Born and raised in Davis, California, Elias Hampton discovered his love for playing the guitar at the age of 12 after beating every Guitar Hero song on expert difficulty level and deciding to try out the real thing. By the end of high school, he played guitar and bass in groups both in and outside of school, ranging in styles from folk and rock to reggae and jazz.

Elias moved to Seattle in 2016 to pursue music further and learn from master improviser musicians in the Jazz Studies department at the University of Washington. Since then, he has performed regularly with indie rock bands Pillow Junky and Chanel Beads as well as with various jazz ensembles.

Through his musical career, Elias has gained fluency on guitar, bass, piano, and drums, and he also knows the ins and outs of music software, Digital Audio Workstations, and home recording. In his teaching, Elias tailors his musical knowledge to the goals and unique musical background of each of his students.