Rory Hoffman Biography

Rory Hoffman is a Nashville based multi-instrumentalist. Raised on a small ranch in North Dakota, Rory grew up recording and touring with the family Gospel band. He started teaching himself to play guitar and piano at age 3. By age 5 he was the drummer in the family band. He currently plays over a dozen stringed, keyboard and wind instruments.

Rory has played the Grand Ole Opry numerous times, as a soloist and as a sideman with Ricky Skaggs, Kathy Mattea and John Cowan. Working with these stars and others has enabled him to play several notable festivals, including Telluride with John Cowan, and Djangofest as part of the John Jorgenson quintet. Kacey Musgraves has asked Rory to play on her Christmas album, and to be part of the 2016 tour promoting that release. He has performed in Norway, Italy and Jamaica thus far and deeply enjoys any opportunities to travel the world, experiencing the culture and sharing music. When not out on the road touring, Rory is proud to be in several local Nashville bands, including 50 Shades of Hay, and the Gypsy hombres.

"Just Jazz Guitar" and "Guitar Player" magazines have written feature articles about Hoffman's unique guitar style. Rory is 2-time winner of Musician of the Year from Nashville's ICMA, and is a 2012 inductee into the South Dakota Country Music Hall of Fame.

Rory's personal musical career was jumpstarted in 1999 upon winning Grand Champion Instrumentalist at the Christian Artist Seminar in the Rockies. In 2001 he traveled to Nashville for the first time to record his Gospel instrumental CD, "Blind Faith". He then helped form Depot Music Productions, based in Mobridge South Dakota. There he self-produced his second album "fishin'", this time choosing country music as his theme. While with Depot Music, Rory produced several other studio projects for local and regional artists.

Rory moved to Nashville in the spring of 2008. Three years later in 2011 he released his 3rd album, "Swing Expedition". On this project, he demonstrates his abilities and inventiveness on almost every instrument he plays. Tunes range from a gypsy jazz arrangement of a Star Wars Theme, a bossa nova rendition of a classic country song, to an all-harmonica treatment of a Cole Porter Standard.

Tour de Fourth, Rory's latest album, entered the world in 2016. Rather than focus on a certain style of music, this album features music that demonstrates Rory's skill and diverse interests in country, western swing, jazz, polka, latin, gypsy jazz, bluegrass and gospel music. It is a mix of original songs, and fresh arrangements of standards. Rory is proud to feature over 25 friends, all superb Nashville musicians.

Links

Article from the Nashville Scene
http://www.nashvillescene.com/news/article/13047351/rory-hoffman

Article from Guitar Player magazine
http://www.guitarplayer.com/artists/1013/rory-hoffman-self-made-man/25738