Al McKay
Al McKay (born February 2, 1948 in New Orleans , Louisiana ) is an American R&B , soul and funk guitarist. When he was five years old, he was given a guitar by his uncle. His great role models were Freddie King , Duane Eddy , the Everly Brothers and James Brown .
Life
When his mother fell ill, he moved to live with an aunt in Southern California. He made his first professional guitar appearance when he was eighteen, shortly after graduating from high school . When a good friend introduced him to Ike Turner and he pointed out a mistake during the song Losing You by the Temptations , Ike Turner hired him straight away for the Ike & Tina Turner Revue.
After a year and a half he returned to Los Angeles and played in various studios with many greats from the jazz , pop and R&B scene. During this time he was hired by Sammy Davis Jr. , who wanted him mainly because of his special guitar effects and his wah-wah game. He was able to prove his talent in many Las Vegas shows and studio recordings. This lifted him to one of the top positions as a guitarist in the USA. Many artists such as Andy Williams , Pearl Bailey , The Sylvers and Isaac Hayes used his unique sound.
In 1973 he came across a group in Chicago that were producing a new, refreshing sound - Earth, Wind and Fire . Until 1981 he toured with the band across all continents and wrote many of the big hits like September and SingaSong together with Maurice White . After his time at Earth, Wind and Fire, he devoted himself entirely to his son as a single father.
In the early 1990s he had the idea for two new live projects, the LA All-Stars and the Al McKay All-Stars . He also brought many of the old comrades into the studio and on stage, such as Andrew Woolfolk ( saxophone ), Johnny Graham (guitar), Fred White (drums) and the Phenix Horns .
In 2019 Al McKay took part in the Night of the Proms concert series as a guest star with his band Al McKay's Earth, Wind & Fire Experience .
Award
In 2000 he received a star in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the band Earth, Wind and Fire .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Al McKay's Earth Wind & Fire Experience - glp.at -. Georg Leitner Productions GmbH, accessed on December 24, 2019 .
- ↑ These are the Stars 2019 - Notp.com -. PSE Promotion of Special Events GmbH, accessed on December 24, 2019 .
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | McKay, Al |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American R&B, soul and funk guitarist |
| DATE OF BIRTH | February 2, 1948 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | New Orleans , Louisiana |