Benny Burrows, 27, is GCA Nashville’s first international student, having grown up in the Australian city of Brisbane. He started playing guitar at age 10 and got interested in luthiery — “that dream of building that sound that’s in your head” — a couple of years later.
Because there aren’t any luthier schools in Australia, Benny decided to come to the U.S. to learn the craft. He became one of GCA Nashville’s first students in 2016, taking both the electric and acoustic courses. After graduation, he started working in the field immediately, and he now juggles part-time jobs at three separate companies in the Nashville area — Nashville Guitar Company, Novo Guitars and Artisan Guitars. “It’s the best of both worlds, instead of being stuck just doing one thing,” he says. “I wouldn’t be working where I am right now without GCA.”