Professional Guitar Lessons with Jerry Cortez - Master Guitarist of Tower of Power

Jerry Cortez, - American Professional Musician, Guitarist, Song Writer, Recording Artist, Producer, and Guitar Instructor!!!

Jerry Cortez is an accomplished professional musician, guitarist, vocalist, session/ recording artist, and producer with a career spanning over 50 years, and he’s still going strong and actively touring as the guitarist and vocalist for Tower of Power, the iconic band he’s been in since 2010.  

Jerry grew up in a very musical family in the San Francisco Bay area.  His father, Victor Cortez was a busy working musician playing tenor saxophone in clubs at least 5 nights a week.  His passion for music and his work ethic rubbed off on Jerry and his brothers, as did the amazing music scene of the bay area during that time.  In addition to his family, Jerry was heavily influenced as a young musician by a number of artists that he credits, such as; The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, Wes Montgomery, Woody Herman and Stan Getz, to name a few.  

By the time Jerry was 18 years old, he was a professional musician who was in high demand as a session guitarist because of his talents.  He spent many years paying his dues as a working musician, while honing his skills with some of the most popular artists of the time.  He spent several years on tour with Jesse Colin Young (well known for fronting the band The Youngbloods, who had the unforgettable hit song “Get Together.”)

In 1986, the Grateful Dead’s guitarist, another bay area guitarist named Jerry, Jerry Garcia was unable to perform for an extended period of time due to health problems.  Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzman, keyboardist Brent Mydland, along with Santana’s lead vocalist/ guitarist Alex Ligertwood and bassist Dave Margen, and Jerry Cortez on guitars/ vocals formed the band Go Ahead.  Go Ahead toured extensively to the delight of fans and critics, with Bob Weir joining Go Ahead as a member of the band in late 1987.  Go Ahead toured until March of 1988 when the band dissolved when Garcia recovered and Grateful Dead and Santana bands reformed.  

Jerry Cortez continued his career as a frequently requested session and recording artist, touring and recording with numerous artists such as; Cold Blood, Tom Johnston, Buddy Miles, Brian Withycombe, Kingfish, Tom Rigney, and many others.  Over the years, Jerry nurtured his God given talents through years of study, hard work, and paying his dues as a hard working career musician.  The work ethics he learned from Victor helped him through many years of living the life of a musician.  Through these years he continued to grow as a guitar soloist, session player, producer and engineer.  He has recorded several critically acclaimed albums as a solo artist, with his latest “From the Ground Up,” a solo instrumental album demonstrating the best of Cortez's unique, soulful guitar style.  All while he continually tours and records with Tower of Power, just wrapping up a special Holiday tour and gearing up for a new 2024 tour.  Jerry definitely has a lot of energy and he loves to stay busy!  

Jerry Cortez has earned a reputation as a musician that other musicians appreciate and enjoy being around.  He is just as amazingly nice as he is talented, which is also one of the reasons his fans love him.

Guitar Teacher

Jerry studied guitar with DJ Ciraulo and Tuck Andress. Jerry has been teaching privately and has taught guitar classes since January of 1980. Jerry’s versatile teaching style stems from his performance background.  Jerry is passionate about teaching and helping others achieve their goals with music.  Jerry says; 

“I enjoy helping my students progress from week to week by working with  his or her individual interests. I want guitar to be fun, informative, and  memorable, so that it will be a lifelong passion.

 My approach to teaching  guitar is song oriented, which lets the student explore pitch, phrasing, and  technique in the context of their favorite songs. This also allows the  student to build a vocabulary of chord fingerings. 

My lessons largely involve the student and I playing together. I talk the  student through the song they are playing, and we play through the song  together. This allows the student to see, hear, and practice proper  rhythm, phrasing, and playing position. 

Through all the years of performing, doing sessions, and  teaching, the most rewarding aspect of my musical career is the growth I witness in my students. I have many fond memories of students coming to me at age nine or ten, with a guitar bigger than they are, and then before I know it they are headed off to college as an accomplished musician.”

El Cajon Guitars and Music is proud to be able to offer private guitar lessons with Jerry Cortez.  The lessons will be remote, one on one video conference lessons with Jerry at his home studio.  Jerry will create personalized lessons based on the student’s level of experience, goals, and playing style.  

Please email us at info@ecgmusic.com if you are interested in taking lessons with Jerry.  Please include your level of experience, briefly describe your lesson goals, and schedule preferences.  Maria and Frank will coordinate with Jerry to get you set up with an amazing, invaluable, and unforgettable experience with Jerry.  Also, expect to have fun!