Dustin Baird is a native of Creston Iowa. He has been playing music professionally and teaching for nearly a decade. Dustin developed a love for music at an early age. Dustin’s father was a musician and music surrounded him always. Starting as a percussionist, Dustin began live gigging and recording original rock material with friends by the age of 14. Over time, Dustin gravitated toward guitar and bass guitar, which landed him his first professional touring gig at the age of 26, with the Josh Davis Band. After experiencing “the road” for a few years, Dustin decided to settle down and start a family with his wife, Samantha, and sons Ryder and Reid.
Dustin started teaching with Southwestern School for Music Vocations alumni, James Biehn, in April of 2009 when James founded the “Central Iowa Music Lab” in Des Moines, Iowa. In October of 2011 Dustin opened his own studio, Sumner Lesson Studios, in Creston, Iowa. Dustin teaches a full schedule of lessons at both studios and continues to play solo acoustic shows on a weekly basis.
In June of 2015 Dustin attended the Southwestern Community College SMV “Jazz Harmony Retreat,” which led him to enroll at SWCC for a year of jazz keyboard and two years of jazz bass training as a non-traditional student. Dustin is a graduate of Simpson College with a Bachelors of Arts in Marketing and is also a graduate of Southwestern Community College with an AA degree in general education with an emphasis on music.