Adam Cantor accidentally stumbled on guitar when he was 10 years old. He found a half-size guitar with three strings missing one summer while away at camp, and he played it every day using a pop tab as a pick. Adam received his first guitar from his parents for his 11th birthday, began taking lessons, and has not looked back since. He studied at Indiana University School of Music from 2006-2010 and graduated with a degree in Guitar Performance.
Despite studying classical guitar extensively, Adam’s primary instrument of choice is the acoustic guitar. After meeting Tom Shinness and seeing him play harp guitar in 2005, and then discovering Andy McKee’s “Drifting” on Youtube in 2006, Adam developed a passion for instrumental acoustic music. Adam started posting videos on his youtube channel, “guitar2adam”, in 2006. He now has 10 million views on his videos which include original music, covers, lessons, and other fun random clips.
Adam’s accomplishments include winning 1st Place in Hoosier Guitar Idol (2009), winning 2nd Place in the Taylor Guitars 30-Second Solo Showdown Competition (2010), appearing on the front page of msn.com in an “I’m Yours” mash-up video (2010), signing an endorsement contract with K&K Sound and being featured as their Featured Artist (2011), winning 1st Place in the Indiana State Fingerstyle Guitar Competition, and winning 2nd Place in the Walnut Valley International Fingerstyle Guitar Competition. Adam has been honored to share the stage with renowned artists including Antione Dufour, Luca Stricagnoli, Calum Graham, Ian Ethan Case, and Adrian Bellue.
Adam’s style follows the tradition of great fingerstyle guitarists such as Michael Hedges, Andy Mckee, Don Ross, Antoine Dufour, and Tommy Emmanuel. His music blends all of these influences with classical, folk, blues, rock, and jazz undertones. Adam has also written popular guitar arrangements of songs by other artists ranging from “Ants Marching” by Dave Matthews Band to “Let it Snow” to themes from Nintendo games.
Adam’s “side gig” is working as a full time ophthalmologist specializing in pediatric ophthalmology and adult strabismus. Adam has been practicing as a physician since he graduated from the Indiana University School of Medicine in 2016, and is currently working as an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. His other hobbies include traveling, anything outdoors, skiing/snowboarding, tennis, scuba diving, playing nostalgic video games, and spending time with his dogs.
