Stevie Salas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stevie Salas
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Stevie Salas with The IMF's
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| Background information | |
| Born | November 17, 1964 Oceanside, California, United States |
| Genres | Rock, funk |
| Occupations | Guitarist, Television, Film and Record Producer, Music Director, Author, Composer, Guitar Developer |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Years active | 1985–present |
| Labels | Island Records PolyGram Polystar Records Vermillion Records BMG EMI Iguana Indanee Pony Canyon West/Warners USG Surfdog Sony Yamaha Japan Columbia Japan Arbor EMI Bellaphon (Germany) |
| Associated acts | Heavy Glow, Bernard Fowler, Koshi Inaba, Hardware, Colorcode, B'z, T.I, Mass Mental, Chevy Metal, Slapbak |
Stevie Salas (born November 17, 1964) is an American guitarist, producer, and author. He is known for his unique style of playing rock and funk music. Salas has worked with many famous musicians and has also created music for movies and TV shows. He is of Mescalero Apache descent and works to share the stories of Native Americans in popular culture.
Contents
A Career in Music
Stevie Salas was born in Oceanside, California. His career took off in the late 1980s and he quickly became known for his amazing guitar skills.
Early Success
In 1989, Salas played the guitar solo for the character Rufus (played by George Carlin) in the movie Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. This helped many people notice his talent.
The next year, in 1990, he released his first solo album, Stevie Salas Colorcode. The album was a big hit, especially in Japan and Europe. This success led to him opening for famous guitarist Joe Satriani on tour.
Throughout the 1990s, Salas released more albums, like Back from the Living in 1994. He also worked with other artists, including his then-girlfriend, singer Sass Jordan.
Working with Superstars
Salas has a long history of playing with some of the biggest names in music. He was the touring guitarist for Rod Stewart on his Out of Order Tour. He even wrote a book about his experiences on tour called "When We Were the Boys".
In 2001, he performed with Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones to help promote Jagger's solo album. Later, in 2009, Salas worked with rapper T.I. and pop star Justin Timberlake on their hit song "Dead and Gone," which was a top song on the Billboard charts.
He has also formed bands with other talented musicians. One group, called Hardware, featured Salas with Bootsy Collins and Buddy Miles. Another project, Inaba/Salas, is a collaboration with Japanese superstar Koshi Inaba. Their album Chubby Groove was a huge success in Japan in 2017.
TV and Film Projects
Besides playing guitar, Salas has worked behind the scenes in television. From 2006 to 2010, he was the music director for the popular show American Idol. He helped guide contestants like Adam Lambert and Chris Daughtry.
Salas is also a producer for TV shows and documentaries. He was the host and executive producer for the Canadian music show Arbor Live. He is also the executive producer of the award-winning documentary RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World. This film tells the important story of how Native American musicians influenced rock and roll.
Honoring Native American Culture
As a member of the Mescalero Apache tribe, Salas has worked to celebrate Native American history in music. From 2010 to 2012, he was an advisor for contemporary music at the National Museum of the American Indian.
He helped create an exhibit called "Up Where We Belong: Natives In Popular Culture." In 2009, he received a Native American Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to music.
Musical Style and Influences
Salas is known for mixing hard rock with groovy funk music. His biggest influences come from the 1960s and 1970s. He was inspired by legendary artists like Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, David Bowie, and Mick Ronson. You can hear bits of their styles in his own powerful guitar playing.
Selected Discography
Stevie Salas has released many albums throughout his career. Here are some of his key studio albums and group projects.
Solo Studio Albums
- Stevie Salas Colorcode (1990)
- Stevie Salas Presents: The Electric Pow Wow (1993)
- Back from the Living (1994)
- Alter Native (1996)
- The Sometimes Almost Never Was (1998)
- Shapeshifter: The Fall and Rise of Stevie No Wonder (2002)
- Be What It Is (2006)
- Jam Power (2010)
Group Projects
- Hardware - Third Eye Open (1992)
- Nicklebag - 12 Hits and a Bump (1995)
- Inaba/Salas - Chubby Groove (2017)
- Inaba/Salas - Maximum Huavo (2020)
Signature Guitars and Pedals
Many guitarists love Stevie Salas's unique sound. He has worked with companies to create special equipment that other musicians can buy.
- Framus Idolmaker Stevie Salas Signature Guitar
- LAA Custom Nishi Drive Stevie Salas Signature Overdrive Pedal
- The Guyatone Stevie Salas Wah Rocker Pedal
