1st Nashville Guitar extravaganza attracts accolades

Kayli Miller
In Motion Staff Writer

In April, for the first time ever, Nashville’s prominent guitarists Richard Smith, Pat Bergeson and Guthrie Trapp hosted a three-day guitar camp at the Mike Curb College of Music, Entertainment and Art housed at the News-Journal Center in Downtown Daytona Beach.

Aimed at musicians of all skill levels, the event featured 28 participants who were divided into four groups that rotated between lessons taught by Smith, Trapp, Bergeson and Barry Greene, professor of jazz guitar at the University of North Florida.

In addition to guitar lessons, attendees were invited to a jam session with the artists, as well as a faculty concert.

Greene also participated in teaching the camp and was impressed by DSC’s facilities, specifically the top-of-the-line recording studio.

“We have some of the best equipment in the world. It’s really world class, there’s nothing like it in the state of Florida. It’s an amazing facility,” said Jake Niceley, Assistant Chair of the Mike Curb College.

Early in his career, Niceley ran two recording studios in Nashville, one of which had more Grammy nominations than any other studio in the Music City throughout the 1990s. He used his connections, as well as six months’ time to assist in coordinating the camp.