Tommy Greene

Shortly after graduating from the Guitar Institute of Technology (GIT) at Musicians Institute in 1991, I was able to make a living as a musician, giving guitar lessons during the day, and playing gigs with various bands at night.  After a few years of this, I got a little tired of the gigs, but I never got tired of the teaching.  I came to realize that music was much more meaningful when used for personal growth and self-mastery, and I valued the relationships I formed with my students as they learned this awesome instrument.  Playing gigs in bars did not bring me the same fulfillment or sense of purpose that teaching guitar lessons did.  I taught at Fat Sound Guitars in Cary NC, Music Go Round in Cary NC, and a private studio in Raleigh NC and Cambridge, MA. 

I was lucky to stumble across Music Therapy when searching for a way to combine music and personal development, and I quickly decided to pursue a career in Music Therapy.  I attended and graduated from Berklee College of Music in 2005, summa cum laude, with a music therapy diploma, and started working as a Music Therapist in hospitals and prisons which I still do today as a Board-Certified Music Therapist. 

I am an accomplished musician who has toured throughout the southeast USA and independently released 4 albums over the last 25 years with Dry White Toast from 1996-2001 (southern funk 'n soul) and Logical Sound Discovery from 1998-2016 (electronic dance music with live musicians), and The Back Taps from 2017-2020 (cover band).  I have also played in weddings and memorial services.  

I know from experience that students learn better when lessons are structured around the music they enjoy and aspire to play.  Yes, I make it a priority for learning to be both fun and structured!  With a passion for teaching and an unwavering commitment to my students' progress, I am known for being patient, understanding, compassionate, and approachable.  

I teach rhythm playing, music theory, chords and harmony, scales and modes, and improvisation.  The style of music focused on will be student’s choice, I have experience teaching rock, pop, funk, folk, country, and jazz.