Born in Detroit, Michigan in March 1962, Tennant began his musical and guitar studies at the age of six.[2] He attended Cass Technical High School in Detroit, where he also studied violin and trombone. Having played the former in the Cass Tech Symphony Orchestra and the latter in the Cass Tech Concert Band, Tennant graduated in the class of 1980.[citation needed]
Tennant was admitted into the school of music of the University of Southern California in 1980, and studied there until 1986.[4] Having won silver medals in both the Toronto International Guitar Competition in 1984 and the Paris Radio France Competition in 1988, Tennant won the gold medal in the Tokyo International Competition as 1989's first-place finisher.[citation needed]