Ken Valentino

Ken began teaching beginner lessons at 15 and joined the teaching staff at Danny D’s by 17. He has been fortunate enough to have music as his sole income for all that time—except for one Christmas, when he played Santa Claus at Baybrook Mall just to see what it was like. He has enjoyed playing numerous instruments, but as of now, he has focused mainly on guitar, bass, vocals, banjo, mandolin, and ukulele.

As far as styles, he has focused more on blues, rock, country, jazz, bluegrass, Celtic, metal and funk. His teaching style is to "have fun to get things done." and to "work on how to practice as opposed to just practicing more." Ken believes the biggest advantage of one-on-one lessons is the ability to tailor the style, technique, and even song choices to match your individual goals.

George Elbel

George has been playing guitar and bass for over 40 years. He has been teaching since 1980. Several of his students have gone on to become teachers themselves—a testament to his lasting influence. He’s well-versed in a wide range of musical styles, including rock, country, jazz, and classical.
George is especially great with young students, and kids love coming in to jam with "Mr. George." If you're passionate about jazz or looking for a practical, everyman’s approach to music theory, George is an excellent choice.

Tim Salter

Tim Salter has been playing guitar for over two decades. While he loves all styles of music, his main focus has been on blues, jazz, R&B, classical, old-school rock 'n' roll, and traditional country. After graduating from Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, Tim spent five years living in Nashville, TN, where he dedicated himself to learning the craft of songwriting and improvisation. During that time, he had the incredible opportunity to share the stage with many world-class musicians and performers. Since returning to Texas, Tim has taught guitar and bass lessons and performed across a wide variety of venues. Whether it’s reading chord charts in the orchestra pit for a school musical, backing up talented artists such as Mary Sarah (a finalist on NBC’s The Voice), leading his blues/jazz trio for Sunday brunch at Hearsay in Houston, or performing bedside at M.D. Anderson and Texas Children’s Hospital, Tim believes there’s no stage too big—or too small. As an instructor, Tim’s goal is to get you playing as soon as possible in the style of your choice. Along the way, he’ll introduce foundational music theory and foster an appreciation for music history. Every student learns differently, so your private lessons will be tailored to your pace, interests, and goals.