Liam McGrath got his first guitar at the age of 14; a white, electric "Crest". He learned a few chords from his family, and then progressed to professional lessons, learning scales, bar chords, etc. His first love was the blues, especially the music of Robert Johnson. At 16, he started a band with several high school friends, playing grungy, garage style rock.
After high school, he got his first acoustic, fell in love with it, and recorded his first album, an admittedly very rough first effort. Through the next
ten years Liam would play guitar here and there, playing with friends and by himself. At the age of 26 he attended songwriting, music engineering,
and music production classes at Long Beach City College, learning about what happens "behind the glass".
Sadly, at the age of 28, Liam was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder and schizoaffective disorder. He would spend the next years of his life in
the mental health system, eventually ending up in a board and care facility. But, through all this time and trouble, Liam continued to play guitar, adding vocals and eventually becoming a singer-songwriter. This music kept his hope and faith alive, and gave him something to strive for.
At present, Liam is working on an extended musical endeavor entitled "The Cactus Project". It shows off Liam's singing, guitar playing, and songwriting abilities. The style of music is "folky", since it consists of only Liam singing and playing acoustic guitar, but the lyrics and style of play are contemporary,
landing it in the "alternative" genre of music: "Alterna-folk"!
With the help of his friends and family, and, of course, his music, Liam looks forward to making a better and better recovery, Someday, it is his dream
to make a living playing music, and if he continues to try, it may come true
After high school, he got his first acoustic, fell in love with it, and recorded his first album, an admittedly very rough first effort. Through the next
ten years Liam would play guitar here and there, playing with friends and by himself. At the age of 26 he attended songwriting, music engineering,
and music production classes at Long Beach City College, learning about what happens "behind the glass".
Sadly, at the age of 28, Liam was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder and schizoaffective disorder. He would spend the next years of his life in
the mental health system, eventually ending up in a board and care facility. But, through all this time and trouble, Liam continued to play guitar, adding vocals and eventually becoming a singer-songwriter. This music kept his hope and faith alive, and gave him something to strive for.
At present, Liam is working on an extended musical endeavor entitled "The Cactus Project". It shows off Liam's singing, guitar playing, and songwriting abilities. The style of music is "folky", since it consists of only Liam singing and playing acoustic guitar, but the lyrics and style of play are contemporary,
landing it in the "alternative" genre of music: "Alterna-folk"!
With the help of his friends and family, and, of course, his music, Liam looks forward to making a better and better recovery, Someday, it is his dream
to make a living playing music, and if he continues to try, it may come true