Geoff Hartwell
Geoff Hartwell is a New York guitarist, songwriter, teacher and clinician. Growing up, he studied guitar fiercely and was playing NYC venues like CBGB's, Kennys Castaways and the Lion's Den by the time he was in his teens. In addition to studying music full-time at Hartwick College, he was also a Samuel J. Nelson scholarship recipient in recognition of his academic aptitude. After music school, Hartwell toured internationally in Europe with a rock musical production of "The Birds" and travelled through Australia and New Zealand.
Geoff Hartwell began to acquire his skills in the recording studio at The Loft Recording Studios while working on Shanachie Records sessions for Debbie Davies' "Round Every Corner" and The New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars' "Fresh Out the Past" albums in addition to sessions produced by Larry Campbell (Bob Dylan, Richard Shindell).
Geoff Hartwell has been a Premier Guitar Faculty in the music department at the Northern Westchester Center for the Arts, and is a long-time faculty member at the National Guitar Workshop’s main campus in Connecticut (where he's shared the stage with Blues Legends such as Jimmy Thackery, formerly of Muddy Waters' Band) and satellite campuses such as Austin, Texas. In 2007 he taught a seminar called “Sounds of the Slide Guitar Masters” with special guests Sonny Landreth and Cindy Cashdollar in Austin. This led to a sold-out show in New York with the Geoff Hartwell Band and Sonny Landreth performing together again.
Recent television performances include appearing as a “Naked Hippie” in a hugely popular skit on Saturday Night Live (which was chosen to open the “Best of the Year” DVD), and playing guitar for the theme to the Discovery Channel show “Outward Bound”. He has done interview/performances on The Guitar Show with Mike Byrnes, and The Listening Room on RNN. Hartwell has also enjoyed a great response to airplay of his CD, “Perfect Stranger” on college radio stations in the Northeast such as WVKR, Vassar College Radio.
Geoff Hartwell has a Keyman endorsement with Hamer Guitars. He is also endorsed by Gold Tone Acoustic Instruments and Pigtronix Effects and is sponsored by Sam Ash Music.
In addition to maintaining a busy clinic and teaching schedule, Geoff Hartwell continues to perform roughly 200 nights per year.
With the release of his CD, "Perfect Stranger" Geoff Hartwell has "distinguished himself as an up and coming musician and songwriter with some serious slide guitar chops". -MORE SUGAR! Magazine