About Me
Kirby Velarde began playing guitar at 9 years of age. By the time he reached 17, Kirby had joined his parents band and began playing such venues as The Taste of Colorado & The peoples fair, they had won Colorado’s battle of the bands, Opened up for 38 special, had recorded an album with his father that led to a recording session produced by legondary Hamond B3 player, Howard Wales ( Grateful Dead). He had the honor to meet and play a concert with Mike Varney CEO of Shrapnel records, and Aynsly Dunbar drumer of the band Journey, White Snake etc... He then was offered a contract with Shrapnel records. He and his fathers music had been used on multiple hit television sitcoms and they continue to write and perform original music together.Today, Kirby possesses a resume that includes stints with an impressively broad range of other musical personalities such as Clint Brown, Michael English, Eric Darius, Brian Culbertson, Jackiem Joyner, Paul Taylor, Kevin Toney, Kirk Whalum, Gerald Albright, Molly Hatchet, Warrant, Maurice Rogers, Trint Phillips as well has having the privilege to have had Earth Wind and Fire’s horn section on one of Kirby’s albums as well as worked with such Grammy award winning engineers/producers as Clark Hagan and Kurt Carr.Currently Kirby has been playing all over the United States at venues such as the Denver Jazz festival at the Democratic convention center, was show cased on BET’s Bobby Jones show in Washington DC, has played Central Park NY, Nashville, Los Angels, Seatle, Atlanta, etc. and continues to travel with the world renowned gospel artist, Kurt Carr, abroad, traveling to Africa and playing the LA collisium to top-off 2008.Kirby takes much pride in his work with his church, Heritage Christian Center in Denver Colorado where he has shared his music ministries for the past decade being televised to over a hundred and forty million homes weekly, including live-stream internet access and over ten thousand in attendance per week.His amazing guitar playing has transformed to effortlessly traversed genres without compromising his exquisite blues based playing and perhaps it is Kirby’s creative musical blend of blues and rock elements that make him such a unique and talented artist.Influenced by the music of – Eric Johnson, Frank Gambale, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Rick Watford and Eddie Van Halen, Greg Howe, Jonathan DuBose and Guthrie Govan just to name a few.Kirby Endorses
Zion guitars!!!
ENGL amps !!!
TC electronic FX!!!
Ernie Ball Strings!!!www.tcelectronic.com
www.ernieball.com
