Alton started playing the piano at age four and was soon playing and singing at his father’s church in Fitzgerald, Georgia. He was involved in numerous musical activities growing up there, including band, chorus, and theater, and a gospel quartet called The Revelators. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Florida State University, where he performed in numerous vocal ensembles (highlights include performing the Mozart and Durufle Requiem masses with Robert Shaw) as well as the Jazz ensemble. After moving to Chicago in the early ‘90’s, he composed music for the Green Highway Theater production of Caryl Churchill’s Softcops.Since first taking guitar classes at the Old Town School in 1997, he has participated in numerous ensembles, performed at the 2002 Folk and Roots festival with his band, Mystery Train, and taught a workshop on “How to Play by Ear.” Since joining the Old Town School faculty in 2003, he has taught the Springsteen/Earle ensemble, the Warren Zevon ensemble, and Soul ensembles I and II (with Ed Johnson and Bill Brickey). He’s also currently teaching American Pop Troubadours, which focuses on a different American or American-influenced singer/songwriter each session. Artists featured include Jackson Browne, Tom Waits, Lucinda Williams, Lyle Lovett, Aimee Mann, and Elvis Costello.Alton also teaches private piano lessons, and works on various musical projects in and around Chicago.

(Photo by Ben Chandler)