Adam Gardino

Adam Gardino works at a Papa Murphy Pizza store to feed his musical appetite. He has entered this competition nine times and in 2005 he made the top five and five years later he took 3rd place. Adam is a talented young man who also plays the ukulele, mandolin, banjo, piano, and yes even the kazoo. He loves the family atmosphere of the Walnut Valley Festival and he will return as he says, “to such a loving atmosphere.” But you don’t want to mess with Adam, he is trained in the martial arts. You see his parents run a karate school and Adam is a 2nd degree Black Belt. Adam chose the Taylor 714ce Guitar by Taylor Guitars of El Cajon, CA as his prize and that was in addition to the 1st Place Trophy and a Check for $3,000. He is looking forward to returning to Winfield for the Wednesday evening Champions Concert in 2013.

Adam's Biography

Adam creates the epitome of emotion through his 6 string guitar. Growing up in the heart of Colorado Springs, CO gave Adam a diverse musical world of blues, country, bluegrass, rock, folk, and jazz to draw inspiration from. This comes out in his unique and outright incredible fingerstyle compositions and arrangements, which throughout his budding career has continued to dazzle audiences everywhere. He has been blessed to have shared the stage with some of the best musicians including Grammy winners Doug Smith, Pat Donohue and Al and Amy Petteway. From farmers' markets to radio shows, house concerts to performing art centers, people agree these finger acrobatics are only the beginning.

On his 10th birthday, Adam received a guitar from his family and hit the ground running. By the age of 16, Adam had not only a developed a deep love for music, but also succeeded in his first year at the International Fingerstyle Guitar Championship, held at the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, KS, by finishing in the Top Five. Taking that experience forward, he kept competing and continued on to receive 3rd place at the age of 21 and 1st place at the age of 23.

Adam is a graduate from the University of Colorado Denver magna cum laude with a B.S. in Music Performance. There, he was exposed to songwriting and he took to using his experiences to paint a tapestry of words that only added to his musical backdrop. In 2011 he released his first album “Lost Keys”, which showcases his incredible fingerpicking and witty songwriting. On the heart wrenching “Goodbye”, or the funny-bone tickling “Dentist Chair Blues”, tears are sure to come.

When not on the road or in his home studio teaching students, Adam spends most of his time with friends and family. He currently trains at his parent’s martial arts school as a 2nd Degree Black Belt, along with his girlfriend who is also a 2nd Degree Black Belt. Playing Batman and Call of Duty with his brother and cousin, he looks like just another young college grad. But put a guitar in his hands and he transforms into a fingerpickin’ machine.