Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny
Thursday 16 April, 8.00pm
(Support from David Browne Murray)
“Arguably the most influential player of the era.”
— Guitar Player Magazine, May 2024
From Kansas, USA, Andy McKee is one of the world’s leading acoustic guitarists, famed for original steel-string compositions and spellbinding live performances. He has toured over 40 countries, winning fans with his unique “music without words.”
Starting out on electric guitar, he was inspired by fingerstyle pioneers Michael Hedges, Preston Reed and Don Ross. “I loved the idea of exploring alternate tunings and trying to cover rhythmic, harmonic, and melodic ideas at once,” he recalls. “As a shy kid, I felt the guitar was a way for me to say some personal things that were too difficult with words.”
In 2006 his piece Drifting became one of YouTube’s first viral music videos, showcasing his percussive techniques and lyrical melodies. Millions of views followed for Rylynn, For My Father and Into the Ocean, influencing a new generation of guitarists such as Calum Graham, Alexandr Misko, Sungha Jung and Mike Dawes.
McKee has worked with stars including Prince, John Petrucci, Eric Johnson, Don Ross, Josh Groban and David Foster, with whom he has recorded and toured. He even joined Prince’s band on the “Welcome 2 Australia” tour, performing a striking version of Purple Rain later released on his 2021 EP Symbol. That recording also featured tributes to his heroes and a Rocky IV medley with composer Vince DiCola.
Beyond the stage, McKee is dedicated to nurturing new talent. Since 2015 he has run Andy McKee’s Musicarium, a leading US guitar camp with guest tutors such as Tommy Emmanuel and Muriel Anderson. In 2024 he co-founded tripliciti with Trevor Gordon Hall and Calum Graham, hailed as a “supergroup of contemporary guitar.” Upcoming projects include a new solo album and a 20th-anniversary edition of his landmark Art of Motion.
A rare chance to see one of the most inventive and soulful acoustic guitarists of our time in an intimate venue.
