now’ in 2022
ANGEL GOMEZ

GUITAR OF CHOICE
Angel plays the Bridgeport BG200 CM-C with the SGI NS3 Natural Sound 3 Pickup
BIO
Angel Gomez is a seasoned guitarist and producer with two decades of experience in the music industry.
His versatility has allowed him to successfully navigate various genres, from shows at a country bar to sessions with award-winning artists.
Driven by a passion for excellence, Angel continually seeks out instruments with inspiring playability, that can also deliver exceptional tone.
The Bridgeport BG-200 has become an indispensable tool in his arsenal, being the perfect gigging tool for live shows and festivals. An outstanding guitar at an entry level price range, without compromising a great tone with its NS3 pickup.
Throughout his extensive touring and performance career, Angel has shared the stage with iconic artists and bands, including Megadeth, Alan Doyle, Helloween, Brothers Osborne, or Santana.
Angel also released two solo albums, “Personal Universo” (2011) and EGO (2017), which allowed him to showcase his remarkable adaptability and musicianship.
Presently, Angel Gomez is an in-demand musician within the Toronto music scene, actively involved with multiple bands and serving as a sideman for prominent country and pop artists.
JOE H HENRY

GUITAR OF CHOICE
Joe plays a custom Avenir Vintage Series Dreadnought with the SGI NS3 pickup system.
BIO
With a voice as powerful as a wayward freight train, singer-songwriter Joe H Henry bellows the flames of gritty roots with a whole lot of soul.
The son of award-winning Canadian country musician Harvey Henry, Joe was born to sing. Gifted with a one-of-a-kind voice and a love for story telling through song, drawing from his musical roots and Metis heritage of the Red River Valley.
Joe’s younger years were spent riding freight trains from town to town with nothing but a faithful dog and a guitar, collecting life lessons and harnessing the flame of inspiration that was often masked in struggle. Eventually settling down to raise a family, Joe moved to a homestead on North Mountain, Nova Scotia with his wife and five children in 2020.
With the release of his debut EP, Keep the Fire Burning, (Summer 2023) Joe is ready to wholeheartedly share his talents with the world.
TOWNSEND T

GUITAR OF CHOICE
Townsend plays the Hozen Black Label Sitka Spruce/Rosewood with the SGI NS3 Natural Sound 3 Pickup
BIO
Townsend has been in the music industry scene for many years, opening for chart-topping artists including Sister Hazel, Jason Reeves, Kris Allen, Maggie Rose, and Ben Rector. She was also named band of the month, received the Spotlight Award, twice named International Songwriting Semi-Finalist, and won multiple Battle of the Bands competitions. Her songs have appeared in commercials as well as short films.
In 2019, Townsend played at the Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival and shared the spotlight with award-winning songwriters for artists such as Ashley McBryde, Tim McGraw, Garth Brooks, and many more. More recently, Townsend participated in the Cartagena International Guitar festival in Colombia. Along the way, she has gained several music industry endorsements, including Artesia-Pro, K&K Sound Systems, Stonebridge Guitars, Fishman, and Elixir Strings.
Additionally, as Townsend is passionate about giving back, she now hosts a weekly podcast raising awareness for mental health titled “You’re Not Alone With Townsend.” The project has made a profound impact, with countless fans reaching out to share their mental health stories, interest from organizations, media coverage, as well as landing her the title of “Arkansan of the Day”.
Fast forward to 2023, Townsend is working hand in hand with multi-Grammy winning artists and producers to bring her best project yet!
Whether you like pop, rock, or country, you’re bound to love the soulful sounds of Townsend!
DREW ALKEMA

GUITAR OF CHOICE
Drew plays an artist custom Avenir 20 LAC-CW-FF with the SGI NS3 Natural Sound Pickup.
BIO
For over 15 years Drew Alkema has been entertaining crowds all over the United States and southern Canada with just a simple guitar. Blending complex techniques with a mix of classical, souther rock, and 90’s alternative music the fingerstyle guitarist truly embodies originality. Over his career the Grand Rapids, Michigan native has performed with artists the likes of Tantric, Bullet For My Valentine, Lauren Duski, Spencer Elliot, and more. Nicknamed “The Monster” and “The Hunk” by fellow industry guitarists, the charismatic personality was also featured in “Acoustic Uprising”. A global documentary about modern fingerstyle guitar, filmed over multiple continents and including some of the world’s best acoustic guitarists. Along with Stonebridge Guitars International, Drew is also a featured artist of Breedlove Guitars, K&K Sound, Thalia Capos, Elite Acoustics and Sunburst Gear, John Pearse Strings, and Earthboard Pedalboard.
BOB MCALPINE

GUITAR OF CHOICE
Bob plays the Avenir 20-AC-CR with the SGI NS3 Natural Sound 3 Pickup
BIO
Bob McAlpine has been an in-demand session player and “go-to” guitar man on the Toronto music scene with a career spanning decades. His guitar work has been heard on scores of albums, television shows, jingles, and movies, including the Hollywood films Mrs. Winterbourne (1996) and Pixels (2015). He has actively conducted guitar workshops and clinics, and has written guitar columns for Canadian Musician magazine. Bob’s versatility and sight-reading skills have secured him performances with such diverse artists as David Clayton-Thomas (guitar sub 2005-present), Alan Frew (Glass Tiger), Richard Page (Mr. Mister), Roger Whittaker (2005 tour), Lawrence Gowan of Styx (Strange Animal/Criminal Mind tour 1985-86, reunion tours 2017-present), The Sugarhill Gang, Rik Emmett (Triumph), Jim Cuddy (Blue Rodeo), Neil Donell (current lead vocalist of Chicago), A Foot In Coldwater, The Canadian Idol House Band, Rich Little, Joan Rivers, Shirley MacLaine, and a host of R&B stars including Ben E. King, Martha Reeves, Mary Wilson, The Chambers Brothers, Freda Payne, and Little Anthony and the Imperials. His theatre credits include the Toronto productions of Come From Away, Hairspray, Hamilton, Kinky Boots, Mean Girls, Rock Of Ages, Grease, Rent (Stratford), Hair, and the Queen musical We Will Rock You, where he subbed for both guitar players and thereby had the honour of playing every Brian May solo and harmony part in the show. Bob also plays bass guitar, mandolin, banjo, bouzouki, ukulele, and has many years of experience as a songwriter, vocalist and producer.
Amidst all his freelance gigs and session work, Bob has managed to perform regularly with a few notable Toronto based bands: Nightfly (corporate and clubs 1990-2000), Pretzel Logic (10-piece Steely Dan tribute 1993-2021), and Brass Transit (Chicago tribute 2008-2021).
2014 CANADIAN FINGERSTYLE GUITAR CHAMPION:
Bob McAlpine was awarded a first place finish at the 2014 Canadian Guitar Festival, where he was one of 25 competitors from the United States, Canada, Europe, Uruguay, Thailand and New Zealand. He performed 3 songs from his solo acoustic album “Energy Over Distance”, and was chosen as the winner by judges Don Ross, Ed Gerhard, Calum Graham, and Maneli Jamal.
STUDIES:
Bob began playing guitar at age 8, and by age 11 had begun studying with legendary Canadian guitar teacher Tony Bradan. He completed Tony’s guitar course through 6 years of private study, and then went on to become a graduate of the Humber College Music Program in Toronto.
CORY MARKS

GUITAR OF CHOICE
Cory plays the Avenir 20-VD-SR Vintage Dreadnought in Sitka Spruce/Rosewood
BIO
Cory Marks is a Canadian country rock singer-songwriter, drummer, actor, pilot and former ice hockey player. He is signed to Better Noise Music.[2] He has released two albums, This Man in 2015 under Big Star Recordings and most recently Who I Am in 2020 under Better Noise. Since the release the album has accumulated over 220 million global streams with his debut single “Outlaws & Outsiders” being certified Platinum in Canada, Gold in the USA and reaching top 10 at US rock radio, #3 in Germany, making Marks the first to ever do so as a Canadian country act. In 2023 Cory played major festivals and toured across Canada and the US. Fresh off the Raw Whiskey Tour with rock legends ZZ Top he’s just finished his 3rd album in Nashville set for release in 2024 with more new music and tour announcements to come!
Follow Cory on Instagram, Twitter, Tiktok and Facebook: @corymarksmusic
SHEILA WILLIAMS

GUITAR OF CHOICE
Sheila plays the Avenir 25-AC-CR with the SGI NS3 Natural Sound 3 Pickup
BIO
A proud Newfoundlander and renowned celebrity in her province, Sheila Williams has been performing for 30 years. Included in her list of credits are: singing, acting, conference hosting, motivational speaking and her favorite, comedy.
Sheila is able to weave all of these abilities into a unique tapestry which will entertain your audience while compelling them to think differently.
Some highlights of her career include producing and performing her own sold out shows in 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023! Producing and performing an online show in 2020 and 2021. Travelling to Ireland to perform Nunsense in the Light Opera Festival for which she received the Adjudicator’s Award. She has performed with Simon Cotter (Just for Laughs), and has also acted in commercials for television and radio.
Sheila has a degree in Music Education from the Memorial University of Newfoundland and a degree in Music Therapy from Capilano University, British Columbia. She believes in the healing powers of music and humour and is presently working as a Music Therapist. Sheila is the honored recipient of the 2012 Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Commemorative Medal for her Cultural Contribution to Canada.
MICHELLE QURESHI

GUITAR OF CHOICE
Michelle plays the MAESTRO by Hozen Vera SR CSB GY with the SGI NS3 Natural Sound 3 Pickup
BIO
Michelle Qureshi, an award winning artist who is a classically trained guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and composer, has released 16 albums and 10 singles since 2012, with millions of streams on global platforms. Combining her formal training with intuitive and improvisational elements, she performs both as a solo guitarist and a presenter of sound experiences. Her Harmonic Sound Immersion™ is a transformative sound meditation created by the healing vibrations of ancient and modern instruments; a kind of horizontal concert.
KAT GRÜVS

GUITAR OF CHOICE
Kat plays the SGI Bridgeport B400-AC-CB Solid Cedar and Bocote with the SGI NS3 Natural Sound 3 Pickup
BIO
Kat Gallardo, known as “katgrüvs,” is riding the new wave of modern fingerstyle guitarists. Covering her heroes such as Michael Hedges, Andy McKee, and Preston Reed in high school, she fell in love and was inspired by the polyphonic sound of open-tuned acoustic guitar. A self-taught artist with a solid sense of time and rhythm, she discovers new ways to nurture her passion for percussive fingerstyle guitar arrangement and composition. The name “katgrüvs” captures her innate feel for “grüv” and pocket, a trait steeped in years of playing in jazz, funk, and rock ensembles. A graduate from the University of California, Davis in Mechanical Engineering, she aspires to marry her lifelong passion for music with creative engineering.
Kat has shared the stage with and opened for internationally-renowned fingerstyle guitarists such as Van Larkins, Adrian Bellue, Nick Johnson, Janet Noguera, Forest Bailey, and more. She performed at the House of Blues in Anaheim in January 2020 alongside fingerstyle legends Kaki King, Muriel Anderson, Christie Lenée, and Vicki Genfan, as part of Fretmonkey Records’ Women in Fingerstyle Concert. She has also been a featured guest artist on Candyrat Records. Kat is proudly endorsed by Stonebridge Guitars, Elite Acoustics, Music Area Cases, Cling On Tuner and Pickup, and Journey Instruments.
Kat’s full-length album, “The Creator,” was released in October 2021 and is available on all digital streaming platforms and in physical CD format. “The Creator” is a collection of original compositions written during her time as a student at UC Davis. Dedicated to music and engineering, the work as a whole celebrates the creativity and intellect of engineers and musicians, who share the special gift of creating something from nothing.
LOGAN RICHARD

GUITAR OF CHOICE
Logan plays the Hozen Red Label HR-OP-AR with the SGI NS3 Natural Sound 3 Pickup
BIO
Logan Richard may just be the Canadian East Coast’s answer to John Mayer, Theo Katzman and Colin James all rolled into one.
Spellbinding R&B grooves, pop hooks galore, a smooth voice that wraps you in, and tasteful blues-tinged guitar licks that make you realize why many are calling him one of the best up-and-coming young guitarists in the country: This is what you get upon catching one of Logan Richard’s live shows, or upon a spin of his recent Learning To Love EP.
With over a million listens on Spotify and airplay on CBC Radio 2, the East Coast Music Award nominee has garnered a dedicated legion of fans even at this early stage in his career, as his soundscape mix of pop, blues, R&B and indie rock pinpoints a creatively-crafted sound while it spans the genres.
Honing his frontman skills from a young age, belting blues music on stages for outdoor summer café diners on the streets of Charlottetown, PEI, Richard asserted himself on the Maritime blues music scene early on in his life. Continuing his steep career trajectory ascent since then, Richard released his successful debut EP called “The Split” in 2017, which escalated him to a headline slot at the TD Jazz/Blues Festival, and was nominated for Soul Recording of the Year at the 2022 ECMA’s.
As he has already shared the stage with many great Canadian acts, most recently having opened for Marianas Trench, Logan Richard stands poised to strongly stride onward along the musical road that lies ahead for him. But, he also has one other thing going for him, which, if you get the lucky chance to talk to the guy, you’ll come to know it: He may also just be one of the nicest dudes you’ll ever meet.