Arlo West
Encyclopedia
Arlo West is an American
guitarist
and singer-songwriter
. He has recorded fourteen album
s and has appeared as a guest artist on many others. He has toured with Uncle John Turner and Bobby "Bobby T" Torello (both formerly with Johnny Winter
). Touring Scandinavia
for 20 years has helped develop a following in Sweden
.
At age 11 his family moved to Auburn, Maine
, where he was influenced by the many musicians living there. Guitarists such as Lenny Breau
and Jeff Wright became friends with West and helped him develop his style of playing.
In 1985 West met Billy Gibbons
of ZZ Top
and Gibbons suggested that West moved to Austin, Texas
. After moving to there he was signed to Russell Whitaker's label Brighton Road Productions. This allowed him to record several of his albums such as 1987's Rattlesnake and 1994's Blues College. Whitaker's studio, the Dallas Sound Lab, has produced many recordings and this recording contract
was instrumental in exposing West's music to the world.
In 2007, West became friends with Bill Lawrence. They are concentrating on producing a documentary on Lawrence's life and career as an innovator of the electric guitar
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
and singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
. He has recorded fourteen album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s and has appeared as a guest artist on many others. He has toured with Uncle John Turner and Bobby "Bobby T" Torello (both formerly with Johnny Winter
Johnny Winter
John Dawson "Johnny" Winter III is an American blues guitarist, singer, and producer. Best known for his late 1960s and 1970s high-energy blues-rock albums and live performances, Winter also produced three Grammy Award-winning albums for blues legend Muddy Waters...
). Touring Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
for 20 years has helped develop a following in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
At age 11 his family moved to Auburn, Maine
Auburn, Maine
Auburn is a city in and the county seat of Androscoggin County, Maine, United States. The population was 23,055 at the 2010 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included in the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan...
, where he was influenced by the many musicians living there. Guitarists such as Lenny Breau
Lenny Breau
Leonard Harold "Lenny" Breau was a musician, guitar player, and music educator. He was known for blending many styles of music including: jazz, country, classical and flamenco guitar...
and Jeff Wright became friends with West and helped him develop his style of playing.
In 1985 West met Billy Gibbons
Billy Gibbons
William Frederick "Billy" Gibbons is an American musician, actor and car customizer, best known as the guitarist of the Texas blues-rock band ZZ Top. He is also the lead singer and composer for many of the band's songs. Gibbons is known for playing his Gretsch Billy Bo guitar and his famous 1959...
of ZZ Top
ZZ Top
ZZ Top is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "That Little Ol' Band from Texas". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based boogie rock, has come to incorporate elements of arena, southern, and boogie rock. The band, from Houston Texas, formed in 1969...
and Gibbons suggested that West moved to Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
. After moving to there he was signed to Russell Whitaker's label Brighton Road Productions. This allowed him to record several of his albums such as 1987's Rattlesnake and 1994's Blues College. Whitaker's studio, the Dallas Sound Lab, has produced many recordings and this recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
was instrumental in exposing West's music to the world.
In 2007, West became friends with Bill Lawrence. They are concentrating on producing a documentary on Lawrence's life and career as an innovator of the electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
.