About - Al Petteway & And Amy White

Al Petteway has played nearly every type of popular, folk and classical music - as a soloist, as part of an ensemble, or as an onstage accompanist. He established a reputation as a world-class sideman by playing and recording with artists like Jethro Burns, Peter Rowan, Jonathan Edwards, Cheryl Wheeler, Debi Smith, David Wilcox, Maggie Sansone and Bonnie Rideout. Though his primary instrument has always been the guitar, he also studied lute, string bass, percussion and music composition. His compositions for acoustic fingerstyle guitar are strongly influenced by his love of Celtic music and his own roots in folk, rock and blues. His music was featured on NPR's "All Things Considered" and as part of the soundtrack for Ken Burns' films "Mark Twain" and "The National Parks."

Al's recordings, music books, and instructional videos have helped win him international acclaim and appearances on National Radio and Television Programs. Al was awarded FORTY FIVE "Wammies" by the Washington Area Music Association including the top honors of "ARTIST OF THE YEAR" and "MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR". He was also the recipient of two Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Awards for Music Composition. Al performed at the Vice President's House and The White House during the Clinton administration. He and his wife, Amy White were Artists in Residence at the Kennedy Center's Millenium Stage and most recently at Warren Wilson College. Al's playing is featured on more than sixty recordings by some of the World's best known Folk and Celtic musicians. In 2005, he was voted one of the Top Fifty Acoustic Guitarists of all Time by the readers of Acoustic Guitar Magazine and in 2008 he won Silver and Bronze medals in the magazine's Player's Choice Awards. He and his wife Amy White won an "Indie" award for their duo guitar album "Gratitude" and Al won a Grammy for his participitation in "Pink Guitar- the Music of Henry Mancini." In addition to performing in concerts and teaching workshops, Al records and teaches private lessons in their home studio in Fairview, NC and is the Guitar Week coordinator for the world famous "Swannanoa Gathering" music camp at Warren Wilson College near Asheville, N.C. He also works with Dream Guitars in Weaverville, NC as a consultant, photographer and recording artist.