Germantown
School of Rock

Explore School of Rock

Germantown

Map
School of Rock Germantown
9309 Poplar Ave #102
Germantown, TN 38138
(901) 209-4170

Location Specifics

At Poplar and Johnson Rd. next door to Lane Music.

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Hours
  • Monday: 2 PM - 8 PM
  • Tuesday: 2 PM - 8 PM
  • Wednesday: 2 PM - 8 PM
  • Thursday: 2 PM - 8 PM
  • Friday: 2 PM - 8 PM
  • Saturday: 10 AM - 4 PM
  • Sunday: Closed

Music programs at School of Rock Germantown combine one-on-one lessons with group band practices

Expand your musical knowledge at School of Rock Germantown, serving Germantown, Memphis, Wolfchase, and surrounding areas with quality music courses taught by experienced musicians. While guitar, voice, and drum lessons are the most popular at this school, School of Rock Germantown teaches everything from keyboard to piano, bass, and more. Students can learn various musical styles popular in the area, as well, like soul, blues, rock, R&B, and hip hop. The greater Memphis area has a renowned history in the music world, being the birthplace of rock 'n' roll and home of the blues, making it perfect for young and up-and-coming musicians to hone their skills. With Elvis Presley, Al Green, Isaac Hayes, B.B. King, Booker T. and the MGs, and Carl Perkins calling the Memphis area home, students at School of Rock Germantown have plenty of inspiration to guide their learning.

Programs we offer

Rock 101 music program in Germantown for kids and beginners
Rock 101
Ages 8-13

Rock 101 is one of School of Rock Germantown's top programs for kids and beginners. Students have one weekly group rehearsal where they learn to play classic rock songs that have been simplified for beginner musicians. Additionally, Rock 101 students in Germantown have a weekly private music lesson with an instructor who helps them learn the concepts and skills behind their performance songs.

What To Expect
  • 1 WEEKLY PRIVATE LESSON
  • 1 WEEKLY GROUP REHEARSAL

The Path to Take the Stage

Our music programs for kids in Germantown are designed to get students on stage performing, with the goal of building strong musical proficiency. Younger students at School of Rock Germantown who have participated in the Rookies program can move to our Rock 101 music program once they’re ready. Additionally, students (typically ages 8 to 13-years-old) can begin Rock 101 without any prior experience. The goal of this rock program is to quickly develop a basic competence on students’ chosen instruments before moving on to our famous Performance Program.

Performance music program for teens in Germantown
Performance
Ages 8-18

The Performance Program at School of Rock Germantown is our hallmark music program, where tens of thousands of students enroll each year. It consists of a weekly group rehearsal where kids and teens learn by playing rock music's most iconic songs with a band composed of their peers. Students are assigned songs and parts that are tailored to them based on their age, experience and ability to learn new skills and concepts. Students then work through their parts in weekly private music lessons, refining the skills and concepts that those songs introduce. The goal of this curriculum is to prepare kids and teens for live performances. Every few months, School of Rock Germantown Performance Program students take the stage and play at local Germantown music venues in front of a live audience.

What To Expect
  • 1 WEEKLY PRIVATE LESSON
  • 1 WEEKLY GROUP REHEARSAL

The Path to Take the Stage

School of Rock Germantown's music programs for kids and teens are designed to inspire by getting students on stage and performing. All of our other music education programs focus on readying students for our famous Performance Program. This is where students develop incredible musical skills. Performance Program students have often gone through our Rock 101 program first or have some previous basic music experience. These young musicians will have custom development plans outlined by their instructors with key concepts reinforced during private lessons and group rehearsals, all with the goal of performing live at a Germantown music venue.

Rookies music program for children in Germantown
Rookies
Ages 6-7

At School of Rock Germantown, our music program for children with no previous musical experience (typically ages 6 to 7-years-old) is called Rookies. Rookies students have one weekly group music lesson where they learn fundamentals like chords, rhythm and song structure. Kids get to learn and experiment with multiple instruments so they can later decide which one they ultimately want to continue pursuing in Rock 101.

What To Expect
  • 1 WEEKLY GROUP LESSON
  • USE OF SIMPLIFIED ROCK INSTRUMENTS TO TEACH KIDS TO PLAY MUSIC

The Path to Take the Stage

All of our music programs are designed to inspire students to learn and develop a strong musical proficiency. At School of Rock Germantown, younger students who are not ready for a more comprehensive program like Rock 101 can start in Rookies. Additionally, students who have completed the Little Wing program will progress into the Rookies music program. No prior musical experience is needed for Rookies. Once your child is ready for private music lessons (typically older than first or second graders), they will graduate into our Rock 101 program.

Little Wing music program for toddlers and preschoolers in Germantown
Little Wing
Ages 4-5

At School of Rock Germantown our Little Wing music program for preschoolers and toddlers teaches students foundational music skills by playing games and participating in other interactive musical activities. Little Wing students have one weekly group music lesson in which they use classic rock songs to learn about rhythm, song structure, melody and dynamics through play.

What To Expect
  • 1 WEEKLY GROUP LESSON
  • USE HAND PERCUSSION & OTHER TOOLS TO LEARN RHYTHM PATTERNS & MUSIC SYNTAX

The Path to Take the Stage

The Little Wing music program is the first step in a young musician's journey. At School of Rock Germantown, toddlers and preschoolers who show an interest in music should start with Little Wing. As they get older, they will progress into the Rookies program, followed by Rock 101 and the Performance Program.

Songwriting
Age 12 and over

Our Songwriting program for kids and teens teaches the fundamentals of songwriting, arrangement and music theory, and helps students compose original works.  At School of Rock Germantown, songwriting students receive one weekly private lesson where they learn concepts, technique and theory on an instrument of their choice. These principles are then applied in a weekly group lesson where students work together on songwriting exercises and lyrical workshops.  Every few months, Songwriting students take the stage to perform or band together to record their original songs.

What to Expect
  • 1 weekly private lesson
  • 1 weekly group lesson

The Path to Take the Stage

Our Songwriting program for kids and teens in Germantown is designed to create musical proficiency through the creation of original music. Students at School of Rock Germantown who have completed our Rock 101 program can move to our Songwriting program once they’re ready. Additionally, new students who have prior experience with and basic knowledge of an instrument can also begin Songwriting. The program culminates with a live showcase where students perform their original compositions in bands at a local music venue. Students taking the Songwriting Program online will remotely record their original songs to produce a demo of the class's music.

Remote student playing guitar
Online
All Ages

At School of Rock Germantown, our students can take online, one-on-one music instruction from the comfort of their homes. We call this program School of Rock Remote. This online music program contains weekly one-on-one instruction conducted by our expert School of Rock instructors in a safe virtual lesson room.
 
Students will receive their training using our proprietary education program, The School of Rock Method™, which couples live video lessons with our proprietary Method App™, SongFirst Approach™ and Method Books™. 

What To Expect
  • ONE WEEKLY 1-ON-1 LESSON
  • LESSONS CONDUCTED USING SECURE VIDEO TECHNOLOGY

THE PATH TO TAKE THE STAGE

All of our music programs for kids, teens, and adults are designed to help students gain amazing musical proficiency. School of Rock’s online music lesson program is no exception. Online guitar lessons, online piano lessons, online drum lessons, online singing lessons and online bass guitar lessons are all offered through the School of Rock Remote online program.

Adult music program in Germantown for students over 18
Adult Program
Ages 18+

School of Rock Germantown's Adult Program is for students over 18 years old who are looking to either improve their musical proficiency or pick up an instrument with no prior musical experience. As with most School of Rock music programs, the Adult Program uses a performance-based music education approach. This means the curriculum focuses on learning music concepts and applying them in a live performance setting. Our Adult Music Program includes one weekly private music lesson and a weekly group rehearsal. Every student at School of Rock Germantown is placed in a band of fellow adults and then assigned specific songs as a way of learning key music concepts and skills. Adult students then take the stage to play at a live show in Germantown.

What To Expect
  • 1 WEEKLY PRIVATE LESSON
  • 1 WEEKLY GROUP REHEARSAL

The Path to Take the Stage

All of our music programs are designed to inspire by getting students on stage and performing, with the goal of building strong musical proficiency along the way. The School of Rock Germantown Adult Program is open to all experience levels and each student will follow a customized learning plan developed by their instructor. Adult students will work together during rehearsal to prepare for a live performance at a real rock venue in Germantown.

House Band program for gigging at local venues in Germantown
House Band
Age 17 and Under

The School of Rock Germantown House Band music program gives students under 18 the opportunity to join a gigging band composed of fellow musicians from their school. These students perform additional live shows throughout the year. All students in the Performance Program have the opportunity to audition for a spot in School of Rock Germantown's House Band. Once selected, House Band members become leaders in their School of Rock community and perform live shows at TN rock venues throughout the year.

What To Expect
  • A GIGGING MUSICIAN'S EXPERIENCE
  • FREQUENT LIVE PERFORMANCES IN COMMUNITY

The Path to Take the Stage

Performance is the core of School of Rock's educational approach. Therefore, we create additional opportunities for students to perform on stages throughout Germantown and the rest of TN. The House Band music program allows each school's most talented students the opportunity to join a band and play routinely in front of live audiences. Once a member, students will gain real music experience associated with gigging musicians and will become leaders and mentors inside the School of Rock community.

The AllStars national tour features the best child and teen musicians
AllStars
Age 17 and Under

The School of Rock AllStars Tour takes the very best students from around the world and sends them on a nationwide summer tour across the United States. Less than 1% of School of Rock students are selected each year to represent School of Rock as an AllStar. All Performance Program students are eligible to audition for this prestigious program. The intensive audition process starts off with video submissions followed by live auditions. Once selected, AllStar students will have an authentic touring experience including traveling on a tour bus, doing tour publicity and starring in nightly performances at famous venues and festivals during a two-week tour.

What To Expect
  • A MULTI-CITY, COUNTRY-WIDE MUSIC TOUR EXPERIENCE
  • PERFORMING ON SOME OF THE BIGGEST AND MOST FAMOUS STAGES IN THE WORLD

The Path to Take the Stage

Becoming an AllStar is the highest level of achievement for a School of Rock student. They play on legendary stages large and small, including The Knitting Factory, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, The Troubadour and Lollapalooza. AllStar students often go on to have accomplished careers in the music industry. Former AllStars have gone on to become touring artists, star in Broadway musicals, get signed to record deals, become finalists on talent competitions like "The Voice" and "American Idol" and have other notable roles in the music industry.

Music Lessons in Germantown

Kid learns to play guitar at School of Rock Germantown

Guitar Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Guitar Lessons for Kids

At School of Rock Germantown, we offer beginner guitar lessons for kids. Our expert guitar instructors guide your child from start to finish with private instruction and weekly group band rehearsals. Every instructor at School of Rock Germantown is an experienced musician, and they emphasize foundational music theory and technique when teaching guitar lessons to kids. Unlike other Germantown guitar lessons and programs, School of Rock is designed to get students performing in a band.

Beginner Guitar Lessons for Adults

It’s never too late to learn to play the guitar. Similar to our kids guitar lessons, School of Rock Germantown's beginner guitar lessons for adults utilizes a performance-based curriculum. Our experienced instructors teach adult students through popular rock songs, and teach students to play guitar in a way that’s challenging and fun. We believe the best way to learn is by doing, which is why we combine weekly private guitar lessons with group band rehearsals. At School of Rock Germantown, we teach beginner guitar lessons for adults in our Adult Program. This program gets students performing onstage at a local Germantown venue.

Key Concepts
  • Technique
  • Solos
  • Chords
  • Theory

Intermediate to Advanced Guitar Lessons

As students gain skills and experience, we move them along to more challenging programs at higher skill levels. Intermediate and advanced students take the skills they learned in beginner guitar lessons, and layer on more difficult techniques and concepts. School of Rock Germantown offers advanced guitar lessons for kids and adults that teach by playing challenging classic rock songs and emphasize playing the guitar in a real music venue. Our Germantown guitar teachers will work with each student to develop a custom learning plan.

Kids learn to drum at School of Rock Germantown

Drum Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Drum Lessons for Kids

School of Rock Germantown is the best option for anyone looking to learn the drums. Our beginner drum lessons get kids behind the drum kit and on their way to taking the stage. That’s why at School of Rock Germantown we combine private drum lessons for beginners with weekly band rehearsals—it prepares students to perform live. With years of experience teaching drums in Germantown, our drum instructors teach beginner drum students core techniques, including how to groove, play rudiments and more.

Beginner Drum Lessons for Adults

Our drum lessons for adults are designed to accommodate all skill levels. At School of Rock Germantown, our beginner drum lessons for adults are built for musicians with little to no experience. We teach adults using the same core performance-based education philosophy as our drum lessons for kids—performing with a band accelerates the learning process. Adult students will perform live at a venue in Germantown. Unlike other Germantown drum lessons for beginners, School of Rock combines private drum lessons with weekly band rehearsals so students are ready to play in front of real, live audiences.

Key Concepts
  • RUDIMENTS
  • TIME SIGNATURES
  • TECHNIQUE
  • GROOVE

Intermediate to Advanced Drum Lessons

More experienced to advanced drum students need a drum lesson curriculum that builds upon foundational skills and continues to grow musical proficiency. That’s why at School of Rock Germantown, our drum lessons are customized for each student and his or her goals. Our Germantown drum instructors integrate more complex techniques and concepts—intermediary grooves, shifts, meters and more—into a student's individual lessons and group band rehearsal, and will also select more difficult songs for his or her live performances.

 

Kid learns to sing at School of Rock Germantown

Singing Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Singing Lessons for Kids

School of Rock Germantown offers beginner singing lessons for kids. Our unique, performance-based approach develops students' musical proficiency by preparing them to perform live. At School of Rock Germantown, our vocal coaches are practicing musicians who integrate key music fundamentals—breathing, posture and more—into a curriculum based on performing with a band. Each week, beginner singing students participate in a private singing lesson and a band rehearsal.

Beginner Singing Lessons for Adults

School of Rock Germantown teaches adults how to sing in our innovative Adult Program. Students develop vocal skills at a challenging pace designed to help you see results with every singing lesson. Adult vocalists learn how to keep tempo, stay on-key and master advanced vocal techniques for a powerful and healthy voice. Our curriculum teaches students how to sing by using popular rock songs that emphasize key concepts. Each week, Adult Program students have a private singing lesson for beginners and group band rehearsal.

Key Concepts
  • TECHNIQUE
  • HARMONY
  • POWER
  • READING

Intermediate to Advanced Singing Lessons

At School of Rock Germantown, our singing lessons for kids and adults are designed to help our students reach a high degree of musical proficiency. Intermediate and advanced singers take skills learned from previous singing lessons and layer on more difficult techniques and concepts. Our advanced singing lessons teach students to sing by performing popular rock songs that illustrate a specific vocal concept or technique. We pair weekly private singing lessons with weekly band rehearsals with the goal of getting musicians to perform live in Germantown.

Kid learns to play bass at School of Rock Germantown

Bass Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Bass Lessons for Kids

School of Rock Germantown offers beginner bass guitar lessons for kids that blend weekly private instruction with weekly band rehearsals. This performance-based approach results in a high level of musical proficiency because it engages and inspires students. Every School of Rock bass instructor is a practicing musician in Germantown and teaches bass lessons for kids that get great results. Beginners learn to play bass guitar by using popular rock songs that illustrate key concepts and techniques.

Beginner Bass Lessons for Adults

Adults looking to learn bass guitar can enroll in School of Rock’s Adult Program. No experience is necessary in our beginner bass guitar lessons for adults. At School of Rock Germantown, our experienced, local bass guitar instructors have the patience and skills to help adult students gain musical proficiency. As with all School of Rock music programs, our bass guitar lessons for adults ciriculum is performance-based, and include both weekly private instruction and weekly band rehearsals.

Key Concepts
  • GROOVE
  • TECHNIQUE
  • THEORY
  • TONE

Intermediate to Advanced Bass Lessons

Our intermediate to advanced bass guitar lessons teach Germantown students the skills they need to become the backbone of a band. Students take skills from previous bass lessons and layer on more difficult techniques and concepts. At School of Rock Germantown, our bass instructors use popular rock songs as a way of teaching students advanced concepts and techniques. We pair weekly private bass lessons with weekly band rehearsals to inspire and engage students throughout the learning process.

Kid learns to play piano at School of Rock Germantown

Keyboard Lessons for All Skill Levels

Beginner Keyboard Lessons for Kids

At School of Rock we teach differently than other music schools in Germantown. Our curriculum is performance-based, meaning that we prepare students to perform. Our piano lessons for beginners combine weekly private instruction with weekly band rehearsals. At School of Rock Germantown, our beginner keyboard lessons for kids take key concepts and music fundamentals—finger placement, scales, key differentiation and more—and teach them through popular rock songs. This approach inspires and engages students, which results in attaining a high level of musical proficiency. Our piano teachers have years of experience teaching music in the Germantown area, and know how to coach and motivate students of any skill level to play the keyboard.

Beginner Keyboard Lessons for Adults

The School of Rock Germantown Adult Program puts beginner keyboard students in a band. Adult Program students in the Germantown area learn to play piano through a combination of weekly private beginner piano lessons and weekly band rehearsals. At School of Rock, our piano lessons give adult students the chance to perform in a band at local Germantown music venues, taking them out of the classroom and onto the stage.

Key Concepts
  • TECHNIQUE
  • TONE
  • THEORY
  • READING

Intermediate to Advanced Keyboard Lessons

At School of Rock Germantown, our keyboard lessons for kids and adults are designed to help students get results. Intermediate and advanced students take skills learned from beginner keyboard lessons and layer on more advanced piano techniques with concepts. Our local keyboard instructors are all practicing musicians in Germantown, and use popular rock songs as a way of teaching complex skills. We pair weekly private piano lessons with weekly band rehearsals to inspire and engage students throughout the learning process.

Our Experienced Music Teachers

All of School of Rock Germantown’s music teachers are experienced musicians devoted to helping students attain musical proficiency. Our instructors guide students one-on-one to personalize learning, inspire confidence and build social skills.

Owner Marc Gurley
Marc Gurley
Owner
Marc's musical journey began at age 11 when he agreed to play drums with a band performing Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water" live in front of his entire school. The only problem was he had never even held drumsticks in his hands! He pulled it off on sheer will and was hooked for life. From there he went on to play drums, keys and sing lead vocals with multiple rock bands. His career includes time as the frontman for the original line-up of alternative rock band Dust for Life. With DFL he recorded an album at Powerhouse Studios which went on to gain top rotation on rock radio, and he and DFL performed and shared the bill on a regular basis with powerhouse acts such as Saliva, King's X and Drivin N' Cryin to name a few. Marc is a graduate of Memphis University School and went on to earn a BA in Business Management from Southern Methodist University. He owned and operated a successful multi-unit golf retail business. However, the passion for music never faded, and School of Rock popped up on Marc's radar once he began to explore selling the golf business. As a father of three, Marc immediately understood the mission of School of Rock. In 2012 he joined the School of Rock family and he was lucky enough to do it in the birthplace of rock n' roll, Memphis. Then in 2018, he purchased the other local school, School of Rock Germantown.
General Manager Andrew McCreary
Andrew McCreary
General Manager
From the small town of Booneville, Mississippi, Andrew started taking classical piano lessons at the age of 8 and continued through college. Guitar never interested him in his early years but that all changed with the release of Guitar Hero in 2005. There was something about the roar of the audience, the risk of failing, and the rush of success that sparked the inner rockstar in him. Andrew started to apply the speed and movements to his brother's guitar, although it was a beginner-level acoustic, and with the growing knowledge of theory he had from his classical piano lessons, everything just clicked and he never looked back.

In 2008, Andrew moved to Atoka, Tennessee, and made some friends who formed an alt-rock band called In Triumph and Tragedy. They played many shows at local venues during the "Gorilla Productions" years. Some bands they played with include One Hour Thursday, The Hostage (fellow instructor, Julian Stanz's old band), Rid The Tyrant, Cory Taylor Cox, Above Only, Crossfire Epiphany, and After the Storm. But as the saying goes, "All great things must come to an end," and they disbanded in 2011 due to moving to college.

Besides DJ'ing under the moniker PHO3NIX on the weekends, music had been sent back to the hobby table until 2019, when a friend purchased a Novation LaunchPad Mini for Christmas. This opened an entirely new avenue in music for Andrew. He quickly purchased an Alesis V49 midi controller, a Focusrite audio interface, and Ableton Standard. For the past couple of years, he has been soaking up as much information as he can on music production and dance music. Studying under master music producer, Rick Snoman of Altar Studios in the UK, and extensive daily ear training, he continues to grow as a bedroom music producer. He currently does weekly virtual shows and Rocksmith performances on Twitch and Omegle so he can share his music with the world!
Jeff Burch
Music Director, Drum Teacher
Jeff Burch has been performing and teaching drums and keys for over 20 years. A career spanning all genres has taken him all over the world playing drums. His education began in Memphis while attending blues and rock concerts at a young age. In high school, he was in bands and was studying the drum set and concert percussion. This led to studying the jazz drum set at the University of Miami. Upon returning to Memphis, he was awarded the drum throne for the Southern Comfort Big Band at the University of Memphis. He co-founded CYC during this time, as well as performed and recorded with many touring acts. During this time he began studying with many diverse teachers and became immersed in the opportunities of an eclectic music scene. In 2004 Jeff joined blues rocker Tinsley Ellis for almost a decade of touring and recording full-time. 2005 marked the release of "Live Highwayman," Tinsley's career-spanning live album recorded in Chicago. The tour for this record spanned 48 states and concluded with a tour of Europe and Africa. This tour was followed by two more studio albums that led to tours all over North America and a sold out performance in the Czar's Ballroom in Moscow. Averaging 200 dates a year, Jeff has shared the stage with the likes of Buddy Guy, Derek Trucks, Little Feat, The Allman Brothers, Guitar Shorty, Rufus Thoma, and Johnny Winter, and has performed in many legendary music venues and festivals. This experience provided invaluable real world lessons that Jeff is able to hand down to a younger generation. Always remaining active in the Memphis local scene, he was asked to be a part of an all-star group to perform Memphis music for the troops at Guantanamo Bay as part of Armed Forces Entertainment. Jeff continues to perform locally with musicians like Jeremy Stanfill, Jim Dandy, Reba Russell and Eric Gales.
Studio Coordinator Emma Hampton
Emma Hampton
Studio Coordinator
Emma graduated from the University of Memphis with a bachelor's degree in Music Business. She began playing piano at age 10 and having grown up in a musical family, she has always had a passion for music. From middle school to college, Emma was very involved in choir and regularly performed piano around her hometown of Dyersburg, Tennessee. Most often, you could find her accompanying her grandmother and friends at Dyersburg's MacDowell Music Club and community events such as Pianos and Pastries.

Emma moved to Memphis to study Piano Performance at the University of Memphis. After studying classical music at the collegiate level for two years, she switched her major to Music Business. As a Music Business student, she was very heavily involved in the school's record label BlueTOM Entertainment, where she worked with up to ten bands on the label to develop their brands. She also worked on marketing strategies and produced monthly BLUETOM Residency shows around Memphis.

Emma recently finished a two-year term serving as the GRAMMY U Memphis Chapter Representative for the Recording Academy where she served as the chair of the Editorial Committee for grammy.com. She also helped produce local and national programs ranging from a local mentorship program to Masterclasses with industry professionals such as Jacob Collier and Hannah Luxe Davis in LA for GRAMMY Week. She started as a Studio Coordinator in January 2023 and is happy to bring her unique experiences to School of Rock Germantown.
Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher Greg Reding
Greg Reding
Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Greg is a veteran musician with over 40 years of experience in the music industry. His band, The Village Sound, signed a recording contract with legendary record company, Stax Records in 1967. In 1973, Greg joined the famous Southern rock band Black Oak Arkansas, for whom he played lead guitar and keyboard. In 1985, Greg wrote a song called “Against the Night” that was featured on 38 Special's "Strength in Numbers" album, selling over one million copies and earning gold record status.

Greg has performed locally and nationally with world-renowned artists such as legendary blues artist Albert King and Stephen Stills of Crosby, Stills, and Nash. He has also worked with a wide variety of musicians and bands such as Chuck Berry, Leslie Gore, The Shirelles, Tommy Roe, Lou Christie, Del Shannon, The Drifters, The Coasters, and Bo Diddley, to name a few. In 1989, Greg formed The Memphis All-Stars, a local rhythm blues band that he still owns and operates today.
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher Robert Parker
Robert Parker
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
From Memphis, TN, the musical mecca of the universe, Robert Parker began playing guitar at age 10 under the guidance of Scott Dodge (blues guitarist for Blind Mississippi Morris). Influenced at an early age by electric delta blues and the golden age of classic rock, Robert began playing in bands around Memphis and developed his guitar skills in genres as diverse as funk, reggae, blues and soul. Around this same time, he sharpened his skills as a songwriter. He also plays bass, lap steel, and slide guitar.

Robert has played with Rufus Thomas, Denise Lasalle, Valerie June, Sherman Guy (The Bar-Kays), the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Dr. “Feelgood” Potts, Sheba Potts-Wright, and Gangsta Boo. He is a bass guitar teacher at School of Rock Germantown.
Stan Smith
Drum Teacher
Stan grew up in the "red hot" music scene of Springfield, Missouri. From The Ozark Mountain Daredevils to Granny's Bathwater, to private lessons, symphony, rock and jazz, it was all there for his enjoyment, and he took advantage of it. A couple of his successful industry friends talked him into moving to Nashville, where he was able to make some great connections. Tanya Tucker got the ball rolling for him, and he started performing with musicians like Dottie West, Vern Gosdin, Tony Toliver, Hank Cochran, Clinton Gregory, Wayne Carson, Tim McGraw, Johnny Rodriguez, David Allen Coe, Tony Joe White and Ken Melons. Television shows, song demo recording sessions, jingles, custom records and the jazz scene all crossed his path. After 15 years, an industry friend in the Memphis/Tunica area made him an offer he couldn't refuse: he began a seven-year stretch as one of three House Band drummers at Goldstrike Casino. There, he began performing with Ruby Wilson, Bobby Kimball, Preston Shannon, Jimi Jamison, John Roth, Pat Register, Little Jimmy King, Fingers Taylor, Luther Kent, Jack Rowell and Don McMinn, and toured extensively with Bobby and Jimi. In addition, Stan got involved with a progressive country band called Seventh Sundown. The group recorded an album at Ardent Recording Studios and enjoyed four years of popularity in the Tri-State area. In the middle of all this, Stan was blessed for 10 years to be a part of the praise and worship band at Church of the Harvest in Olive Branch, MS. Because of his love for teaching, Stan reached out to School of Rock Germantown and is excited to start another verse and chorus of an exceedingly rewarding and blessed career.
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher Michael Ragsdale
Michael Ragsdale
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Michael Ragsdale is a young guitar player from the roots of Memphis, playing genres that span from Rock, Metal, Funk, and Blues. Michael started playing guitar at the age of 13 and has fallen in love with music ever since, with his dad helping inspire most of his musical interests. Unlike other teachers, Michael started his performing career at School of Rock Germantown, starting off in the performance shows and making his way up to the Germantown Houseband, where he was taught and directed by Jeff Burch, current teacher of School of Rock. Through his Houseband career, he was able to play at some of the coolest gigs around in Memphis, including Italian Fest and a Halftime show at the Fedex Forum for the Memphis Grizzlies. Michael's biggest inspirations include Zakk Wylde, Kirk Hammett, Randy Rhoads, Dimebag Darrell, Eddie Van Halen, James Hetfield, and Slash. Michael currently attends the University of Memphis and is majoring in history and minoring in education, hoping to graduate in the next 3-4 years.
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Drum Teacher Michael McMinn
Michael McMinn
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Drum Teacher
Michael is the newest addition to his family’s tradition of the Musical McMinn Clan. He grew up listening to all genres of music and was baptized in the blues. When Michael was 7, George “Mojo” Buford introduced him to the harmonica. By the next year, he was tagging along with Mojo on his tour to Europe. Every night, he would perform on stage with Mojo, mimicking his licks and making up a few of his own.

After sitting in with the family band for many years, Michael officially joined the band in the summer of 2011. He has played many festivals, including the main stage at the King Biscuit Blues Festival with Papa Don McMinn and the Three Generation Blues Band. His love for music was just getting started with the harmonica; soon he started taking piano lessons and found a place for himself at the School of Rock as a student of Greg Reding. Michael was in the school’s House Band for his last two years as a student, where he forged both lifelong friendships with his bandmates and the desire to teach music.

Michael has had the pleasure of performing with Mojo Buford, Papa Don McMinn, Reba Russell, Victor Wainwright, Robert “Nighthawk” Tooms, Jack Rowell, and many more musicians. He has recorded on four albums and is currently working on a project with his own Blues band. He looks forward to teaching and hopes a harmonica player or two will sign on to learn the instrument that forever changed his life.
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano TeacherSeth Harbin
Seth Harbin
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher
Seth is a self-taught metal guitarist and active recording artist with nearly a decade of musical experience. Primarily taking on the role of lead guitarist, his musicianship and personal compositions take after paramount inspirations such as Pantera, Metallica, Black Sabbath, Megadeth, Swallow The Sun, and several more.

Formerly associated with an independent record label, Seth has successfully established himself in the professional music industry under the name Melydion and has accumulated several valuable connections with production personnel within the industry. Whether it be lightning-speed solos, aggressive downpicking riffs, sweeping arpeggios, or melodic chord progressions, there are no limitations on his ambition nor his passion to master it all, evolving him into the proficient musician he is today.
Vocal Teacher, Little Wing Teacher, Rookies Teacher Morgan Williams
Morgan Williams
Vocal Teacher, Little Wing Teacher, Rookies Teacher
Morgan is a singer-songwriter from Memphis, Tennessee. She is currently a student at the University of Memphis working towards a degree in commercial music voice. Morgan has been singing since the fourth grade when she started taking voice lessons.

Morgan has studied with many different voice teachers over the years and would love to pass along all of the tips and tricks she has learned. She is also classically trained and has performed with many different choirs, some of which traveled overseas, giving her experience singing in famous and historical venues. However, Morgan's favorite genres to sing are mainly indie, pop, and rock. She looks forward to helping students become excellent musicians and songwriters!
Vocal Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Guitar Teacher Elysia Harbin
Elysia Harbin
Vocal Teacher, Keyboard + Piano Teacher, Guitar Teacher
Elysia Harbin is an alternative rock singer, songwriter, recording artist, and lyricist from Huntsville, AL, with over a decade of musical experience. She currently attends Berklee College of Music pursuing a 6-year degree in Music Production and Audio Engineering.

Formerly associated with an independent record label, Elysia has established herself in the music industry under her artist name, Laced Siryn. She has played many live shows in various areas across the country as the frontwoman of her past travel studio band and continues her musical endeavors as a solo artist. Her musical inspirations include popular bands such as Pantera, Metallica, Alice in Chains, and Nirvana, as well as more understated bands such as Bloodsimple, Acid Bath, Currents, and Swallow the Sun.

Her skill-based forte lies in alternative rock, psychedelic rock, and grunge vocals, but she also has ample experience with classical, pop, and clean vocal styles.
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher Grant Beatty
Grant Beatty
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Grant Beatty has been a songwriter and performer for over 15 years. He picked up the guitar at 11 (after seeing the film School of Rock in theaters) and decided to pursue rock and roll. Though a Mississippi native, he has called Memphis home for nearly a decade. Grant fronts an alternative rock band called Joybomb, a project that has grown with him since high school through name changes, new lineups, and rebrands. Joybomb has been the primary platform for his musical expression; the band was recently nominated for Best of Memphis 2023, profiled in the quarterly magazine Memphis Current, and finds regular airplay on WYXR Memphis. Their sound has been described as “a kick in the teeth and a kiss on the cheek.”

Grant's playing style is curiously melodic in technique while punk in ethos: hook-oriented, dynamic, and pop-sensible yet hard and fast. His tastes run the spectrum but usually fall in the purview of upbeat rock-adjacent genres, from proto-punk and glam to heavy metal, power pop, new wave, hardcore and indie rock.

Having had the experience of mentorship when diving into his own musical journey, Grant knows the importance of instructor-student connection and influence that can spark a life-long passion for music. Notably, he has also served as an adjunct instructor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Memphis since 2019 and is no stranger to the classroom environment.

For those about to rock, Grant salutes you.
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher Cody Billings
Cody Billings
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher
Cody started taking guitar lessons as a teenager and would later graduate from the Jerry Meadows School for Classical Guitar. Cody was initially inspired to pick up the guitar for the love of classic rock and metal acts and would later develop a deep love for extreme music, post-hardcore bands, and classical guitar arrangements that still exist to this day. Cody's greatest guitar heroes include Ray Toro of My Chemical Romance, Thomas Erak of The Fall of Troy, Luke Hoskin of Protest the Hero, Chuck Schuldiner of Death, and Dean Lamb of Archspire.

Cody got his start playing live music with the technical death metal band Rid The Tyrant where he shared the stage with notable local acts such as In Triumph and Tragedy, Kavatica, Adaje, Adelaide, and many more. This led him to play everywhere from DIY punk shows to 1,100-capacity venues such as the historic New Daisy Theater on Beale Street.

Music projects often come and go so Cody considers himself a hobbyist for guitar, always hungry for knowledge and new challenges. He is still active in supporting the local punk and metal scene and loves to share his hobby online.
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