
Dan
McGlamery was born in the early 70's in Cleveland, Ohio
and came from a musical family. His Dad's family is from Harlen , Kentucky,
just a few hills away from where Charlie grew up. Dan says his family
"encouraged us to be musical."
Everyone in the family played at least two instruments. Dan picked up
guitar and trumpet at the age of nine. "My mom played classical
music in the kitchen while my Dad played more country and oldies in
the living room," Dan recalls. In high school, he played upright
bass and trumpet in orchestra. He played guitar in jazz bands and began
teaching at a local music store. He also played in a blues band called,
"The Wonder Brothers," on weekends. Seeing Stevie Ray Vaughan
in concert was a major turning point for Dan. It was then and there
he knew what he wanted to do with his life and career.
He
played blues and country, but also took jazz very seriously and got
a scholarship to a music college to study jazz guitar. "Getting
a degree in music also required me to study and perform classical guitar,
which got my right hand very involved in my playing," Dan explains.
At this point he started to combine jazz, country and blues music and
to check out artists like Danny Gatton, Bela Fleck, Brent Mason and
Albert LeeHe. He'd always listened to Jimmy Hendrix and rock and roll
of course, but his heart was in the art music of the day that combined
elements for a new sound.
While
attending college at Bowling Green State University in northern Ohio,
he became a faculty member at Findlay University during his senior year.
He taught guitar at the college level and continued to learn more about
the business of music. He enjoyed teaching and learned a lot in college,
including getting his pilot's license.
Dan felt the need to move to another area and drove his dodge to Nashville
to check it out. He mingled and met many of the people he'd been listening
too, like members of the Allman Brothers Band, Neville Brothers and
Larry Carlton. He knew Nashville was his next home. "I gave away
everything I owned but my guitars and clothes," Dan explained.
"When I first came here I played for tips at coffee shops as I
learned my way around the business. Soon I was doing occasional sessions
and free-lance work. One night I walked into 3rd and Lindsley, which
was my favorite spot here in town, and saw Goose Creek Symphony, who
I had never seen before. I was struck by the arrangements and chordal
impressions that I thought no one else was doing and I was blown away.
It sounded like a mini big-band playing art rock and roll/ folk songs
with an orchestral flair gone bluegrass. I told myself that must be
the coolest band to play for."
A few
months later, he met the guitar player for Johnny Neel who in turn introduced
him to Sid Walker, who played fiddle for Goose Creek at the time. Sid
told Charlie Gearheart about Dan and he was auditioned and hired. After
a year and a half of working as one of Goose Creek Symphony's lead guitarists,
(he was just 22 when he joined) he went on to play with Johnny Neel.
He also started a computer business trading commodities and making and
selling cheesecake. Now he's reunited with the boys in the symphony
and says he's glad to be back.
