Is Andy McKee The Most Proficient Guitarist In The World?

If you talk about the finest, new finger style guitarists of this era, Andy McKee is definitely one of them. He is an internationally acclaimed musician well known for his dynamic and inventive approach to the acoustic bass. His reputation stretches from his home base of New York, across the United States and Europe to the far jazz corners of the world. Andy’s talents as a composer and accomplished instrumentalist have earned him critical acclaim and a prominent place on the world jazz stage.

Andy McKee

He was born in 1979 in Topeka, Kansas, and started playing guitar at the age of thirteen when his father bought him a classical guitar. It was not long after that Andy got his first electric guitar and began emulating some of his favorite music of the time; Metallica, Eric Johnson, Joe Satriani, and Dream Theater.

Composing was something Andy caught on to a little bit later and started writing when he was 20 year old. Andy released his first CD titled Nocturne in 2001 and competed in the prestigious National Finger style Guitar Competition in Winfield, KS. He placed 3rd, making him the youngest competitor to ever place in the top 3.

In 2003, Andy began playing internationally beginning with a tour in Taiwan with renowned guitarists Jacques Stotzem, Isato Nakagawa, and Masaaki Kishibe. He also placed 1st in the Miscellaneous Acoustic Instrument contest in his home state of Kansas with the harp guitar. In 2004, Andy Released his 2nd CD titled Dreamcatcher. Andy also won 1st place in the Kansas Finger style Guitar Competition and 2nd in the Canadian Finger style Guitar Competition.

Andy has performed in various parts of the world including Japan, China, Belgium, England and Canada. He is also known for his work in music education. He is a faculty member at The New School’s Jazz and Contemporary Music Dept. in New York City, he teaches privately, and he is a presenter of master-classes at conservatories around the world. Whether you are talking about Andy McKee’s bass playing or his way of moving through life, three words say it, strength, passion and artistry.

Andy says, “Most of all, I hope my music communicates something to the listener. I don’t want to just play music with a lot of skill. I hope listening to my music is an emotional experience!“

In late 2006, a live performance of his flagship song Drifting became a Featured Video on YouTube and MySpace, achieving over 20,000,000 views on the former to date and remaining one of its highest rated music clips.

Watch Soothing Guitar Videos of Andy McKee on Guitar Hype