Narrow escape from Vietnam

Tinh was born in a rural Vietnamese village northeast of Saigon where his mother was involved with South Vietnam’s war effort and traveled around the country, leaving primary care of Tinh and his younger sister to their grandmother. Tinh’s mother met and married an American who worked for the State Department while stationed in Vietnam. Upon completion of his tour of duty, Tinh’s mother left for the U.S. with her husband and their newborn baby, leaving Tinh and his sister in the familiar care of their grandmother.

Just days before the fall of Saigon, Tinh and his sister were taken out of Vietnam to join their new family in the U.S. Within three months of arriving from Vietnam, the family moved to Islamabad, Pakistan where his stepfather had been re-assigned. After four years in Pakistan, Tinh moved with his family to Manila, Philippines where he completed his high school education.

Revealing an Artist

The next stop for Tinh was Salem, Oregon, where he studied classical guitar under harp guitarist John Doan at Willamette University. During the next four years, while earning a bachelor of music degree, he began to use the guitar to express the intense emotions associated with his memories of a war-torn Vietnam. Having difficulty expressing his emotions in words, his guitar became a way to communicate the feelings from his heart to those of the listener.

John Fahey

While attending Willamette, Tinh was asked to open a show for a legend folk-blues guitarist, John Fahey. John soon became Tinh’s friend and mentor for years to come. The two guitarists would spend hours down in Fahey’s basement, appreciating and appraising a variety of guitar music. This musical study included the recordings of legendary blues players such as Charley Patton and Robert Johnson, as well as a number of guitarists on Fahey’s own Takoma label, including Leo Kottke, Peter Lang, Robbie Basho, Bola Sete, and of course, John himself. John was very interested in Tinh’s personal compositions about Vietnam and agreed to produce Tinh’s album My Vietnamese Suite with one condition - Tinh had to play everything, not on the nylon strings classical guitar, but on the steel strings guitar. Tinh returned the favor and produced John’s next album, I Remember Blind Joe Death. Tinh’s debut album was critically praised. However with a wife and young son to support Tinh’s focus shifted. He and his ex-wife purchased a 27 acres of wooded property in Oregon and soon after started a successful landscaping business. With the success of his business has come the ability to once again return to his first love, music.

George Winston

John Fahey’s death Feb. 22, 2001, has prompted Tinh to go back into the studio. Tinh produced an album in memory of his mentor and friend, John Fahey, entitled A Tribute to John Fahey which features artists  Paul Geremia, John Doan, Mitch Greenhill, Stephen Grossman, Peter Lang, Woody Mann, John Renbourne, Terry Robb, George Winston, himself, and a never before released piece by John Fahey, "A Call From Heaven". The album was finally released on Slackertone Records in 2006.

George Winston , the legendary solo pianist of Windham Hill fame and long-time friend has frequently urged Tinh to go back to recording his music. With this encouragement from George, Tinh responded, "I’d love to do another album, George, if you’re interested in producing it." George answered: "If that’s all it takes, you got yourself a deal." Tinh’s new album, Acoustic Rain, was released November 1, 2001.

The Village School Foundation

In the Fall of 2002, Tinh, with the help of many, founded the Village School Foundation, a 501(c) 3 non-profit corporation which provides educational opportunities for children in villages of Vietnam.  The Village School Foundation is evolving to be the Village Sky Foundation to include medical health care resources to needy children and their families. 

Trinh Cong Son

In 2004 Tinh’s double album A Tribute to Trinh Cong Son was completed.  Trinh Cong Son is a national treasure of Viet Nam.  Trinh Cong Son’s music had been seeded in Tinh’s childhood during the war. In 2005 Tinh followed John Fahey footsteps and worked with Ryan Waters, a gifted musician and guitarist for Sade, to produce a Christmas album entitled Christmas Night.

With the help of Emiko Omori, an award winning filmmaker is born

In 2007 Tinh and Emmy winning director Emiko Omori produced a movie entitled 7,500 Miles to Redemption. The story shared Tinh’s work with the inmates at a maximum security prison.  His four year journey with the inmates ends in a powerful story of transcendence. The film won for Best Short Film by a Northwest Filmmaker at the Eugene International Film Festival and was nominated for best documentary in Australia.

Tinh is currently working on his fifth solo album and a TV project.  

Tinh's career highlights included performances at the National Mall, the National Storytelling Festival in Tennessee and an invitation to the White House.