It was late and he was tired, but in the dimly lit hotel room his fingers managed to find the right notes while his mind was elsewhere. For him, the road was about the guitar and a sea of unknown faces, faces and names that he preferred to keep at a distance. However, he couldn't help but think about the woman standing outside his dressing room earlier that evening. As his mind kept drifting back to her, he could clearly recall the scent of her perfume. It seemed familiar, yet exotic. Her teeth sparkled; her raven tresses reflected the light of the full moon; and her skin had a radiant sheen. She had a determined yet vulnerable look in her eyes and a curvaceous shape that wouldn't quit. They didn't speak, but their glance spoke volumes.

"Forget her," he told himself. "Tomorrow you'll be gone, far, far away from here and she'll be but a memory." He pounded the guitar and started to play with intense passion. Just then he heard a quiet knock at the door. He assumed it was the cantankerous hotel manager, who reeked of cheap booze and cigarettes, coming to tell him to keep it down. He put down the guitar, buttoned his rumpled shirt and slowly moved towards the door.

"Hello?" the voice from the other side inquired softly. It was a velvety female voice. "I've got something for you. It'll only take a second," she purred through the door.

His heartbeat quickened. It's her. He peered through the peep hole and could see her nervously standing in the moonlight with something in her hand. He slowly cracked open the door and instantly he could smell that perfume again. "Sorry if my guitar was disturbing you," he said, pretending not to recognize her.

She smiled. "I know it's late, but I have something for you. May I come in?"

He stepped away from the door and in she came. "I just came to give you this." She handed him a white envelope. After he grasped it, she backed up towards the door, her magnetic eyes amorously peering back at him. He gulped and was only able to muster, "Thanks. What is it?" She turned and exited without a word, leaving the door wide open. He suddenly felt the chill of the night air enter his room, which caused him to shiver. As he moved to close the door, he heard the sound of her heels walking through the parking lot. Her walk became a run, the sound of which swiftly disappeared into the silence of the night.

He fell back onto the bed, staring at the letter in his hand. She had marked the back of it with a lipstick kiss and the paper was fragrant with the scent of her perfume. At first he wasn't sure if he should open it, fearing the contents of the letter, but then he looked again at the front of the envelope: "Confidential." With that he sliced it open and began to read…

Flames engulfed 15-year-old Peter White's electric guitar, forever changing the course of popular music. The guilty party was his younger brother, Danny, who at that time was fascinated by fire. Now down to just an acoustic instrument, White taught himself to play with passion and finesse. Like most young kids in England (and throughout the world) at the time, he idolized The Beatles and from their music, he learned the importance of quality songwriting. Barely out of his teens, he joined singer-songwriter Al Stewart's band. White refers to the first five years as a "magic carpet ride" because Stewart hit it big with "Year of the Cat." Before he knew it, White was on tour with Stewart playing sold-out arenas and topping the pop charts with "Time Passages," a song that he co-wrote with Stewart. The distinctive voice of White's acoustic guitar grew stronger as time moved on…

Only in his mid-twenties, "reality," as White calls it, soon set in. "For the next decade, it was lots of work touring and recording, but we never got to that initial level of success and superstardom again. It was a very humbling success," recalled White. During that time, he played and recorded occasionally with his brother in the British band Matt Bianco, which fused Latin rhythms, pop, jazz and New Wave. The lead singer of the group was Basia, who eventually went solo and White went on to tour and record with her, contributing his signature acoustic guitar sound. Although he was working steadily as a sideman, White had his own musical voice that he wanted to share. Reveillez-Vous was his solo debut, which came out in 1990, around the time the New Adult Contemporary radio format was forming. White would go on to become one of the format's defining and most consistent image artists…

Although he had toured extensively as a sideman, White didn't embark on a major concert tour as a solo artist until 1995. While he was recording his fifth solo album, Caravan of Dreams, White was drafted to be a part of the now perennial "Guitars & Saxes Tour," which he co-headlined with smooth jazz stars Craig Chaquico, Richard Elliot and Warren Hill. "The ultimate reality of being a musician is playing live. It's what keeps me going and enthusiastic," White said. "It's the reward for all the toiling in a dark recording studio. I love meeting the people at live gigs and I appreciate the immediate feedback. It's the ultimate reality check."

White's records consistently top national album and singles charts. He's the silent giant that puts out hit after hit and is always a strong live concert draw, yet he does so without pomp and circumstance. His guitarwork has graced recordings by such luminaries as Dave Koz, Boney James, Rick Braun, Mindi Abair, Kirk Whalum, Gato Barbieri and Philip Bailey. Smooth jazz radio playlists are saturated with recordings by White, a consecutive four-time winner of the "Guitarist of the Year" award at the National Smooth Jazz Awards. "People ask me all the time about smooth jazz, but the reality is that the format formed out of the music we were playing in the early 1990s," White explained. "Although I hate being categorized, we were not drawn to this format; we helped to create it. The smooth jazz audience is the most diverse audience out there. I look at it as a great leveler, a musical mixing pot without borders or boundaries. It's all about the songs. In the end, you'll be remembered for your songs and not how well they were played." Which brings us to "The Great Jazz Divide"…

Although White is often recognized for his adept skills as a guitarist, he firmly believes in the importance of presenting a great song over great musicianship. "My manager once told me not to let the playing get in the way of the song and I've always remembered that," recalled White, who has an innate ability to write melodies. "What I often refer to as 'The Great Jazz Divide' is that some jazz musicians feel that the song is only a vehicle for the musicianship. I disagree and think the song is more important." White's eleven #1 singles confirm his gift as a songwriter and prove that there is nothing confidential about his success…

Confidential, White's ninth solo collection, depicts an artist in peak stride, who raises the bar for himself with each album. As per usual, White's guitar is the focal point that ties together the collaborative effort of a variety of musicians, producers and writers. According to White, who wrote or co-wrote ten songs for the new record, every album is personal and every note on the album has his personality. He finds it hard to listen to the songs he writes alone as they are so personal that "it's like staring at yourself in the mirror."

The adventure begins with a spirited cruise along "Coast Road Drive," which is powered by a throbbing bassline and features a keyboard solo from the guitarist. Confidential's first single, "Talkin' Bout Love," is a sweet mid-tempo groove warmed by a rich Jerry Hey horn arrangement that fills up the tracks and provides a beautiful counterpoint to the guitar. Marking a departure for White, the rousing "How Does It Feel" was written with Matthew Hager on two guitars and spotlights some nifty fretwork. White wields a Spanish guitar for "She's In Love," a candlelight samba romancer featuring the honeyed lead vocals of Christopher Cross, who tenderly croons Brenda Russell's original song. "Are You Mine" is a very personal song for White set upon a meaty drum track, allowing the airy acoustic guitar to soar. Saxophonist Mindi Abair doubles White's guitar and solos a passionate plea. Perfect for R&B radio's "Quiet Storm" evening programming, "Lost Without Your Love" takes direction from an emotive guitar and David Sparkman's vocal hook. The title track is an inviting cut that was co-written by Brian Culbertson, who lays down a classy keyboard solo. White's romantic accordion opens "Swept Away," a sultry seducer on which he also plays acoustic piano. Aside from Lenny Castro's congas & shakers, White plays all the instruments on the aggressive "Jump On It," which has an energetic, rollicking pulse. Chris Botti's muted trumpet sets the mood on "Stormfront," a cozy nighttime vibe with a funky hip hop drum loop. Serving as a perfect bookend to the album opener, "Endless Journey" is a driving nightclub dance floor track that takes flight with Michael Paulo's wailing sax.

"People often say that my music is romantic and that's fine, but I don't want it to be romantic in an obvious way. What you do is far more romantic than what you say; being romantic is more difficult than simply using words," White concluded. "By 'confidential,' I mean whimsical, like a wink between two people. The song titles seemed so heavy with love and sentiment that I wanted to be more clever than that. After all, things aren't always what they seem."

He put down the letter and a great feeling of anticipation enveloped him. He didn't know how to find her or what to say to her once he did, but he knew he had to try. Women like her don't come along everyday, not for guys like him, and he knew that he couldn't let this one get away. He put his guitar back into its well-traveled case and shoveled his belongings into the tattered suitcase that was lying in the corner of the room. He didn't even notice the bite of the night air as he headed out to his trusty old convertible. Although the sun was hours from rising, he knew that the dawn of a new adventure was bursting upon him at that very moment and he was determined to seize the opportunity.