Roger Wilson Guitar Studio

Back in the late 70s, Roger Wilson changed my life by teaching me how to play by ear. After trying several other guitars teachers and their traditional methods, a friend referred me to Roger. Roger’s approach was very different. He built our lessons around the music I was listening to and taught me how to figure songs out for myself – not to rely on books alone. He taught me to appreciate the roots of the music I was hearing. I vividly remember one lesson when I asked him to show me how to play some of the first Dire Straits album. He pulled out an old J.J. Cale record Really and played it. “You mean like this?” Yeah, just like that. I learned some great lessons from Roger. Thirty-five years later, the guitar is still a big passion in my life. Roger’s lessons in scales, blues, and slide provided a foundation that serves me well to this day. I whole heartedly recommend Roger Wilson.

Roger Wilson, plain and simple, is a Great Guitar Teacher. His knowledge, incredible skills, immense playing experience……..along with Much needed patience for beginners like me, make him an ideal Teacher for a Student at any level. I would recommend Roger Wilson to anyone wishing to take their playing to the next level.

I have many great memories of my guitar lessons with Roger back in the late 70s. He was very patient as I tried to master such great songs as Riding the Storm Out and Champaign Jam. He was an excellent teacher and I’m sure he still is. He took the time to work with you until you really understood what you were working on or until you got that lick just right! Even though it’s been 35 years since I was his student, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him.

I had the privilege of working for Roger at his new studio before it even opened. Before that I was working after school at Oxford Chemicals in their plant. I saved up money, quit my job, and went on a cross country trip with my cousin. At the time, I was taking lessons from Roger at his Pharr Road location. We became friends, and my lessons moved to his last lesson of the evening. We would then head out to Good Ol’ Days next door for some beers after lessons were finished. I let him know we were going across country and he offered me a job when I returned. We literally built the inside of that studio when I returned in the summer of 81. No AC in Atlanta during August gets hot to say the least, to this day the smell of fresh cut wood and Gatorade makes me think of building out that place. Roger’s harmonica player’s wife painted the sign for us. Some great memories came out of that place, and no Roger I won’t further degrade your reputation by listing them here! I remember the smell of the varnish from the antique shop two doors down, the flowers that Terry Alexander from Very Terry Flowers from next door provided for my dates, and playing your Les Paul really loud before you arrived to teach lessons. I also remember many of the local musicians who would stop by to say hello. Good times and tons of memories! I would love to go into further details, but I won’t do that to you! Thanks for the great times there!

I took lessons from Roger in 1977-78 to learn fingerstyle picking. For the next year and a half he took me so much further than I could have hoped. Things I learned from Roger I still use today in playing folk, blues, country blues and even bluegrass. Students will have a teacher who has a vast knowledge of music and a great passion for the guitar and the patience to see you through the times when it seems like you’re “just not getting it”. Have fun makin’ music!

I’m a guitarist/songwriter/composer/bandleader based in central NC, touring VA, NC and SC for the past 10 years with my band, The Will McBride Group. We’ve opened shows for ZZ Top, Styx, Eddie Money, Aaron Neville, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Sixpence None the Richer. I began learning the guitar from Roger Wilson back in the early 80s. Roger’s ability to connect theory with enjoyment in the styles of music I was interested in, got me started on the road to mastering the guitar. His vast knowledge of the blues really connected with me and his willingness and patience as I struggled in the beginning kept me from giving up. The guitar has been a lifelong enjoyment for me, and Roger Wilson’s teaching helped me get started!