Myles Kennedy American rock musician Date of Birth: 27.11.1969 Country: USA

1. Biography of Myles Kennedy
2. Early Life and Musical Beginnings
3. Professional Career
4. Alter Bridge and Collaboration with Slash
5. Personal Life and Interests

Biography of Myles Kennedy

Myles Richard Bass, known professionally as Myles Kennedy, is an American rock musician. He is widely recognized as the vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the band 'Alter Bridge'. Today, Kennedy is also known for his collaboration with former Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash in his solo project.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Myles Richard Bass was born in 1969 in Boston, Massachusetts. He spent his childhood in Spokane, Washington, where he attended Spokane Falls Community College and studied music theory. Coming from a strict religious background, Kennedy's family changed their surname to 'Kennedy' after his mother remarried a minister following his father's early death.

From a young age, Kennedy developed a passion for music, particularly inspired by Led Zeppelin and Stevie Wonder. He started playing the trumpet at the age of 10 and picked up the guitar at 15, drawing influence from his idol, Jimmy Page. It was during this time that his exceptional vocal range and ability to sing challenging passages by Robert Plant became apparent. Kennedy played trumpet and guitar in his school's jazz band and joined local rock bands during his teenage years.

Professional Career

In 1990, Kennedy began his professional music career as a solo guitarist in an instrumental jazz collective called 'Cosmic Dust'. With this group, he participated in the recording of the album 'Journey' in 1991. After leaving 'Cosmic Dust', Kennedy formed a new band called 'Citizen Swing', where he served as the lead vocalist and guitarist. Described as a fusion of funk, soul, R&B, blues, and alternative rock, 'Citizen Swing' released their first album, 'Cure Me with the Groove', in 1993 and their second album, 'Deep Down', in 1995. Both albums are highly valued among collectors today.

In 1995, Kennedy joined 'Rock City Music' as a guitarist and a year later, he formed another band called 'The Mayfield Four' with childhood friends Zia Uddin, Marty Meisner, and Craig Johnson. 'The Mayfield Four' signed a contract with Epic Records and released their first demo, 'Thirty Two Point Five Hours', in 1996, followed by their debut album, 'Motion', in 1997. Their second album, 'Fallout', was released in 1998, but the band disbanded shortly after. Despite their popularity, 'The Mayfield Four' never achieved mainstream success.

Alter Bridge and Collaboration with Slash

In January 2004, Kennedy formed 'Alter Bridge', which became his most famous project. The band released their debut album, 'One Day Remains', the same year. Kennedy has released three albums with 'Alter Bridge', including 'Blackbird' in 2007 and 'AB III' in 2010. He gained recognition for his powerful high vocals, which became a trademark of the band. Despite frequent lineup changes and spontaneous album releases, Kennedy remains a member of 'Alter Bridge'. He has also contributed lyrics and music to the band's repertoire.

In 2012, Kennedy collaborated with Slash on his solo project, featuring on the album 'Apocalyptic Love'. Apart from his music career, Kennedy has made a few appearances in films and television shows, including the 2001 musical drama 'Rock Star' and an episode of 'WWE RAW' in 2005.

Personal Life and Interests

Myles Kennedy resides in Spokane with his wife, Selena, whom he married in May 2003. While he was raised as a Christian, Kennedy now identifies as an agnostic. He is known to suffer from tinnitus, a ringing or buzzing sensation in the ears. Kennedy is an avid reader and particularly enjoys the works of author John Irving.