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Andy McKee is one of the world's finest
acoustic soloists and one of the most viewed musicians on the Internet.
His YouTube videos alone exceed 55 million plays. Andy's online media
success has crossed over to demonstrated record and ticket sales:
Andy played guitar on Josh Groban's multi-platinum Christmas album, Noel,
released a top selling indie record, Gates of Gnomeria, and
is building a substantial international
fan base with a heavy touring calendar of 120+ live shows a year.
As a local kid who makes good, Andy is a Topeka, KS native and came
to international attention as one of the top finalists in recent years
at the prestigious National Finger Style Guitar Championship held
in Winfield, Kansas.
Andy’s technical gifts for the guitar including the use
of altered tunings, syncopated rhythms tapped on the guitar body,
and his textural use of polyphonic tones and drones on both standard
sized acoustic guitars and a hand-built 12 string harp-guitar.
The guitar in Andy’s hands is transformed from a stringed
instrument into a veritable calliope of sounds thanks to a superbly
developed two handed technique reminiscent of some of Andy’s
cherished guitar mentors and heroes: Preston Reed, Don Ross, Billy
McLaughlin, and Michael Hedges. Andy honors the path blazed by
these pioneers with his a unique and lyrical approach to the guitar
as he plucks, strums, taps the strings, and calls out percussive
accompaniment from tapping the instrument’s body so that
as often as not, it sounds like multiple
players are coaxing sounds from a variety
of instruments.
2009 is shaping up to be a very exciting time for
Andy as a new record is planned for release and a worldwide tour
is slated to begin in January.
Andy uses Dean Markley Alchemy
GoldBronze
MEDs.
Be sure to visit the Andy McKee website
at:
www.AndyMcKee.com or on
MySpace:
www.MySpace.com/andymckee2
For a real treat see Andy and his technique on
YouTube:
Performing Drifting:
www.YouTube.com/watch?v=Ddn4MGaS3N4
Performing Rylynn:
www.YouTube.com/watch?v=JsD6uEZsIsU.
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