Renowned Guitar Maker Paul Reed Smith Brings Band to Campus for April 27 Concert

CHESTERTOWN, MD—World-renowned guitar manufacturer Paul Reed Smith and the Paul Reed Smith Band will perform at Washington College on Friday evening, April 27. The concert will begin at 7 p.m. in the Decker Theatre, Gibson Center for the Arts on the College campus, 300 Washington Avenue. Sponsored by the Washington College Musician’s Union, the event is free and open to the public.

Smith will hold a master class for Washington College students that Friday afternoon. 

            The Paul Reed Smith band consists of Paul Reed Smith and Mike Ault on guitar, Gary Grainger on bass, and Greg Grainger on drums, with vocalist Mia Samone Davis. The band, which plays an eclectic mix of classic rock, current hits, and original compositions, is known for its high-energy performances and interaction with the audience. The musicians have played throughout the United States and internationally.

            A native of Bowie, Md., native Paul Reed Smith first began making guitars while studying at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. In 1975, he opened The Guitar Shop in Annapolis, where he custom-built guitars for local musicians. He formally established Paul Reed Smith (PRS) Guitars in 1985, and today the Stevensville-based firm is one of the largest manufacturers of high-end guitars in the world. Smith’s guitars, known for their distinctive tone and style, have been played by famous musicians of all genres and generations, from Carlos Santana to Dave Navarro to Jimmy Buffett.

            For more information about PRS guitars and Paul Reed Smith, himself, please visit www.prsguitars.com. For more information about the Washington College Musician’s Union, visit www.washcoll.edu. 

Photo: Paul Reed Smith, foreground, with bassist Gary Grainger.