Produced by guitar legend Alex de Grassi, Ralph Walker's debut album, "Waiting For You" is a solo guitar project containing pieces reminiscent of his mentor.

13 MP3 Songs
NEW AGE: Meditation, KIDS/FAMILY: Kid Friendly



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An arm injury and John Elway abruptly ended Ralph Walkerâs collegiate baseball aspirations, leaving him to his acoustic guitar. Passion became obsession when he was introduced to Alex de Grassiâs Slow Circle album. While vocalists Randy Stonehill, Bob Bennett and James Taylor served as valuable influences, it was the mastery exhibited by de Grassi â the ability to play in upper, middle and low voices to the extent that it sounded like two or three guitars â that drove Walker during college to wholeheartedly pursue it solely as a solo instrument, even finding time to occasionally attend classes.

Walker was fortunate enough to find de Grassi at a point where he was willing to give a few lessons per year. Meanwhile, he met the late Michael Hedges and jazz virtuoso Tuck Andress who were playing nightly at the New Varsity Theater in Palo Alto - a venue that, in hindsight, is a sort of Fillmore of acoustic guitar. Walker began taking lessons from Hedges before the release of his debut album on Windham Hill, Breakfast in the Field. A couple were notable. One occurred in his VW van, right after his son was born. In another, he convinced Hedges to use an alternate fingering to one of his songs â a case not unlike the schoolboy pointing out a grammatical error to Hemmingway.

Itâs been a fun ride, not unlike a Forest Gump experience. And truly, in all honesty, to say Walker studied with these members of the Pantheon of acoustic music is sort of like a batboy saying he was coached by Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Nonetheless, it was by being allowed glimpses into the inner circle of these great musicians that has helped Walker move towards proficiency in developing a personal voice on the guitar that will never be disconnected from these influences.

His debut album, Waiting For You, produced by Grammy Nominated de Grassi, has won the respect of a handful of critics and thousands upon thousands of elevator riders worldwide.

Walker lives in San Jose, California with his wife, Elena, and two sons, Gabriel and Zachary.