Robert W. Dillon, Ph.D., a gifted fingerstyle guitarist, composes and performs energetic and innovative original acoustic instrumentals and classical solo favorites. Known for his command of the acoustic and classical guitar, Robert has a continual drive to combine the techniques and beauty of legendary masters of the guitar to his original works. Robert's honest and personable stage presence puts his audience in a state of relaxation and mesmerization. Robert combines a variety of guitar tunings with his unique fingerstyle technique to produce rich and expressive tones that are heard as three-dimensional melodies (foreground, middleground, and background) to create an almost "orchestral" sound.

Concert Quality Guitars:

• Taylor model NS74ce Grand Auditorium cutaway-electric (nylon-string) guitar (yr. 2010)
• Traugott model R cutaway "custom-built" (steel-string) guitar (yr. 2000)
• Hernandis model 1a (nylon-string) guitar (yr. 1973)
• Taylor model NS24ce Grand Auditorium cutaway-electric (nylon-string) guitar (yr. 2011) -- his traveling guitar
• Regal Egyptian Resonator model RC-40CE cutaway (steel-string) guitar (yr. 2006)

Music Publications and Highlights:

• Discography:
  • Fingerstyle Guitar & Percussion (© 2005)
  • Christmas Classics (© 2004)
  • Renewed Memories (© 2002)
  • Classical Solos (© 2001)
  • Images From The Heart (© 2000)
• Printed Music:
  • Fingerstyle Guitar Instructional Book, Vol I, (© 2005) with music theory and notation, exercises, and instrumentals
  • Guitar Music Book (music notation and tablature) (© 2000) of the music on the "Images From The Heart" CD
  • Original Transcriptions from the "Renewed Memories" and "Images From The Heart" CDs
• Media Coverage:
  • Full interview on KATV Channel 7 "Good Morning Arkansas Show"
  • Full interview on THV Channel 11 "Arkansas Today Show", music from CDs are played during commercials
  • Locally heard on KLCC and KRVM in Eugene, Oregon
  • Featured in numerous newspapers, magazines, and on Internet web sites
  • Broadcasted over many radio stations and phone services in the United States
• Master Workshop on Big Lee "Leo" for the Fingerstyle Guitar Magazine, issue no. 53
• Endorsements:
  • Selected by the D'Addario Company to endorse D'Addario guitar strings
  • Selected by the Shubb Company to endorse Shubb capos
• Performances:
  • Performed extensively in the mid-continent states, and now on the west coast for many occasions (weddings, concerts, fine dining, wine tasting events, special functions, etc..)
  • During 2000 to 2005, Robert averaged 63 documented performances per year

Education and Background:

• Born in New Orleans, Louisiana on January 29, 1958
• At nine years old, Robert took private piano lessons and learned music theory. At sixteen, Robert found his true passion -- the guitar, especially the fingerstyle technique. He was primarily self-taught at that time and applied his knowledge of the piano to the guitar. After a year of playing, he received formal instruction and proper classical guitar technique from the master virtuoso "Frank Martinez" while living in New Orleans. Information about Frank can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_M_(Martinez) and http://www.frankm.org. Frank studied under the world's most famous and renowned classical guitarist "Andres Segovia." Robert then entered college at the age of 16, and became interested in the science programs. Though, he focused on his passion (the guitar) throughout his life. His first professional guitar performance was at the age of 18. At that time, he was hired to transcribe and perform church pieces for the guitar (in place of the organist).
• B.S. degree in Earth Science from the University of New Orleans (1980)
• M.S. degree in Geology & Geophysics from the University of Missouri-Rolla (1993)
• Ph.D. degree in Geology & Geophysics from the University of Missouri-Rolla (1999)
• Geologist for Texaco Oil Company (1980-83) and U.S. Geological Survey (1984-99)
• Adjunct Geological Instructor for four academic institutions in Missouri (1994-97):
  Drury College, Maryville University, Columbia College, and Park College.

  Present Work Experience/Income:

• Independent Financial Advisor/Entrepreneur in the stock market (1997-present) and manages three successful financial web sites (StockMarketTiming.com, TSPFundTrading.com, and ThriftTrading.com), which provide professional advice for individual investors, traders, stock brokers, financial advisors, government employees and retirees, and mutual fund managers.
• Online Geological Instructor for Axia College (2009-present) of the University of Phoenix.
• Master guitarist, and composer and performer of new acoustic and classical guitar instrumentals (1975-present). Robert focuses on wedding performances (ceremony & reception: cocktails/dinner). He also performs for corporate events, fine dining & banquets, business parties, wine tasting events, grand openings, country clubs, concerts, anniversaries, private parties, art galleries, funerals, and more.
• Owns two rental homes in Eugene, OR, which are managed by Pioneer Property Management.
• Robert lives in Naples, Florida

  Activities:

• Tennis (3-4x per week), hiking, biking, photography, fishing, ping pong, boating, wine tasting, dining, theatre, movies, traveling, and animals (exotic cats & turtles)

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