Born in Central New York and raised on coffee shops and noisy bars, Matt Cross has grown into a beat-boxing folk-rap rock and roll fingerstyle guitarist; armed to the teeth with a slew of original progressive acoustic songs, three-part guitar solos, and fresh takes on the classics.
"My appreciation for music has always been for the honesty of the sound. The words form the foundation and create the connection, while the sound enhances that connection by putting you 'in the room.'"
One could almost say that Loren Barrigar was born with a guitar in his hands. At just four years old he stunned his parents by picking up his father's guitar and announcing he wanted to play "In the Mood" with his dad. They humored him until Loren explained that his dad could take the rhythm or lead part, whichever he preferred. Guitar lessons were quickly arranged and two years later Loren played the Chet Atkins hit, "Yackety Axe" in front of thousands of country fans at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, the youngest guitarist to appear on that famous stage. During his childhood in Nashville, Loren studied with Jimmy Atkins, (Chet's brother) and a long time member of the Les Paul Trio. A touring career followed with Loren, his brother and father playing clubs and showrooms from Nashville to Las Vegas and traveling with George Morgan and other established country stars.
“I used to tell people I wanted to be a journalist. There is a lonely egotism and self-composure to journalists. Not unlike artists, they're always traveling, always writing, loving their loneliness, feeling somehow that they have their finger on the pulse – worshipping the truth and trying to render it legible.”
