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About

A true guitar player's guitar player, Blaze has been mesmerizing audiences since he began playing professionally at the ripe old age of 12. Although his technical wizardry on the fretboard is jaw dropping, his emotional connection with the crowd is something to behold. Blaze plays with instinct, conviction and maturity far beyond his age. In every generation, a few special entertainers come along with the "it" factor. It's hard to define but easy to recognize. And for anyone who's watched this kid perform, there is no doubt. He has "it."

Blaze got his first guitar when he was five years old. That same year, he attended his first KISS concert. Sitting in the 17th row in Oklahoma City, he remembers watching Gene Simmons fly to the top of the arena as the crowd went wild. It was then that the rock star spotted the small boy standing in his chair, arms in the air, dressed in full costume and makeup as the KISS demon. Like a dream come true for the little boy, Gene pointed directly at him and nodded as if they were brothers. His destiny had been set.

For the next 8 years, Blaze would practice 3 or 4 hours a day relentlessly in his quest to be the best. A classic perfectionist, Blaze is never content with "Good Enough." During an age in music where talent became optional and the ability to really play the guitar became unfashionable, Blaze was hard at work learning his craft from the likes of Mississippi Delta bluesmen to Howie Simon of Alcatrazz. Although many of Blaze's early musical influences lie in '60s, '70s, and '80s rock, his taste in music is diverse. A few years ago, while flipping through the stations on the car radio he happened upon a country guitarist who was (in Blaze's words) "shredding country." Blaze later found out his name was Brad Paisley. Since that time, Blaze has also been listening to country artists such as Rascal Flatts, Keith Urban, Vince Gill, Johnny Hiland, and many others.

In early 2015, Blaze uploaded an original song and video to YouTube entitled "Brad Paisley." In the video, Blaze plays the part of himself and Brad Paisley in a dream sequence of the two hanging out in Las Vegas together. Blaze also expresses his desire to jam with Brad Paisley. The song ends with a guitar duel between "Brad" and Blaze. The very next day after it was posted, Brad Paisley himself saw the video and tweeted to Blaze that he would indeed jam with him for real. On March 5, 2015 the jam took place at the World Arena in Colorado Springs, CO in front of thousands of country music fans.

Even though Blaze is a natural on the guitar and has had the opportunity to play with some of the world's best musicians, you wouldn't know it to talk to him. With his moppy hair and Eddie Van Halen like grin, he is genuine, kind and unassuming. On stage, there is lightning in his fingers but blues in his soul. As one veteran Fresno guitarist commented after hearing Blaze perform an Eric Johnson song flawlessly, "That is not a normal boy in there."


 

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