Chris Woodard

From the early 70's right on through to the present, Chris has worked in nearly all stylistic genres of American music. From a critical perspective, perhaps this would not be considered as a very straight path for a musician to follow and ill advised. Chris himself in not entirely sure why things turned out this way; however, he is sure of where his musical pedigree and influences originated.

After World War II ended, more than a decade before Chris was born, Chris' parents (Carl and Betty Woodard) were a young couple trying hard to make ends meet. Chris' father, a former airman just out of the 14th Army Air Force, was supporting his young family working for the the State of California as a social worker and attending college part time on the GI Bill. Most notably however, Chris' dad was also putting food on the table pursuing his passion as in-demand accordionist playing solo and in jazz and western swing bands. It was a passion he pursued for the rest of his life.

This passion for music was also exemplified in the lives of Chris' uncles, Earl and Fay Woodard. Earl was a master of the plectrum tenor banjo, and also played violin, bass violin and 5 string banjo well. Fay was an absolute wonder as a country and swing violinist, and he also designed arguably the very first solid body electric violins in Central New York around the mid-70's.

Chris' two older sisters, Pat and Margie, were an influence on his early formative musical perspectives. Pat, who tragically died in 1992 from brain cancer, was a gifted singer of transcendent abilities who left an indelible mark on Chris with a deep appreciation for blues and sacred music. Margie ,also a gifted vocalist and pianist, moved to Central Tennessee in 1969 to seek her fortunes and raise a family, and was one reason for Chris' Tennessee roots network of friends and family (musical and otherwise) extending from his childhood years.

As a teenager in high school, Chris played with his rock group, The J Hawker Band, with his cousin Ron and other childhood friends, competing with musicians much older than themselves. Chris' high school was not large, and his graduating class was small, but talented, and some of his pals and classmates went on to much bigger things. Chris's friend, Crit Harmon, also a talented young guitarist whose group was Jazzbo Brown, went on to rack up impressive TV and movie credits as a producer and engineer for artists like Martin Sexton and Lori Werner.

Other notable groups Chris played in during the 70's decade include Midnight Flyer and Raw Meat (name later changed to Michael). Additionally , Chris moonlighted with his friend, Tommy Haskell, in a lighthearted acoustic duo playing the Ground Round restaurant circuit , the Boxcar restaurant, the Golden Garter and other similar eatery locales that regularly featured music performers.

At the end of the 70's Chris was back in Tennessee working as a security guard, and playing with friend, Jimmy Carroll, and others from the Shelbyville and Wartrace area playing rock , pop, blues and bluegrass in Murfreesboro/Nashville clubs like the Seven Percent Solution and Howdy's. It was around this time that Chris participated in a hilarious guitar playing endurance marathon with other area players that was covered by the Nashville news media.

The 80's decade saw Chris marrying the love of his life, Anne, the birth of his daughter, Allison , his stint as a police officer, the start of his tenure at Logos Bookstore Emporium and the pursuit of his second college degree in music studying jazz guitar at Ithaca College. Towards the end of the 80's, Chris was on hand to witness his friend (and colleague at Logos), Scott Adams, birth his small fledgling independent record label, Orchard Park/Eutycus Records which grew into a successful operation that eventually became Orchard Beat Recordings. Orchard Beat Recordings has had a talented roster of artists including Scott Adams himself, Tom Rasely , Dan Lovett, Celtimorphosis, Ti-Ti Chickapea and the Hot Seven and others.

In the 90's, Chris and his brother-in law, Brian Hyland, were coming off the heels of the success of the Emmy nominated documentary, "Helmira", which they had researched and played the music for producer Bill Jaker and PBS affiliate WSKG in Binghamton, NY. Scott Adams asked Chris and Brian to come on board as recording artists for Orchard Park, and the Celtic/jazz duo Celtimorphosis was born. During their tenure, Brian and Chris as Celtimorphosis recorded two critically well received cd albums: Celtimorphosis (1995) and Celtimorphosis: Celtic Traditions (1997). These two albums garnered excellent press reviews and were distributed throughout the United States, Canada, South America, the British Isles (including Ireland) and presumably parts of Europe. Orchard Beat Recordings has just released a new sampler, Songs of Our Fathers, which has some Celtimorphosis cuts on it (from past released recordings). During the mid 90's, Celtimorphosis recorded tracks on several successful Orchard Park/Orchard Beat samplers featuring a variety of artists and sold everywhere.

Brian and Chris as Celtimorphosis played in every kind of venue imaginable throughout New York State and Pennsylvania including many big outdoor festivals. A highlight for them was warming up for folk icon, Patricia Herdman, in State College, Pennsylvania.

At the end of the 90's, Brian and Chris disbanded Celtimorphosis and split off into separate musical directions. Brian started playing with the popular Irish group , West O'Clare, recorded an excellent solo cd album entitled Hyland's Fling, and on one particular musical night got to share the stage with the legendary Chieftains.

Chris was fortunate enough to pair up with veteran performer/instrumentalist extraordinaire, Patrick O' Flaherty, and played for over a year in the Syracuse area in venues like Coleman's Traditional Irish Pub/Restaurant and Kitty Hoyne's to packed houses regularly.

With his successes in Celtic music, it's too easy to pigeon-hole Chris as only a Celtic musician . In truth, British Isles music is really one facet of Chris' musical canvas. For a good share of his life, Chris has made a serious study of music whenever possible, and has studied with the best in the field, both privately and in college pursuing all things musical including traditional music theory, harmony, arranging and jazz studies with their applications to guitar performance and composition. At Ithaca College, Chris was fortunate to study extensively with Jazz educator/guitarist Steve Brown, and with composer Dr. Paul Goldstaub.

Additionally at Ithaca College, Chris studied in ensemble classes and privately with noted jazz guitarist, Rick Beato, a Master's graduate of the New England Conservatory , and with guitarist Dave Frackenpohl. Also, Chris has attended master classes and seminars with nationally known jazz guitarist, John Stowell, and private lessons with jazz/classical/pianist Eiden Essen of Turkey.

As a teacher, Chris has a proven track record for many years of working with people of all ages and backgrounds, and has mentored some very talented young guitarists (men and women), some of who have gone on to music college and others who are now playing in ensembles around Central New York. Chris has taught extensively in classroom settings for the local BOCES Adult Education in beginner and intermediate guitar, and also in Celtic styles and techniques. Additionally, he has tutored music theory for Empire State College. In August of 2003 and August of 2004 Chris has taught music theory and ear training at the Ithaca CSMA Jazz Institute for Kids in Ithaca, NY.

In 2002, Chris was invited to join fellow guitarist/teachers Dennis Turechek and Tom Rasely as a member of the teaching faculty for the Norwich Guitar School.

Over the last two years, Chris has still found time to pursue recording studio activities, both as a contracted side man and on his very first solo cd effort. In 2003, engineer/producer Dan Lovett of Sonic Obsessions Recordings employed Chris to lend his rock guitar and electric slide guitar talents to Mary Bentley's excellent solo album, "Say Something Nice to Me".

In early 2005, Chris has released his first solo cd album (after playing on so many recordings over the years) entitled "Finding My Own Road: Guitar Stories". The album was recorded at Sonic Obsessions Studio (engineered and mastered by Dan Lovett), and is distributed by Chris' fledgling business, Smiling Collie Music and Productions. Also, in late 2004, Chris completed his first guitar instruction book, also on Smiling Collie Music and Productions, entitled "Guitar Excursions: Seven studies for the intermediate player in the jazz/blues idiom".

It is Chris' belief that nobody ever grows and matures in a vacuum; but, rather is touched by the lives of countless other people in a lifetime. Visit the Links section to discover some of those "other people". And click here for a complete Chris Woodard discography. Click here to view a 2001 article about Chris from the "Ithacan".

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