American fingerstyle guitarist Craig D'Andrea first learned to play the cello in third grade. Preferring to learn music by ear, he later self-taught himself the ukulele while in ninth grade, after being offered the instrument as a gift by his grandmother. While still in his late teens in 1999, he was introduced to fingerstyle guitar by his teacher, and by Don Ross's music, which he tried to emulate and learn. In 2007, he mastered the instrument enough to win the title of the Canadian Guitar Festival fingerstyle championship. His first album, Crazy is Catching, came out that same year. A North American tour followed in 2008, with Andy McKee and his high school idol, Don Ross, before releasing his second album, Getting Used to Isolation, in 2009.