Pierre Bensusan With Bunny Barnes at Sellersville Theater 1894

French-Algerian virtuoso Pierre Bensusan, nicknamed “Mister DADGAD,” is a globally celebrated acoustic guitarist, vocalist, and composer. Winner of the Independent Music Award for his triple live album Encore, and Guitar Player Magazine’s Best World Music Guitarist, Pierre is revered as one of the greatest of the 21st century. His debut won the Rose d’Or at Montreux, and Michael Hedges named a piece after him—testament to his influence.

Guitar legends from Mark Knopfler and Tommy Emmanuel to Steve Lukather have praised him, and Steve Vai released three of Pierre’s albums on Favored Nations. His reach extends beyond the guitar world, with recent collaboration on Donny Osmond’s Start Again....

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French-Algerian virtuoso Pierre Bensusan, nicknamed “Mister DADGAD,” is a globally celebrated acoustic guitarist, vocalist, and composer. Winner of the Independent Music Award for his triple live album Encore, and Guitar Player Magazine’s Best World Music Guitarist, Pierre is revered as one of the greatest of the 21st century. His debut won the Rose d’Or at Montreux, and Michael Hedges named a piece after him—testament to his influence.

Guitar legends from Mark Knopfler and Tommy Emmanuel to Steve Lukather have praised him, and Steve Vai released three of Pierre’s albums on Favored Nations. His reach extends beyond the guitar world, with recent collaboration on Donny Osmond’s Start Again.

Blending traditional, jazz, classical, and pop styles, Pierre’s self-taught technique and piano-rooted sensibility shaped a genre-defying voice. Onstage, he’s a sonic storyteller—his music intimate, orchestral, and deeply emotive. Playing his Lowden guitar in open tuning, Bensusan evokes a spiritual journey with each note—a sacred solo crossing under his fingertips.

Fingerstyle guitarist Bunny Barnes performed at the CAAS (Chet Atkins Appreciation Society) Convention from 2021-2024. She has studied with celebrated guitarist Tommy Emmanuel since 2010 and placed 5th at the International Home of the Legends Thumbpicking Championship in the Traditional Category in 2017. She performed at the 60th Annual Philadelphia Folk Festival and opened three times for National Thumbpicking Award Winner, Muriel Anderson. In January 2024, she opened for the California Guitar Trio at Sellersville Theater. Her first instrumental album, It Goes Like It Goes, was inducted into the National Thumbpickers' Hall of Fame as 2022 Album of the Year!

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