Our Experienced Music Teachers
All of School of Rock Buford’s music teachers are experienced musicians devoted to helping students attain musical proficiency. Our instructors guide students one-on-one to personalize learning, inspire confidence and build social skills.
Neal Weaver Owner
Neal Weaver is a former educator in Hall County, having taught high school English for seven years. After that, he managed his own successful insurance agency for 14 years. He has also been the enthusiastic frontman, guitarist and songwriter for one of the South’s longest running rock bands. Kickin Edgar, Neal's band, has been playing venues from Florida to Louisiana, and everywhere in between, for almost 30 years. His album, "Welcome to Loserville," was recorded at the historic Southern Tracks Recording Studio and features a variety of country, blues, pop and rock n' roll tracks. Wanting a change from the day-to-day of insurance led Neal to School of Rock, where he immediately realized it was the perfect combination of business and music for him. He is truly living his passion and love of music every day, and can’t wait to show the next generation his knowledge and experience in the music industry.
Bambi Lynn Guitar Teacher, Piano Teacher, Singing Teacher
Bambi Lynn started out as a classical musician, playing viola at an early age. She joined her first band as a singer while in high school, and it was as a singer that her musical career really began to take flight. She picked up new instruments by adding guitar, keyboards, bass and a variety of quirky instruments to her skill set. Having traveled the world as a performer, she’s currently in multiple bands that perform everything from rock and pop to nerdgrass and children’s music. She’s even in a Ramones tribute band and is signed to Genterine Records currently.
Bambi teaches guitar, voice and keyboards at School of Rock and has been known to pull people onstage at her shows to show them how to play. Her students are in good company, as she has performed with many famous artists. She’s excited to be at School of Rock.
Ricky Summerlin Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
Ricky is a musician who has performed more than 2,000 shows across the USA and Europe. He has been featured on more than 50 albums, performed on television more times than he can remember, recorded music for cartoons, commercials and movie soundtracks, and has been a character in comic books, cartoons and a video game. He has been playing since high school when he got his first bass guitar, and he enjoys sharing his passion, knowledge and talent for music with others. As the founder of Genterine Record label, he has nurtured a unique roster of artists in the music industry for over 20 years. At School of Rock, Ricky teaches bass, guitar, drums, Rock 101 and Adult classes with fun and personality.
Alex Perez Piano Teacher, Vocal Instructor
Alex Perez, our Music Director and keyboard/vocals instructor, started his musical journey as a child, singing the great standards like Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett (his parents' faves). After lessons in piano and oboe, he was forever hooked on rock after hearing Angus Young’s growling guitar and the 4-on-the-floor drums in AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap.” After drumming in a versatile band in high school, Alex received his Music Composition degree from Columbia College Chicago, studying under jazz legend Bill Russo. He worked in commercial music with clients such as McDonald’s, Jeep and Kraft, and also taught private lessons in all instruments and vocal styles for over 20 years. He’s especially proud of finding creative ways to adapt his lessons for special needs students so they can perform too. Alex is excited to hand down what his personal musical influences in life gave him, encouraging in a new generation of students "a passion to experience music as an expression to be shared with others, transcending all space and time."
Jay Cook Drum Teacher
Jay’s years of drumming experience includes playing and performing in various formats for more than 30 years. Not only has Jay performed live at several large rock music festivals, but he has extensive touring, recording, and tv appearances to his credit. Jay enjoys sharing his passion for the percussive arts through teaching, and has taught hundreds of students in the Atlanta area. He is passionate about learning more about his craft, so when he’s not teaching, he’s practicing and performing with his own classic rock band, Groove Machine.
Eric Roberts Guitar Teacher
Eric Roberts is a professional musician from Hall County, GA. He began playing guitar at an early age, drawing inspiration from his father who was also a musician. He received a degree in music & technology from The Atlanta Institute of Music and Media with an instrumental focus on guitar. Eric serves in church bands and has played in several other bands in both the Atlanta and Athens areas. He is excited to share his knowledge of the guitar with the next generation of rockers.
Blade Hudson Guitar Teacher, Bass Teacher, Drum Teacher, Singing Teacher
Born in Greenville, Mississippi & growing up on the Delta Blues circuit, Blade Hudson picked up playing guitar, drums and bass at an early age. He's the grandson of Chicago bluesman "Little Addison." Blade is also the great nephew of saxophonist Eddie Shaw (Howlin' Wolf). A former understudy of BB King's late drummer Caleb Emphrey Jr., Blade has worked in studios and with many artists in Mississippi and Memphis. He is currently based in Atlanta playing with several different bands in the area.