Gordon Roberts grew up in England during the madness of the Beatle years and begged his parents incessantly for a guitar. They finally broke down and bought him one and he immediately immersed himself in the British folk rock traditions of Fairport Convention, Pentangle, Nick Drake, and John Martyn all of whom influenced his somewhat eclectic playing style. In 1976 he took a hard right turn and formed several short lived but much loved punk bands around London opening for The Clash, Sham 69, The Rejects, and more. However, his true love was always the acoustic guitar and this, combined with his love for a certain American lady and the music of her home country, brought him across the Atlantic. He went to work for a musical instrument manufacturing company and helped develop the Eastman line of Archtop guitars and mandolins. During this time he became a mainstay of the Greater Washington DC music community as a songwriter as well as adding his tasteful guitar, mandolin, mandola, ukulele, and hammered dulcimer playing to many recordings. Over the last ten years he has continued to develop a unique fingerpicking style which he is delighted to be able to share with the students of Common Ground.

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