The Dan Gootner Band is a project led by South Florida composer, producer, guitarist, and lyricist Dan Gootner. With over 20 years of music under his belt, Gootner has primarily performed as a lead guitarist while also prolifically playing ukulele, dobro, harmonica, sitar, dulcimer, and lap steel.

Citing influences ranging from Eric Clapton, Lindsey Buckingham, and John Frusciante to Mike Campbell, it’s no surprise we fell in love with the musicality, arrangements, and fantastic storytelling of his latest single, “Seafaring Man.”

The single is an absolutely transportive tune that weaves classic storytelling through an imaginative, traditional folk lens, anchored by a standout, haunting guitar riff. Immediately, you can picture it as the perfect soundtrack for a film where a captain sets sail across the ocean, a period piece featuring pirates or country outlaws, or even a series centered around castle-dwelling knights.

“Seafaring Man originated with the main guitar riff. When I tracked the harmony part to it, it had this eerie vibe, and for some reason I just pictured an old wooden ship in a thick fog at sea. The title ‘Seafaring Man’ came to me from that, and I spent the next few weeks working out all the lyrics based on this concept. When I was finished, I brought it to Liam Hudock, the lead singer of Bangers and Mash. In BAM, we do all kinds of Irish rebel tunes, sea shanties, and folk songs that have similar imagery and character creation. I really felt Liam’s voice and energy were perfect for the song. I love how it turned out. This song also marks a Dan Gootner Band first… it’s got hurdy-gurdy on it! Such a unique instrument—there’s nothing else like it—and it helped drive home the feeling we were going for on ‘Seafaring Man.’” — Dan Gootner

The Dan Gootner Band was originally conceived as a creative outlet for original music that didn’t have a place within any of Gootner’s other musical projects. For many songwriters and artists who are constantly writing and creating large quantities of work, this is an incredibly relatable concept that isn’t talked about enough—the need for an outlet for different creative expressions, especially those that live in entirely different sonic worlds and don’t necessarily belong together.

Gootner’s original concept was to feature a rotating cast of musicians on each release, bringing in many of his most talented friends depending on what each song called for. That vision has largely stayed intact, with one exception: vocalist Elie Ganz. Dan and Elie met in 2018, quickly became friends, and discovered they had incredible chemistry as songwriting partners. Today, Elie remains the only other permanent member of The Dan Gootner Band.

“All of the things you love will eventually meld into your own sound.”

“Seafaring Man” also features musicians Steve Argey on bass and Jamie Newitt on drums. The track was engineered, produced, and mixed by Paul Kronk and mastered by Brendan Duffey.

The Dan Gootner Band has no genre boundaries, releasing music that spans bluegrass, alternative, blues rock, and funk. Dan Gootner has also toured throughout the United States and internationally and has released numerous full-length albums and singles worldwide. He currently tours with the Celtic rock band Bangers and Mash while also performing throughout South Florida with the bluegrass band Hold My Beer. Elie Ganz is also a member of Homeward Bound, a Simon & Garfunkel tribute.

Love your guitar work. For other guitarists learning their craft, do you have any tips on how you found your playing style and sound?

Thank you! My style and sound is different today than in the past, and right now it is the culmination of 20 plus years of playing. So l have this melting pot of licks and techniques I’ve picked up from my biggest influences over the years, or for songs I’ve learned for certain gigs. Now when l am playing or writing on guitar, I’m pulling from that bag of tricks more subconsciously than anything intentional, because I have all this muscle memory. I’m not done evolving either, even now, as I continue to learn more. So I guess my advice is that you should just play guitar as much as you can, and with time you will naturally find your own voice. Learn from everything around you. Learn all kinds of genres for different perspective and because they all have something to teach you. When you hear somebody doing something you like, learn how to play that song. And overtime you will grow this massive vocabulary for yourself, and when it’s time to say something you will have such a broader place to pull from for what you are trying to say. All of the things you love will eventually meld into your own sound.

I read you play many instruments in addition to guitar, are you self-taught?

I am self taught. I started naturally picking up more instruments over time. When I picked up harmonica it was because I was writing songs for my band at the time, Grassy Waters, and I wanted harmonica on the songs. So I just started messing with it. I have family in Hawaii, so Ukulele was inevitable for me! Any guitar player can pick that up, if you look at it like 4 guitar strings with a capo on the 5th fret. My father played dulcimer so I would watch him play that from a very young age, and I really enjoy that as well now.

What’s been your favorite show you’ve ever played?

This is tough because I’m lucky to have played all kinds of amazing shows around the world, but I am going to pick one that was right in my home town, performing at Roger Dean Stadium on the 4th of July. The Jupiter Hammerheads played a game, there were fireworks immediately after the game, and then we hit the stage the second the fireworks finale ended. I’m a huge baseball fan, so that was a great experience for me.

Anyone you’d love to open for?

I’d love to open for Steve Miller Band.

Did you dream of being a musician ever since you were a kid?

Yes and no. I was a big fan of music from a very young age, and I would always be looking at the album covers of the music my parents would play in the house. I would look at covers like ZZ top or fleetwood mac, and others, and just think “These guys look so cool” I didn’t expect to actually do it myself though, until around middle school when my parents said I needed to pick an instrument, any instrument I want, and take lessons. Up until then i was really more focused on sports and I would just listen and enjoy music. When they asked me that question, guitar was the obvious choice because I figured, I want to be like all those people on those album covers! So I started a little late but I am very glad my parents created this musical home of inspiration that put me on the path of becoming a musician.

The Dan Gootner Band Facebook / Instagram

Headline photo: Liz Dzuro