After 20 years of making music my full-time career, I’ve decided to shift my focus and pursue new opportunities.

Over time, I realized the lifestyle and structure of the industry no longer align with what I want long-term, even though I still enjoy playing and staying connected to it.

Along the way, I’ve had the opportunity to do everything I once set out to do—earning degrees from Berklee College of Music and NYU, teaching at the college level, writing and publishing instructional books, touring the country, performing on cruise ships and at top jazz clubs, and releasing records recognized with awards and press.

I’ve also had the privilege of presenting programs for thousands of children in public schools and adults in libraries across the country, building a music academy in my hometown, and creating a guitar product company and podcast that reached musicians worldwide.

Music will always be part of my life. I’ve lived the dream I once chased.

Now it’s time for the next chapter.

— Abe Ovadia