Brad Powell

Brad Powell is perhaps better known to Amazonians as "The Candlelight Guitarist" with over a dozen albums and singles. At age 10, Brad was inspired by The Beatles to take guitar lessons. At age 15, he became a protégé and lifelong friend of renown jazz guitarist Joe Pass. ~~~~ Growing up in Southern California, Brad and two friends went to Hollywood after high school one day. After a stop at Guitar Center, they parked behind Capitol Records, curious about the musicians going inside carrying instrument cases. The Capitol security guard said "you've got to go boys." As they were leaving, Glen Campbell drove up, and as Brad vividly remembers: "I had the nerve to go up to Glen Campbell and ask: 'Mr. Campbell, can we watch you record? We're musicians.' And Glen said 'Sure boys, come with me.' Glen Campbell kindly took us inside, and told the guard 'These boys are with me.' Glen took us into studio 'A' where we watched him sing and record two songs, backed by the 'Wrecking Crew' musicians, and a large orchestra and background singers. Glen sang Leon Russell's 'A Song For You' (for his TV show), and the recording is now on YouTube."

During college, Brad studied classical guitar under concert and recording artist Vincenzo Macaluso. Brad also studied at California State University, Northridge, earning a B.A. in Music, where he took master classes under Dr. Ronald C. Purcell, and a master class under the maestro Andrés Segovia.

Brad was featured at the Hollywood Bowl performing Gerald Wilson's Sonata for Guitar and Orchestra, with the composer conducting. Brad has composed music for popular TV shows, including Hill Street Blues and The 'A' Team (working with composer Mike Post).

Brad loves the outdoors. He's rafted the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, later composing and recording "Meribeth's Paradise" in tribute to his friend Dr. Meribeth Riffey, noted ornithologist and Grand Canyon nature expert. In 1991, Brad solo thru-hiked the John Muir Trail in the California Sierra. His Candlelight Guitarist CD "Beatitude Bridge" was inspired by the beautiful Woods Creek foot bridge along the trail. Brad's mother, Dorothy Powell, painted that CD cover (when she was 90) from a photo Brad took of the bridge.

Brad especially enjoys composing music and recording albums as "The Candlelight Guitarist," these recordings are infused with Brad's positive outlook on life, the value of each person, and the beauty and wonder of nature. Brad has recorded over a dozen Candlelight Guitarist albums, plus several singles.

Brad began teaching guitar at age 16, and during college taught guitar classes at the YMCA. After college, Brad taught guitar lessons and classes at the Canoga School of Music in Los Angeles (for founder Dr. Robert Delwarte), and at Valley Arts Guitar Center in Studio City, California (for co-founder Al Carness), and guitar classes at a local parochial high school. Brad has had the joy of teaching over 5,000 private guitar lessons, and over two-thousand guitar classes in public and private schools. Many of his former students have gone on to study music in college, and play guitar in bands that have found significant success.

Fron March 2019 into January 2024, Brad performed solo guitar for Disney's Princess Breakfast Adventures, at the Grand Californian resort at Disneyland. There, Brad performed for the Disney Princesses, including Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Aurora, Pocahontas, Cinderella, Tiana, Mulan, Rapunzel, Raya, Moana, Snow White, and Merida. Look for their "Goodbye to Brad" video on the Candlelight Guitarist YouTube channel!

When not making music, Brad is often out hiking with his three dogs, Elron, Rosewood, and Pearl.