Alex De Grassi Biography

Alex de Grassi is an American Grammy Award-nominated fingerstyle guitarist.

Though born in Yokosuka, Japan, de Grassi grew up in San Francisco, California, where his grandfather played violin for the San Francisco Symphony and his father was a classical pianist. At age thirteen he learned to play the trumpet but soon taught himself the guitar, the instrument for which he is now famous. De Grassi has since learned jazz piano with Mark Levine and also studied music under William Mathieu and Bill Thrasher.

After earning a degree in Economic Geography from the University of California, Berkeley, de Grassi performed as a street musician in London before learning the carpentry trade from his cousin Will Ackerman who later founded the innovative instrumental record label Windham Hill. De Grassi's first album, Turning: Turning Back, was released by Windham Hill Records in 1978. De Grassi also recorded under RCA/Novus, EarthBeat!, and 33rd Street recordings. In addition, De Grassi started his own label, Tropo Records, which he now records under. He performs solo concerts worldwide, holds various guitar workshops throughout the year, and performs with the DeMania Trio, alongside bassist Michael Manring and percussionist Christopher Garcia.

Turning: Turning Back; Windham Hill, 1978