“Raj is the best guitar teacher I ever had. His teachings still resonate with me today in how I approach playing, performing, and writing. Raj was my second guitar teacher after my parents realized how obsessed I was with playing in middle school — and what a huge level up.

He gave me the tools to go from an intermediate guitarist to advanced quickly. By high school I had competed in Guitar Center’s King of the Blues and placed in the top 3.

When I’m soloing or improvising, I still hear Raj’s voice in my head: think in motifs, let phrases breathe, make the guitar sing, and most importantly… don’t acknowledge mistakes — just keep playing.

I’m now a working musician and vocalist who appeared on three episodes of Season 7 of The Voice. I write and produce original music that has been synced on NBC, CBS, and MTV, and I gig 4–7 times a week across Southern California.

My love of understanding how guitar and music work comes directly from my lessons with Raj.

Thank you, Raj.”

Troy Ritchie

Composer, Artist and Producer