After seeing the Beatles on television, he switched to guitar and joined his first rock band at age 15. At 20 he moved to California to attend the Guitar Institute of Technology (GIT -- now Musicians Institute), graduating first in his class. He has also studied privately with world-class players such as Pat Martino, Tal Farlow, Chuck Wayne, and Robben Ford. Upon graduation, Trovato immediately began teaching at GIT, a position he held for 18 years.

Currently, Trovato maintains a full-time position in the Studio Jazz Guitar Department at the University of Southern California and continues to apply a strong emphasis to the education side of his career. He has authored more than 20 instructional guitar books published by Hal Leonard and has several country guitar instructional videos to his credit, including one which also features Albert Lee, Steve Morse, and Jerry Donahue. He has directed videos for Yngwie Malmsteen, Scott Henderson, Herb Ellis, Jerry Donahue, Alan Holdsworth, and others.

Trovato has toured extensively in North America, Asia, and Europe, supplementing his touring schedule with guitar clinics and master classes. He has contributed to many television and motion picture soundtracks and has composed and produced music for First International Pictures and National Lampoon. Trovato's debut CD About Time was released in 2001 and features styles ranging from country chicken pickin' to gypsy jazz to blues. ~ Ann Wickstrom