Geno White
An artist that epitomizes the term local legend, whose name is within six degrees of separation from not just any musician in the area but many of the greatest rock & roll guitarists of all time: meet Geno White—or get to know him a bit better.
From Silence to Sound
A lifetime of dedication to playing music results in the instrument becoming an extension of one’s spirit. Eventually it feels like you’ve never been without it. But everyone has to start somewhere. Geno’s musical journey began with a glimpse, a riff, but that is all it took—call it love at first sound.
“I never heard a real live electric guitar before. My grandfather was down in the basement having whiskey and a cigar and playing. I thought this was unbelievable. I wasn’t brought up around music at all,” recalls Geno. He was captivated witnessing his grandfather’s peaceful escape, awakening a desire within a 10-year-old Geno to accomplish the same experience for himself, minus the liquor and smoke. It was something completely new— “I was brought up around a lot of silence,” he explains, because he was born to a deaf mother, and his father hadn’t shown interest in music.
“I begged for a guitar and got one when I was 10 years old,” and it was off to the races. He assembled his first trio at age 11 with two friends. His lack of musical background served him in an unexpected way. This blank slate gave Geno an open mind when approaching playing guitar. Anything was possible, he was able to follow curiosity and to experiment without interference about rules or guidelines. Being self-taught worked for Geno because he has always been an open channel, as well as a natural at faking it ‘til making it. “I pretended I could play before I really could. I started like that, and things came to me,” says Geno.
The trio played music from bands like The Beatles and Creedence Clearwater Revival, but a transition would take place. By the time he got onto Jimi Hendrix it was time to give away his Monkees record; it became about rock & roll. Music from Led Zeppelin and Jeff Beck had a huge early influence on Geno. At age 12 he was able to convince his father to take the trio on a field trip, which would be a pivotal point for Geno’s life and musical pursuits.
The Jimi Hendrix Experience was the ultimate electrifying rock concert for aspiring musicians. Geno met the intersection of music and spirituality when he locked eyes with the man himself. “I could feel the rush of the Marshall amps on my chest…He looked right into my eyes. You know there’s an old saying that before you die you see your whole life unfold, well I saw my whole life unfold. I had a flash of white light, and I knew I was going to be a musician. It was a life altering moment for me,” Geno recalls. “Walking out of that Hendrix show I knew two things: I’m gonna be a musician, and I’m not gonna be Hendrix. I have to do my own thing.” From this epiphany, Geno would dedicate himself to music as more than just a career choice, but as an all-encompassing way of life.
Touch of Greats
Geno continued to play in bands throughout school. Playing music gave Geno the “clarity to see everything around me that I did not want to be like or part of. So, I never got into any trouble because I was too busy playing guitar and playing live at 16 years old.” His ambitions for success kept him on track.
Eventually prominent influences and guides would enter Geno’s life. In 1977 he met Pat Martino, who would serve as a life-long friend and threshold of opportunity for Geno. “Pat Martino is a legendary jazz guitarist, a musician respected all around the world by everyone from Eric Clapton to George Benson. A genius of music. I traveled the world and a lot of the USA with him. Behind the scenes at concerts, studio recording sessions, and seminars. This was within our friendship of 44 years up to his passing in 2021,” said Geno. Geno was a “super roadie and personal assistant” for Pat from 1985-1996.
Many titans in the music world revered Pat’s work. “Jerry Garcia loved him. I remember reading that Jerry Garcia said his favorite musician right now was Pat. I said to Pat, ‘you watch—the next show you’re gonna start seeing tie-dyes.’ Then at his show at the Blue Note in New York City, there they were,” recalls Geno. Pat Martino not only beckoned the Deadheads, but his influence also stretched around the world and Geno was introduced to a sphere of significant musicians.
Geno found himself in rooms with innovative thinkers like Les Paul and John Abercrombie. When they engaged in discussions about topics like harmonic climate, Geno started feeling the urge to keep up with the pace of the best musicians in the game, leading to independent studying. But he says that mere exposure to these guys prompted lots of growth. “If you’re hanging around a genius like [Pat Martino] it’s hard not to absorb a ton.”
Harvey Mandel, renowned American guitarist and member of Canned Heat, is another impactful figure Geno bonded with. “I was a big fan of his since my early high school days. Back in 1996 we crossed paths in San Francisco and that led to him flying out to Long Island to record three tracks on my Standing in Stereo CD. Working with him was awesome, plus hanging out and listening to his stories of playing at Woodstock, playing with the Rolling Stones and hanging out with Jimi Hendrix.”
Geno continued, “Also Carmine Appice, drummer for Vanilla Fudge, Jeff Beck, Ozzy Osbourne, and Cactus who I was a gigantic fan of. One of my all-time favorite drummers. I got the call to do a show with him in Philadelphia and when I hit the stage the reality sunk in that I was for the first time playing with one of my heroes. It was the most scared I ever was performing but after the first song, clarity took over. Pat Martino was in the front row and super guitarist Vinnie Moore was also on guitar. After that gig I’ve been able to face any live event no matter what.”
The rapport Geno had established with countless iconic musicians drew a few to Cape May on occasion. Ed King, the guitarist from Lynyrd Skynyrd, made it down to see Geno play at The Shire, a long-gone but once bustling local bar and live music venue on the Washington Street Mall.
In the Studio
Geno’s signature blend of sound is jazz, rock, and blues. This fusion has lots of room for improvisation, as has the language of jazz. “When I play, it’s all original and it’s all instrumental. Messaging without lyrics is interesting. Some of my song titles are enough. Other times the listener can feel and envision whatever they want,” explained Geno.
In the 1990s Geno got serious about recording his own music. He independently financed two live in-studio EPs, one being Standing in Stereo. “This CD was a total turning point for me. It was received with positive reviews in Guitar Player Magazine, Relix magazine, Grammy Awards magazine and All About Jazz. Players include Harvey Mandel on guitar and Hansford Rowe on bass who worked for Gong, Steve Winwood, Mike Oldfield, and a bunch more.”
In 1993 Geno had a vision to record an album in Cape May’s lighthouse. “Music From Inside the Lighthouse [was] the total opposite of my electric personality. This gave me entry to a whole different listening audience,” Geno remarked. The 159-foot-tall building offered unique natural acoustics—he even captured a recording of the beacon turning.
“I wound up on New Age and Americana programming, even having record reviews alongside Willie Nelson,” he noted. “The lighthouse was completed in 1859. I wrote the music so it could have been played a hundred years ago.” The album was dedicated to the fishermen who had died at sea, and he donated the funds to lighthouse restoration.
Geno got signed in 1996 to LoLo Records, which has many ties to the British band Gong. Geno explains, “I’m kind of a little leaf on the family tree of Gong who had members that became the band The Police. After the Rolling Stones, Mick Taylor became a member.”
Passing On Wisdoms
“I’ve taught hundreds of people how to play,” says Geno, since he began giving music lessons in the late 1990s. “It first happened at the Philadelphia Music Company [when] I got hit with that white light again; the magic of music was happening. Sometimes when you’re teaching, the music itself can take over.” Geno has been independently teaching guitar lessons at his home in Cape May for over 20 years.
Geno’s wealth of knowledge about the guitar and music in general fuels his teachings and enriches anyone on the receiving end of what he shares; whether you’re a seasoned or novice player, even a sprinkle of his advice is eye opening.
As his music journey began, so it continues, pursued unconventionally. He doesn’t believe in rigid, cookie-cutter methods or one-size-fits-all formulas. He can acquaint you with the basics but more importantly he helps you think and play outside of the box, which Geno refers to as alternative thinking.
He has taught many local artists, if not most—always more than willing to take them under his wing and pass on the treasures of wisdom borne from a lifetime of extraordinary experiences. Geno’s influence ripples outward and is woven into the fabric of the local music community, with many former students pursuing their own musical ventures.
Play what you love, love where you play
Music can just be a hobby, pastime, and expression—but for many it is a lifeline that offers a grander sense of purpose. Geno is a rare breed of artist who has chosen his craft as his life’s devotion.
He continues to balance teaching with gigging live. “I convey purity because I’m a very raw guitar player. When you see me play there’s no foot pedals, it’s clean sounds straight to the amp when I’m at a jazz gig.”
Geno is a true Cape May native—throughout his travels, home was always his ultimate destination. “I sure love Cape May. I’ve never left. Been here my whole life,” said Geno. “Cape May has been everything to my musical pursuits. I’ve been nurtured and encouraged by older players. Loved by many of every walk.”
In the coming months Geno White will be playing every Sunday at the Chalfonte Hotel; view his full updated schedule on genowhite.com/live-schedule-2025
