Dan Wheeler

Born in 1974 to music-loving parents, Dan received no formal music education, but turned his attention to guitar at the age of twelve when he came across an old Phil Keaggy record. "I remember hearing this incredible sound and thinking, 'That’s what I want to do!' " A sports injury to his left hand did nothing to dissuade him, as he wore out the controls on his tape recorder trying to get to grips with his guitar heroes.Dan cites the likes of Larry Carlton, Eric Clapton and slide guitar genius Bryn Haworth as early influences on his playing style. “I figured out early on that what most people wanted to hear wasn’t a string of outrageous licks, but something memorable and melodic.”Over the years, Dan has gravitated towards song writing and away from his teenage guitar hero ambitions. Discovering artists such as Shawn Colvin, Crowded House and Counting Crows while at university not only switched him onto writing, but also to a more song-focussed guitar style that naturally steered him into session playing.Dan took a roundabout route into a musical career, taking holiday from other jobs in order to work on sessions offered by producer friends until the balance started to tip, and in 2002, Dan took the plunge. Having made the move, he found time to develop his own material, as well as a growing number of artists and producers booking him for sessions and live work, where his melodic approach and solid tone has been finding new friends ever since. Tight rhythms, atmospheric soundscapes and catchy hook lines are all hallmarks of his playing, though he’s not afraid to turn it on a bit where necessary.Dan recorded his first solo outing, ‘Far From Home’ in 2002, before signing to Authentic and releasing his ‘Ten Things To Do’ EP and full album ‘Long Road Round’ in 2004, followed by Seven Kinds of Grace in 2006. His laid-back vocal delivery and guitars bring the songs to the fore, where thought provoking lyrics and memorable melodies engage the brain and speak to the heart.