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THE best lineup of Top Guitar Players Anywhere. Period.
Welcome to the Lord of the Strings website!
2026 marks our 24th year of bringing you the best in acoustic music!
Looking forward to seeing you soon!
ACOUSTIC EIDOLON
Acoustic Eidolon, featuring Joe Scott on double neck guitjo and Hannah Alkire on cello are from Colorado and have graced stages throughout the US, Europe, Australia and Canada. With thirteen CDs and two DVDs to their credit, these masterful artists continue to captivate audiences throughout the world with their signature “new acoustic” sound and boundless possibilities in blending Celtic, Americana, World & Flamenco musical influences, something that Dirty Linen Magazine praises as “a sumptuous musical feast.” They are described by the Swallow Hill Music Association as “an evening of brilliant instrumentality,” and Georgia’s Good Life Magazine enthuses, “Acoustic Eidolon offers concert-goers a chance to absorb some of the most powerful and intriguing music on the scene today.”
Their original sound is created by the mixing of their diverse musical backgrounds and their unusual instrumentation including the one-of-a-kind double neck guitjo, an instrument of Joe’s own design praised by USA Today as a “beautiful harp-like sounding instrument … like nothing we’ve ever heard before.” The double-neck guitjo has 14 strings and Joe has developed his own style and technique, playing both necks simultaneously. Classically-trained cellist Hannah Alkire studied with G. Magyar of the Hungarian String Quartet and is recognized internationally for her stunning tone and emotional, impeccable playing and for taking the cello places it’s never been before.
What started as a musical journey between kindred spirits blossomed into their marriage in 2001. The result is a coupling of intricate and passionate music with genuine and engaging stories. They are each virtuoso players but their stories and connection to the audience add the backdrop of transparency from their lives, from the struggles to the triumphs.
One show only
Mission Viejo Civic Center
SATURDAY - April 25, 2026
Doors: 6:30 pm
Show: 7:00 pm.
RICHARD SMITH
Smith was born in Beckenham, England. He picked up the guitar when he was five years old after watching his father playing an Atkins and Travis version of "Down South Blues". He begged his father, a longtime Atkins admirer, to introduce him to the fingerpicking style. Smith soon became a child prodigy on the guitar. As a kid he could play the entire discographies of Django Reinhardt and Chet Atkins. At the age of 11 he shared the stage with his idol when Atkins invited Smith to play with him at Her Majesty's Theatre in London. He was also influenced by guitarist Big Jim Sullivan and briefly studied jazz guitar with Shane Hill at Warlingham School, Surrey.
He formed the Richard Smith Guitar Trio with his brothers Rob and Sam before marrying American cellist Julie Adams and moving to Nashville, Tennessee in 1999. He founded the Hot Club of Nashville, a jam band with a varying lineup that included John Jorgenson, Pat Bergeson, Bryan Sutton, and Stuart Duncan, combining gypsy jazz and western swing. Smith performs as a solo act and a duo with his wife. His repertoire includes country, bluegrass, blues, ragtime, folk, jazz, pop, and classical music. In 1999 he won the AFG Golden Thumbpick Award.
Smith won the National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship at the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas in 2001. The National Thumbpickers Hall of Fame named him Thumbpicker of the Year in 2008 and 2021 and inducted him into the Hall of Fame in 2009. He received the Golden Thumbpick Award by the Association of Fingerstyle Guitarists.
Richard has played with Chet Atkins, Les Paul, Nato Lima, Boots Randolph, Tommy Emmanuel, John Jorgenson, Marcel Dadi, Tommy Tedesco, Joe Pass, Biréli Lagrène, Mark O'Connor, Sam Bush, Stuart Duncan, Martin Taylor, Jorge Morel, Earl Klugh, Suzy Bogguss, Victor Wooten, John Cowan and countless more.
One show only
Mission Viejo Civic Center
SATURDAY - May 23, 2026
Doors: 6:30 pm
Show: 7:00 pm.
JOE ROBINSON
Joe Robinson is a world-renowned guitar virtuoso and singer-songwriter from Australia.
A uniquely skilled musician, Robinson is widely regarded as one of the world’s top fingerstyle soloists. He is also an accomplished electric improviser, composer and songwriter. Joe’s signature musical touch and ability to seamlessly blend these elements allows him to create a sound that is truly one-of-a-kind and defies classification within any particular genre.
Joe has released seven successful studio albums and built a large following through his livestream concerts and videos. He has garnered praise from some of the biggest names in the industry and has been featured in prestigious publications like the Washington Post and New York Times.
In addition to his skills as a performer, Robinson is also highly regarded as an educator, having led workshops at leading US music schools including Berklee College of Music and Musicians Institute.
Joe was born in May 1991 in Kempsey, a rural town in New South Wales, Australia. He grew up in a farmhouse with his three siblings, where his parents raised cattle, horses, sheep, dogs, chickens, and even snakes. At just 13 years old, Joe won the Australian National Songwriting competition, and at 17, he took home the top prize on Australia’s Got Talent. By the time he turned 18, Joe had already performed over 1000 concerts, including earning first place at the World Championships of Performing Arts in Los Angeles. Following this impressive string of successes, he bid his family farewell and moved to Nashville, where he spent the next decade collaborating with some of the city’s best studio musicians, songwriters and producers.
Joe currently lives on a property outside Yellowstone National Park in Montana, USA with his wife Genevieve, an accomplished illustrator from Quebec City, Canada and their son. He spends his time practicing, writing songs, recording, coaching 20,000+ online guitar students and tours his one-man show, where he showcases his impressive musical talents to live audiences.
Joe has performed with many of the world's great guitar players and artists:
Phil & Tommy Emmanuel, Les Paul, Robben Ford, Eric Johnson, Paco Pena, Paco De Lucia, Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin, Lee Ritenour, Dave Grusin, Steve Vai, Brett Garsed, Rodney Crowell, Emmylou Harris, Kenny Rogers, Chris Stapleton, Albert Lee, Vince Gill, Brent Mason, John Jorgenson, Johnny Hiland, Redd Volkaert, Guthrie Trapp, Daniel Donato, Kansas, Styx, Boston, The Wailers, John Farnham, Jack Pearson, Lee Roy Parnell, Samantha Fish, Ana Popovic, Walter Trout, The Time Jumpers, Rosanne Cash, Chris Thile, Stuart Duncan, Trey Hensley, Rob Ickes, Frank Vignola, Bucky Pizzarelli, Martin Taylor, Jack Tempchin, Mike Reid, Joscho Stephan, Lulo Reinhardt, Rory Hoffman, Pete Huttlinger, Pat Bergeson, Richard Smith, Slava Grigoryan, Chain, Canned Heat, Stevie Wright, Keith Carlock, Nir Z, Steve Ferrone, Michael Rhodes, Glenn Worf, Kaki King, Sungha Jung, Pierre Bensusan.
“Joe is, of course, renowned for being a virtuoso guitarist. But after several listens to his latest offering (Borders), i’m of the opinion that as a singer and songwriter, he also belongs in a league with such mega-selling artists as Charlie Puth and Harry Styles. But don’t just take my word for it, get a copy of the album and see for yourself.”
-Grammy® Award Winner Rodney Crowell
“It would be fair to say that guitar phenomenon, Joe Robinson, has little left to prove. Yet, he keeps moving the bar musically and artistically in virtually any direction his hybrid talent and sonic-soul leads him. …Robinson doesn’t just dabble, he succumbs and embraces each style, demonstrating grace and fluidity in each he undertakes. I have to wonder if categories apply to his body of recorded fretwork.”
-Minor7th
One show only
Mission Viejo Civic Center
SATURDAY - June 27, 2026
Doors: 6:30 pm
Show: 7:00 pm.
BROOKS ROBERTSON
Brooks was born in Eugene, Oregon in 1989. Seeing Buster B. Jones perform at a festival near his home town became a life-changing experience for the kid from the sticks. Just eleven years old, he was immediately inclined to pick up the guitar. Soon, the world renowned fingerstyle virtuoso and instructor dedicated his spare time to introducing his new fan into the secrets of the fretboard, and after six months of lessons the natural talent performed his first show with his mentor.
When Buster B. Jones took him under his wings, Brooks began playing high-profile gigs such as the Nokie Edwards Festival, the NAMM Show in Anaheim, the Montreal Jazz Festival or the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield among others. By the time he was a teenager he had become the youngest endorsee of Godin Guitars and traveled to several states and foreign countries to perform. Brooks went on to play on Garrison Keillor's National Public Radio classic "A Prairie Home Companion" in 2004, where he won first place in a talent competition for 12 to 20 year old participants.
In recent years, while still appearing regularly at prestigious events like the Chet Atkins Appreciation Society (CAAS) Convention in Nashville, Brooks focussed on perfecting his craft, soaking up new tunes and styles and techniques as well as blending them into his own groovy and soulful original music. He entered the "Yamaha Six String Theory Guitar Competition", which drew participants from more than 40 countries all over the world. Brooks was invited to perform in the finals at the Broad Stage in Los Angeles in March 2010. A star-studded jury, including Steve Lukather and Lee Ritenour, eventually chose him as winner of the country category and second place winner overall.
In 2014 Robertson was a finalist in Ritenour's Six String Theory competition and was awarded a full-tuition scholarship to Berklee College of Music in Boston. In 2018 he graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Music in Professional Music — focusing on Contemporary Writing & Production, Music Business, and minoring in Theory of Jazz and Popular Music.
Although he is deeply rooted in the powerful tradition of the genre, founded by the likes of Merle Travis, Jerry Reed, Thom Bresh and Buster B. Jones, Brooks also draws inspiration from the elegant mastery of the legendary Chet Atkins and other phenomenal players. His own compositions and arrangements have even been compared to fingerstyle jazz champions Lenny Breau and Earl Klugh. Now, as energy and maturity come together, this young man is ready to step out of his mentors' shadows and electrify the world with the sheer acoustic beauty his fingers create, when touching a set of strings.
In addition to worldwide recognition as a performer, Brooks is regarded as an educated, experienced, knowledgeable teacher of Fingerstyle guitar lineage, instructing students from the traditional to the contemporary, keeping the legacy of Fingerstyle alive and well. He is currently an Assistant Professor in the Guitar Department at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA.
One show only
Mission Viejo Civic Center
SATURDAY - August 22, 2026
Doors: 6:30 pm
Show: 7:00 pm.
TRANSATLANTIC GUITAR TRIO
The international Transatlantic Guitar Trio has recently become a unique, phonetic highlight. The fingerstyle guitar champion Richard Smith (UK), the gypsy jazz virtuoso Joscho Stephan (Germany) and the ingenious multi-instrumentalist Rory Hoffman (USA) joined forces in 2019 and have made guest appearances at numerous renowned concert series and at several well-known festivals in the USA. It's unique how they combine jazz ballads, gypsy swing standards, a pinch of pop music and groovy original compositions into a new whole. The wide-ranging repertoire of the Transatlantic Guitar Trio and the newly arranged songs by great role models such as Django Reinhardt, Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed make the album by the 3-star guitarists an incomparable experience.
Richard Smith
Smith was born in Beckenham, England. He picked up the guitar when he was five years old after watching his father playing an Atkins and Travis version of "Down South Blues". He begged his father, a longtime Atkins admirer, to introduce him to the fingerpicking style. Smith soon became a child prodigy on the guitar. As a kid he could play the entire discographies of Django Reinhardt and Chet Atkins. At the age of 11 he shared the stage with his idol when Atkins invited Smith to play with him at Her Majesty's Theatre in London. He was also influenced by guitarist Big Jim Sullivan and briefly studied jazz guitar with Shane Hill at Warlingham School, Surrey.
He formed the Richard Smith Guitar Trio with his brothers Rob and Sam before marrying American cellist Julie Adams and moving to Nashville, Tennessee in 1999. He founded the Hot Club of Nashville, a jam band with a varying lineup that included John Jorgenson, Pat Bergeson, Bryan Sutton, and Stuart Duncan, combining gypsy jazz and western swing. His repertoire includes country, bluegrass, blues, ragtime, folk, jazz, pop, and classical music. In 1999 he won the AFG Golden Thumbpick Award.
Smith won the National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship at the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas in 2001. The National Thumbpickers Hall of Fame named him Thumbpicker of the Year in 2008 and 2021 and inducted him into the Hall of Fame in 2009. He received the Golden Thumbpick Award by the Association of Fingerstyle Guitarists.
Richard has played with Chet Atkins, Les Paul, Nato Lima, Boots Randolph, Tommy Emmanuel, John Jorgenson, Marcel Dadi, Tommy Tedesco, Joe Pass, Biréli Lagrène, Mark O'Connor, Sam Bush, Stuart Duncan, Martin Taylor, Jorge Morel, Earl Klugh, Suzy Bogguss, Victor Wooten, John Cowan and countless more.
Joscho Stephan shapes modern gypsy swing with his playing like no other: With his authentic tone, his harmonic finesse and his sense of rhythm, but above all with his breathtaking solo technique,
Stephan has earned himself an outstanding reputation on the international guitar scene. Like no other, he knows how to stand out from the multitude of current Gypsy Swing adaptations by combining Gypsy Swing with Latin, Classical and Rock, in addition to numerous interpretations of the well-known classics of the genre. This is where Stephan’s strength as a creative visionary shines through. The result is a delight for concert audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Joscho's YouTube version of “Hey Joe” has now reached 3 million views. His debut album ‘Swinging Strings’ was voted CD of the month in 1999 by Guitar Player magazine.
In 2004, Acoustic Guitar Magazine celebrated Joscho Stephan as the future of gypsy jazz guitar. For the CD “Guitar Heroes” in 2015, Joscho Stephan invited guitar greats like Bireli Lagrène, Stochelo Rosenberg and Tommy Emmanuel. The 2018 production “Paris – Berlin” was released as a limited “Direct to Disc” vinyl, recorded at the legendary Hansa Studios (where David Bowie’s “Heroes” was recorded, among others). In total, 4 of Joscho’s albums have been nominated for the German Record Critics’ Award. In the USA, too, he has thrilled audiences with concerts in Nashville, Chicago, San Francisco, Detroit and at the legendary Jazz Festival. San Francisco, Detroit, the legendary jazz club Birdland and the Lincoln Center in New York.
Rory Hoffman
Rory has played the Grand Ole Opry numerous times, as a soloist and as a sideman with Ricky Skaggs, Kathy Mattea and John Cowan. Working with these stars and others has enabled him to play several notable festivals, including Telluride with John Cowan, and Djangofest as part of the John Jorgenson quintet. Kacey Musgraves has asked Rory to play on her Christmas album, and to be part of the 2016 tour promoting that release. He has performed in Norway, Italy and Jamaica thus far and deeply enjoys any opportunities to travel the world, experiencing the culture and sharing music. When not out on the road touring, Rory is proud to be in several local Nashville bands, including 50 Shades of Hay, and the Gypsy hombres.
"Just Jazz Guitar" and "Guitar Player" magazines have written feature articles about Hoffman's unique guitar style. Rory is 2-time winner of Musician of the Year from Nashville's ICMA, and is a 2012 inductee into the South Dakota Country Music Hall of Fame.
Rory's personal musical career was jumpstarted in 1999 upon winning Grand Champion Instrumentalist at the Christian Artist Seminar in the Rockies. In 2001 he traveled to Nashville for the first time to record his Gospel instrumental CD, "Blind Faith". He then helped form Depot Music Productions, based in Mobridge South Dakota. There he self-produced his second album "fishin'", this time choosing country music as his theme. While with Depot Music, Rory produced several other studio projects for local and regional artists.
Rory moved to Nashville in the spring of 2008. Three years later in 2011 he released his 3rd album, "Swing Expedition". On this project, he demonstrates his abilities and inventiveness on almost every instrument he plays. Tunes range from a gypsy jazz arrangement of a Star Wars Theme, a bossa nova rendition of a classic country song, to an all-harmonica treatment of a Cole Porter Standard.
Tour de Fourth, Rory's latest album, entered the world in 2016. Rather than focus on a certain style of music, this album features music that demonstrates Rory's skill and diverse interests in country, western swing, jazz, polka, latin, gypsy jazz, bluegrass and gospel music. It is a mix of original songs, and fresh arrangements of standards. Rory is proud to feature over 25 friends, all superb Nashville musicians.
One show only
Mission Viejo Civic Center
SATURDAY - September 12, 2026
Doors: 6:30 pm
Show: 7:00 pm.
CLIVE CARROLL
Born in England, Clive began his musical journey in Chelmsford, Essex. His parents had a taste for American country and old time music and it wasn’t long before Clive was playing in the family band on a homemade banjo. By his early teens, guitar in hand, Clive was traversing the worlds of soul, pop, funk, and traditional Irish music, balancing his affinity for Slayer with the etudes of Tárrega. This breadth of musical curiosity was to become one of his strengths; even as a kid Clive was as comfortable accompanying a group of folk singers as he was jamming along to Nirvana, or reading charts on banjo and guitar in theatre orchestra pits.
Clive went on to earn a 1st Class Honours Degree in Composition and Guitar from the famed Trinity College of Music in London, all the while balancing his classical work with forays into the world of the steel string guitar. By the time he graduated from Trinity, Clive had not only penned orchestral works, he had written an album’s worth of solo acoustic guitar music. A chance meeting with English guitar legend John Renbourn proved the catalyst for Clive’s debut album, “Sixth Sense”, which Renbourn deemed “a milestone in the journey of the steel-string guitar”. He subsequently took Clive on the road with him and the pair toured North America and Europe together, launching Clive’s solo performing career.
Since then he has worked with guitar greats such as John Williams, Tommy Emmanuel, Xuefei Yang, Ralph Towner, D'Gary, and Vishwa Mohan Bhatt. He has toured across Europe, Australia, the Middle East, and North America.
To date, Clive has released four solo albums; “Sixth Sense”, “The Red Guitar”, “Life in Colour” and "The Furthest Tree". Clive has also written, performed, and conducted music for television and film, most notably collaborating with John Renbourn to compose the music for the film “Driving Lessons”, which features Julie Walters and Rupert Grint of Harry Potter fame.
2000 - “Probably the best and most original young acoustic guitarist/composer in Britain.” - Acoustic Guitar Magazine USA
2021 - “...arguably the most accomplished fingerstylist in the world today...” - Total Guitar Magazine
One show only
Mission Viejo Civic Center
SATURDAY - November 7, 2026
Doors: 6:30 pm
Show: 7:00 pm.
CARL VERHEYEN BAND
In his 50-plus years of playing the instrument, Carl has created a wildly successful, multi-faceted career. He is a critically acclaimed musician, vocalist, songwriter, arranger, producer and educator with sixteen albums and two live DVDs released worldwide. Carl is commonly regarded as a guitar virtuoso capable of playing any style of music with remarkable mastery and conviction. He has been one of LA’s elite “first call” session players for the past 40 years, playing on hundreds of records, movie soundtracks and television shows. Verheyen has graced the pages of countless industry publications and been the subject of numerous articles chronicling his rise to the forefront of the modern-day guitar scene. Carl has won numerous polls and musical honors in the US, Germany, France, Italy and the UK.
A member of the smash hit British rock group Supertramp since 1985, Carl has played to millions of enthusiastic fans in sold out arenas worldwide. As the creative force behind the Carl Verheyen Band, he has released an impressive and eclectic discography that showcases his endless talents across a wide array of musical genres. The CVB tours all over the world and continues to draw fans on the festival circuit as well as theaters and clubs. Carl also works with Police drummer Stewart Copeland in his PDO project, playing the music of the Police with symphony orchestras around the USA.
- Best Guitarist 1998” LA Music Awards
- “ Best Studio Guitarist” Guitar Player Readers’ Choice Awards
- 2005 release Rumor Mill nominated for four DVD Entertainment Awards (“Best Musical Performance,” “Best Audio Presentation,” “Best Dual Disc,” “Best Authoring Design”). Win for “Best Dual Disc.”
- “Best Additional Features” Surround Sound Award for Rumor Mill.
- Featured in dozens of magazines: Guitar Player, Guitar World, Rhythm, Vintage Guitar, Gig, Guitar Shop, Musician, Premier Guitar, 20th Century Guitar, Jazztimes, Chitarre, Guitar and Bass (in France and Germany) Player (in Japan) and Jazziz. Cover of 1998 Guitar Techniques with his long time idol B. King. Cover of Axe Magazine twice.
- Motion Pictures : Star Trek, UP, Land of the Lost, The Crow, The Negotiator, Strange Days, LA Story, Gladiator, Blow, Walking Tall, Titan AD, True Lies, The Usual Suspects, Collateral Damage, Scrooged, The Big Hit, Forces of Nature, Mad Love, Idle Hands, Race the Sun, Ratatouille, Speed Racer, Mission Impossible, Cars, Call of the Wild and over 150
- Television Shows: Cheers, Scrubs, Samantha Who, Frasier, Married…with Children, Larry Sanders Show, Seinfeld, Happy Days, Murphy Brown, The Tonight Show, The Gary Shandling Show, The Martin Short Show and over 250 more.
- Performed/Recorded with: Christina Aguilera, Bee Gees, Cher, Belinda Carlisle, Melissa Manchester, Little Richard, Dolly Parton, Glenn Frey, John Fogerty, B.B. King, Shelby Lynne, Jose Feliciano, Leanne Rimes, Gordon Goodwin Band, Miley Cyrus, Stewart Copeland and countless more.
- Nominated for a Grammy for Best Jazz Solo for “A Few Good Men” on Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band CD
One show only
Mission Viejo Civic Center
SATURDAY - December 5, 2026
Doors: 6:30 pm
Show: 7:00 pm.