Glen McCarthy

Glen McCarthy was surrounded by music growing up in New York City. His mother, a bassist, encouraged him to play piano, and by fourth grade he was playing trumpet in the school band. When he was asked to play Taps for a community event—and was paid a whopping six dollars—Glen knew he wanted to be a musician. Throughout high school, he performed in the orchestra, jazz band, and in the pit for school plays. During his college years, he played in the marching band while gigging on weekends and studying music education. After college, Glen landed a prime opportunity with the U.S. State Department, helping promote American music around the world. This role allowed him to travel extensively and perform a wide range of styles, including bluegrass and country music. In 1976, Glen developed a college-level guitar teaching course—an innovative concept at the time. The classes grew rapidly, and administrators who initially questioned the idea soon became enthusiastic supporters. The program spread to other colleges and universities, and Glen further expanded its reach through Honors Guitar Ensembles, Teaching Guitar Workshops, and online instruction. Deeply committed to expanding access to guitar education, Glen later became involved with the Guitar & Accessories Marketing Association (GAMA), serving on its board. Through GAMA’s collaboration with educators, manufacturers, and distributors, Glen helped support initiatives that encouraged more people to learn and play guitar. For more than twenty years, The NAMM Foundation partnered with GAMA and the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) to present Teaching Guitar Workshops across the country, extending Glen’s lifelong mission to empower teachers and inspire students through music.