Andy McKee facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Andy McKee
Background information
Born	(1979-04-04) April 4, 1979 (age 46) Topeka, Kansas, U.S.
Genres	Folk, fingerstyle, percussive fingerstyle
Occupation(s)	Guitarist
Instruments	Guitar, baritone guitar, harp guitar
Years active	2001–present
Labels	Razor & Tie, CandyRat, Mythmaker Records

Andy McKee (born April 4, 1979) is an American fingerstyle guitar player. He is known for his unique way of playing the guitar. Many of his guitar videos have become super popular online, getting hundreds of millions of views. He has released several albums and EPs (which are like mini-albums).

Life and Career

Andy McKee started playing guitar at age 13. His dad bought him a nylon string guitar. At first, he wasn't very excited about lessons. So, he started teaching himself how to play. He learned songs by rock bands like Metallica and guitar heroes like Joe Satriani.

When he was 16, his cousin took him to see a guitarist named Preston Reed perform. This show really inspired Andy. He bought a video from Reed and learned many acoustic guitar tricks from it. Later that year, he left high school early to focus on playing guitar. He was influenced by other acoustic guitarists like Michael Hedges and Don Ross.

Early Albums: Nocturne and Dreamcatcher

In 2001, Andy released his first album, Nocturne. Only 1,000 copies were made, so it's very rare now. That same year, he won third place in a national guitar competition.

In 2003, he toured in Taiwan. He also won first place in a contest using a special guitar called a harp guitar. This guitar can be heard in some of his later songs.

His second album, Dreamcatcher, came out in 2004. It included his cover of Toto's "Africa." He also played a song called "The Friend I Never Met" as a tribute to Michael Hedges. This album helped him get to perform with famous bassist Michael Manring.

Becoming Famous Online: Art of Motion and The Gates of Gnomeria

Andy's third album, Art of Motion, was released in 2005. Many of the songs that became popular on YouTube were from this album. When his videos went viral (meaning they became extremely popular very quickly) in 2006 and 2007, Art of Motion was his main album available.

After touring a lot, Andy recorded his fourth album, The Gates of Gnomeria, in 2007. This album had new songs and some older ones from Nocturne. He spent most of 2008 touring around the world.

Collaborations and New Sounds

In 2008, Andy released an album called The Thing That Came From Somewhere with guitarist Don Ross. He also released a DVD with another guitarist, Antoine Dufour.

In 2009, he released a digital-only EP (a shorter album) called Common Ground. It had new versions of songs from Dreamcatcher and a cover song.

Joyland and Mythmaker

Andy's album Joyland was released in 2010. The title song was inspired by an old amusement park in his hometown. On this album, he added other instruments to some songs. It also featured a new harp guitar song and covers of "Layover" by Michael Hedges and "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears. The album came with a DVD that had videos and a documentary about him.

After touring for several years, Andy released Mythmaker in 2014. This EP had four new songs. It included his first solo piano song and even used an electric guitar.

Live Performances and Recent Releases

In 2015, Andy recorded several live shows. He put them together to create his first live album, Live Book, released in 2016.

Starting in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic when concerts stopped, Andy began doing weekly online concerts called "McKee Mondays" on Facebook Live. He also started teaching guitar online. In 2021, he released a new EP of cover songs called Symbol.

Career Progression

Andy McKee became very famous online. He described himself as "just this guy from Topeka, Kansas, who kind of blew up on the Internet." His video for the song "Drifting" became incredibly popular on YouTube. For a while, three of his videos were the most watched on the platform!

Because of this online fame, he was invited to perform on TV shows. He also played guitar on Josh Groban's Christmas album, Noël, in 2007. That album became the best-selling CD in the U.S. that year.

In 2010, Andy played on Lee Ritenour's album 6 String Theory, which featured many famous guitarists like Slash. In 2012, he even played with the legendary musician Prince on his tour in Australia.

Since 2016, Andy has been hosting special multi-day guitar workshops called "Andy McKee's Musicarium." These are like music camps where people can learn from him.

Equipment and Influences

Andy McKee uses special guitars and equipment to create his unique sound. Some of his guitars include Greenfield G4 and G2 Guitars, and a Greenfield HG1.2 Harp Guitar. He also uses specific strings, capos (devices that change the pitch of the guitar), and pickups.

Andy McKee performing in Toronto, Ontario

Andy has many musical influences. He listened to metal bands like Dream Theater and Metallica when he was younger. He even played a Metallica song in his high school talent show! Later, he was inspired by acoustic guitarists like Michael Hedges and Don Ross. Both types of music still influence his playing today.

A big part of Andy's guitar style is using different ways to tune his guitar. He also often uses a capo, which helps him create unique sounds.

Discography

Images for kids

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  Andy McKee at Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto, Ontario