About

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 was admitted to the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in 2006 and earned 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. He started posting videos on his YouTube channel in 2006; they have since passed 10 million views and include original music, covers, lessons, and other fun random clips.

Adam's accomplishments include first place in the Indiana State Fingerstyle Guitar Competition, second place in the Walnut Valley International Fingerstyle Guitar Competition, competing in the Canadian Fingerstyle Guitar Competition (2009, 2012), winning Hoosier Guitar Idol (2009), and placing runner-up in the Taylor Guitars 30-Second Solo Showdown (2010). He has an endorsement with K&K Sound and was their Artist of the Month in November 2011.

Adam's style is his own, but follows the tradition of great fingerstyle guitarists such as Michael Hedges, Andy McKee, Don Ross, Antoine Dufour, and Tommy Emmanuel. His music blends those influences with classical, folk, blues, rock, and jazz undertones. He has also written popular arrangements of songs by other artists, from "Ants Marching" by Dave Matthews Band to "Let It Snow" to themes from Nintendo games.

Away from the guitar, Adam is a pediatric ophthalmologist in Houston, Texas, a graduate of the Indiana University School of Medicine, and a dog dad. His other hobbies include traveling, anything outdoors, skiing and snowboarding, tennis, scuba diving, and nostalgic video games from childhood.

Get in touch: adamcantormusic@gmail.com