Student Spotlight: Alex Cooke

It is a new month, so now we have a new "Student Spotlight." This months spotlight is on a very multi-talented person. His name is Alex Cooke. Alex is 16 years old and is a student at Davidson Fine Arts Academy. He started lessons with me on June 4, 2009. What made Alex want to play music? He wanted to be able to write his own songs and perform them. I would call Alex one of my most ambitious and talented students. He has high hopes of doing musical theatre while in college. He has some family that is musical, some of his aunts and cousins play drums, guitar, sing and do musical theatre. He is also a very talented visual artist. You may have seen some of his art work posted here on my blog. He did a slammin picture of a young Paul McCartney and also designed the flier for Big City Music's summer rock band camp. He did the best drawing of me I have ever seen on that flier( he did a bang of job of drawing Adam Tolar too). If he could open for any band, anywhere, at anytime in history, he would open up for the Beatles when they played the Ed Sullivan show for the first time. The Beatles are also his favorite band of all time. A close second is the band All Time Low, who would be his choice to open for of all the bands that are currently around. Along with guitar and visual arts, Alex plays the bass, sings, plays the saxophone and a little piano. Music and arts are entertainment and hobby now but he hopes to maybe parlay it into a career. He hopes to be in a band soon. Alex has been a standout in the Big City Music concerts and did an amazing job at the Rock Band Camp's show on July 4th for River Blast. He says the River Blast gig was his best gig that he has played so far. The guitar of Alex's dreams??? None other than a Gibson SG. The SG is a favorite of mine as well as guitar legends like Angus Young, Tony Iommi and countless others. A new question I am asking the student in student spotlight is " What is the most embarrassing song on your ipod ?" What is most embarrassing to Alex ? He has the Demi LaVato song catch me on his ipod. Alex is someone I see excelling at anything he does in life. He has great work ethic, is very intelligent and is a great person. His personality will win him fans. He writes alot of great songs. I love performing his songs with him. Hopefully he will record some soon and release them. Expect to see Alex out playing soon, either with a band or solo. So here's to you Alex......keep rockin......keep playing.......and keep having fun!!!!!!

Rock Band Camp Ends

Rock Band Camp is nearing an end this week. It has been a blast and the kids have worked hard. They are ready for their performance this Sunday July 4Th in Downtown Augusta Georgia at The Commons. The kids go on at 4:00. Get down there early and show them some support! Its all ages and free!!! Come hang a little early before you watch the fireworks. Its been a great two weeks at Rock Band Camp. We had guest speakers like Pete Boyzuick, who talked art and music with the kids and Rob Boggs who talked sound and music with the kids. I would like to thank Mr. Nick Laws , from Sector 7 G, who let the kids have a "field trip" there and get a rehearsal on the stage there, complete with lights and a killer p.a.. Adam Tolar, Big City Music andmyself would like to thank all the kids and peoplewho helped us out this last two weeks. See everyone on Sunday!!! Be safe this holiday weekend.

here is a group pic and a piece of art one of the rock band camp students(alex cooke) drew!

Student Spotlight: Karissa Romer

Welcome to the latest edition of "Student Spotlight." This spotlight is focused on my guitar and vocal student Karissa Romer. She is 13 years old and attends Saint Mary's Catholic School. She has been taking lessons off me since October 11, 2008. When I asked her what m,ade her want to play guitar it was because of Avril Lavigne. Why Avril? Because Avril lavigne's individuality inspired her. Ms. Romer got off to slow start in lessons, as almost everyone does, because once a student gets in to my room they realize how much work it's gonna take to get going. I did not know at first, if she was gonna stick it out. She did! After a few months she started to dig down deep inside herself and started practicing more. She became dedicated and that led her to being able to start playing some songs she liked. After about a year of guitar lessons she also started to take some vocal lessons as well. She has been the front woman for the Big City Music Student Band for a while now. She does extremely well at it too. She is also going to be doing our Rock Band Camp this summer too. All Time Low is currently her favorite band. Her dream concert to attend would be, you guessed it, Avril Lavigne. If she could be in any national band it would be Fall Out Boy. Her first concert she ever went to was Lynyrd Skynyrd when she was 4 years old. Karissa says she comes from a somewhat musical family,her cousins play drums and guitar,and she grew up with cool parents that always had great music playing where ever they were. Karissa aspires to one day be in a band, singing and playing guitar. Karissa has played shows at the Live On The Lawn and at the Columbia County Amphitheatre. Her next show you can catch her at will be for the Rock Band Camp's show for NBC 26's River Blast on July 4th at the 8th street stage in downtown Augusta Georgia. So here's to you Karissa......Keep Rockin....Keep Playing....and Keep Having Fun!!!!!

Check This Out: Rock Band Camp

At Big City Music this summer we are doing a continuation of something we have been doing and turning it up a notch. The student concerts and lessons are being turned into "Rock Band Camp." It has been in the works for a while and you may have heard it on our commercial on 95 Rock. It is gonna start around mid June and will lat 2 weeks. Adam Tolar and myself will be instructing it. At the end we will have a concert. The classes are not only open to Big City Music students. It is open to students from other stores and people that have playing experience. The camp will include class instruction, seminars, practice time and all kinds of cool and informative education involving music. Its open to boys and girls, drummers and bas players, singers and guitar players, keyboard players and beyond. For more information call Big City at 1-706-364-3033 or just stop in. Big city in located at 3526 Wrightsboro Road Augusta Ga ( down by the mall,under the Bobby Jones underpass, on your left). Or contact me at john@questsoundpro.com, 706-627-1556 or here on the website. Classes will be 4 days a week.Come sign up and spread the word! Our Rock Band Camp will also be featured on NBC 26 news on the "Spotted With Jay Jefferies" segment in the next week.