Bio
Photos
Links
Music
Contact
Press
Bio
Photos
Links
Music
Contact
Press
Bio
Music
Bio
Greg began playing guitar at 6-years old. He saw The Beatles on TV when he was five, he got 'Meet The Beatles' for that Birthday, and a guitar on the following Christmas. Seeing his enthusiasm, his Grandmother paid for years of guitar lessons, to which his Mother faithfully drove him every week.
By the age of eleven, his guitar teacher told him it was time to focus on a particular style. Knowing that he was kind of an awkward kid that would spend many hours alone in his room, he suggested Country Blues and Bluegrass. "You'll never need to rely on other musicians to get good, and if you can play this stuff, Rock & Roll is a breeze."
Greg has been writing songs since he was a little kid. He had an awesome English teacher in eight grade that encouraged him to write more poetry, to which Greg immediately began putting to music. “At first it was a pastime, then it became an obsession.”
While in high school, Greg was asked to play bass in a local R&B band called The Street Rockers. He took to bass immediately as he had been playing bass parts with his thumb as a Country Blues and Bluegrass guitarist. It was both his introduction to bass and the first glimpse of what it was to be a Rock and Roller. “Donny Davis, the drummer and I were both 16 years old, and Brad (RIP) and Ted Walker were in their twenties. And their friends were wild. We played some crazy bar gigs and parties. Brad and Ted were big influences; they worked hard, played harder, and lived for the music. They were the guys that got me fascinated with The Blues.”
After a year and a half with The Street Rockers, Greg joined Thrust, with best and lifelong friends Scott Sterling and Frank Corby. That was a great change since Thrust played more gigs, that were more civilized, such as Junior and High School dances and Social Clubs. “Frank and Scott both continue to inspire me today. Frank as an artist, and Scott as an guitarist and industry professional. I always think of Scott telling us, ‘the more professional we are, the more they’ll want to hire us back, so be cool.’ And that advice guides me today.”
The day after Greg graduated from high school, he got into his car and moved to the mountains of Northern New Hampshire, where he would play music for hours on end with lifelong friends Dave, Hugh and Bob McLean. “This is when I got my chops.”
But the following year, Greg moved to Boston, his city of birth, to study music at UMass Boston. This was also a formative time. His studies in music theory, orchestration and composition would enrich him for the rest of his life.
Through his twenties, he played with his Boston band, Option One. He learned learned many lessons, while building life-long friendships. In his late twenties, he came to the realization that he was primarily a songwriter, and that being in a band was an entirely different profession. While recording with Option One at Normandy Sound in Warren, RI, Greg worked with producer Leroy Radcliffe (RIP) and engineer Tom Soares. Through them, he learned his way around the studio. “I think of Tom and Leroy every time I walk into a studio and I thanked them on both of my albums. My time with them and the lessons I learned have shaped me musically more than any other experience.” By 28, Greg had fallen in love with recording, sold all by PA gear and big amps, and began the life of a solo songwriter and guitar enthusiast.
After moving to North Carolina in 2006, Greg played with local bands Palm Readers, Backwater Revival and his own band, Single Stone. He was also the Music Directory of three musicals at his local high school.
But now, he simply writes songs, records them and release albums. He loves doing all the guitar and bass parts, and lets his love of the instruments guide the way he records each track for every song.
On his 2018 album, “Greg Paquette - Single Stone,” he wanted to produce a 70s style "guitar rock" album, as he really missed them. With Joey Hovey on drums, and Jake Miracle on vocals, they did exactly that, with great emphasis placed on recording guitars using similar methods that were used during that era. By combining those methods with modern digital recording technology, they created what sounded like a “digitally remastered classic rock album.”
With the 2020 release of “Greg Paquette - Retro Active,” he took a very different path. He wanted to produce a songwriter's album with an emphasis on guitar, that would incorporate my eclectic taste in music and their guitar methods. The album was produced by his son, Chris Paquette (a.k.a Alto Britz, www.alto.world) who is a professional Hip Hop producer. In high school, Chris was a 2-time Jazz Guitar champion, and the recipient of the National Louis Armstrong Award for advancing Jazz in his community. So, he shut up, listened to him, and the results are magic.
But all-in-all, Greg is a songwriter. “My ultimate goal is to have others hear my music, then decide they want to record it.”
website by macsystem.com ©2021 Greg Paquette