Bill Kelliher facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bill Kelliher
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Kelliher performing in 2022
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | William Breen Kelliher |
| Born | March 23, 1971 Rochester, New York, U.S. |
| Origin | Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | Error: Need valid death date (first date): year, month, day |
| Occupation(s) | Guitarist |
| Years active | 1995–present |
William "Bill" Kelliher (born March 23, 1971) is an American musician. He is best known as the rhythm guitarist for the heavy metal band Mastodon. He is the only member of the band who does not sing lead vocals.
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Early Life and Heritage
Bill Kelliher is an Irish citizen. He has dual citizenship with both the United States and Ireland. His father moved to the U.S. from Killorglin, County Kerry, Ireland, when he was a teenager.
Music Career
Bill Kelliher plays several important roles in the band Mastodon. He mainly plays complex rhythm parts. He also sings backing vocals during live shows. Sometimes, he plays lead guitar or harmonizes with the other guitarist, Brent Hinds. Bill also manages the sound effects and background noises used in their songs.
In 2007, Bill Kelliher and Brent Hinds won the Metal Hammer Golden Gods award for best guitarists. This was Mastodon's first award ever. Later, in 2018, Mastodon won a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance. They won for their song "Sultan's Curse."
Appearing in Game of Thrones
Bill Kelliher, along with his bandmates Brann Dailor and Brent Hinds, appeared on the TV show Game of Thrones. They played "wildlings" in season 5, episode 8. This episode was filmed in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The band was invited to be on the show by one of the executive producers, Dan Weiss. He was a big fan of Mastodon.
Guitars and Gear
Bill Kelliher uses many different guitars with Mastodon. For a long time, his main guitar was a Gibson Les Paul Custom. He also uses other Gibson guitars, like the Explorer. He has even used custom guitars from Yamaha and First Act.
In 2013, Gibson released a special "signature" guitar for Bill called "The Golden Axe." Later, in 2014, they released another signature Les Paul for him. Since 2016, Bill has been working with ESP Guitars. They have released two signature models for him, the ESP Bill Kelliher and the LTD BK-600. These guitars are designed to match his playing style.
Amps and Effects
To create his unique sound, Bill Kelliher uses different amplifiers and effects pedals. He has used Laney and Marshall amps in the past. Since 2010, he has used Orange Thunderverb amplifiers. His pedal board includes a Line 6 HELIX and a Digitech Jamman Looper Pedal. These devices help him create different sounds and effects for his music.
Playing Style
Bill Kelliher uses special guitar tunings in Mastodon. He often tunes his guitar strings down. For example, he uses D Standard tuning, which means all strings are a whole step lower than normal. He also uses Drop C tuning and another unique tuning for certain songs. These tunings help give Mastodon its heavy and distinct sound.
Personal Life
Bill Kelliher is married and has two sons. His wife works as an epidemiologist, studying how diseases spread.
Discography (Albums)
Here are some of the albums Bill Kelliher has played on:
Mastodon
- Remission (2002) - rhythm guitar
- Leviathan (2004) - rhythm guitar
- Blood Mountain (2006) - rhythm guitar, lead guitar on "Sleeping Giant", backing vocals
- Crack the Skye (2009) - rhythm guitar
- The Hunter (2011) - rhythm guitar
- Once More 'Round the Sun (2014) - rhythm guitar
- Emperor of Sand (2017) - rhythm guitar
- Hushed and Grim (2021) - rhythm guitar
