"He's funky!"- George Clinton
re: Citrus before U.S. Pipe's opening set for P-Funk at theFillmore, Feb. 2007

Chris "Citrus" Sauthoff is an accomplished musician with more than two decades' worth of experience as a performer, teacher and music production professional. His love for playing stringed instruments began in his childhood when he was a first-chair violinist in grade school, and he grew up with a number of influences, such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, Johnny Cash, Black Sabbath and Jimi Hendrix.

In 1990, Citrus began training in the art of Hindustani Classical music on the sitar under his first master musician and mentor, D.N. Shukla, in Ghorakhpur, India. Citrus studied under Mr. Shukla for two separate six-month periods in India.

Citrus got his name in 1994, when he auditioned and subsequently joined Lord of Word and  Disciples of Bass (LOWDOB). Front man Theo gave him the moniker because his playing "sounded juicy.” LOWDOB went on to experience many successes, among them an opening slot for Bootsy Collins in 1995. It was during this time that he met his idols, George Clinton and the P-Funk Allstars. As LOWDOB came to a close, 25-year-old Citrus found himself on the road with those he most admired.

For the next decade, he traveled the world with P-Funk as their stage manager and as a performer, playing at the most prestigious venues and festivals such as The Montreux Jazz Festival, the Fuji Rock Fest, and the Apollo Theater. As a result, he’s shared the stage with acts such as James Brown, Kid Rock, Macy Gray, Maceo Parker, Outkast, Foxy Brown, Cyprus Hill, Erykah Badu, Ike Turner, Mahavishu and countless others.

Switching gears, Citrus left P-Funk to work on his own project, U.S. Pipe, which garnered a great deal of acclaim throughout the region over their four-year span, playing esteemed venues such as Red Rocks Amphitheatre and the Fillmore Auditorium. At the end of 2008, they released their debut album, United Sound Pipe. The near-sold-out release party in February, 2009 at Denver's Bluebird Theater was one of their final performances.

Citrus is now an in-demand member of the Swallow Hill Music School Faculty. The nonprofit organization, which also presents concerts, has roots in the Front Range community that go back more than 30 years. His group and private classes range from basic guitar and sitar to specialty classes such as Acoustic Zeppelin, the CAGED system, and Texas and Chicago Blues. In addition, he offers workshops on gear, GarageBand and many other wide-ranging topics, including his very popular Guitar Boot Camp.

Citrus' teaching style concentrates on technique, theory and practice in order to empower students to be able to learn on their own. He also integrates technology and tools that make material accessible. His interactive website adds a great deal of value for students outside of the classroom setting.

Citrus plays with DR Strings on Parker guitars through Madison Amplifiers and Mesa Boogie Amplifiers.