PATRICK BUTLER

Patrick Butler was born in Monan, Indiana. The first sounds he heard were melodies to Celtic and bluegrass tunes picked out on banjo, guitar and mandolin by his father. Patrick’s family moved to New Brunswick, New Jersey while he was four years old. New Brunswick was an area unusually rich with jazz musicians. Joe Pass was born there; other residents included organist Charles Earland, Renaldo Jorge, trombonist with the Fania All-Stars, and alto saxophonist, James Spaulding. Patrick started playing guitar at age 13 and went on to record and play with many varied artists. Harry Leahey, jazz guitar genius, lived in nearby South Plainfield, New Jersey; Patrick started studying with him at age 15. Leahey, nicknamed “Buddha of the Guitar,” was a member of The Phil Woods Quintet and was a student of Johnny Smith, the Master of Chordal Theory, and Dennis Sandole, whose most famous students included saxophonist John Coltrane read more...