| Quinn Sullivan | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 26, 1999 |
| Origin | New Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Genres | Pop, Rock, Blues |
| Occupations | Musician and Songwriter |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Years active | 2006- Present |
| Labels | GBG & None Yet |
| Associated acts | Toe Jam Puppet Band The Damn Right Blues Band Tom Hambridge and Buddy Guy |
| Website | http://www.quinnsullivan.me/ |
Quinn Sullivan (born March 26, 1999) is an American child prodigy from New Bedford, Massachusetts who plays the guitar. He released his debut album Cyclone in 2011.
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Sullivan began taking guitar lessons at age five. He has studied with Brian Cass of The Overclock Orchestra and the Toe Jam Puppet Band as well as Stan Belmarce. The first original song he wrote with Chris Waters was titled "Sing, Dance, Clap Your Hands". Sullivan first gained national media attention at age six when he appeared on The Ellen Degeneres Show. He garnered more attention when Buddy Guy asked him to come on stage and play during a performance at the Zeiterion Theater in New Bedford, Massachusetts in 2007.
Quinn has since performed on stage with Guy as well as with B.B. King and has played in venues such as the Beacon Theatre in New York City, the Orpheum Theatre in Boston, and Buddy Guy’s Legends in Chicago. In 2008, Sullivan appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and was featured on NBC's The Today Show in July 2009. In 2009, Sullivan opened for Buddy Guy on his East Coast tour during the summer, played his own set at the popular summer music festival Lollapalooza, as well as the Austin City Limits Festival in October. . In 2011, he appeared on the Jimmy Kimmel Live! show.
Sullivan made a guest appearance on Buddy Guy's Grammy-nominated album Skin Deep, released in 2008. His solo can be heard on the track “Who's Gonna Fill Those Shoes”. His single, "Summer of Love", was released in 2009. Quinn released his debut album Cyclone in February of 2011. He went on tour in the summer of 2011 with "" to promote his album. In the fall of 2011 Quinn played such venues like "" and BB Kings Blues Club in New York City. Quinn is now taking time to start recording for a new album that will be released in early Spring and will go on tour this coming summer of 2012.
"Ordinary" is not a word one would associate with 12-year-old guitarist Quinn Sullivan. The guitarist, singer, songwriter and recording artist from the Boston area already has a resume people much older than him would envy. He has been amazing people with his guitar playing since the young age of three and when Quinn was six, he caught the attention of the Ellen Degeneres Show and was flown out to Los Angeles to be a guest. Since then, Quinn has made an appearance on the Oprah show and has shared the stage with blues legends Buddy Guy and B.B. King and has played at such illustrious venues as The Beacon Theater in New York City, the Orpheum Theater in Boston and Guy's Chicago club Buddy Guy's Legends (where Derek Trucks made his first appearance at the age of 13).
Performing on the Legends stage isn't all Trucks and Quinn have in common. Quinn - like Trucks and along with Susan Tedeschi, Robert Randolph and Eric Clapton - was asked to appear on Guy's GRAMMY(r)-nominated CD Skin Deep, released in 2008. Quinn can be heard showing off his guitar skills in a solo on the track "Who's Gonna Fill Those Shoes".
Quinn has recently been working in the studio recording new material with producer/songwriter Tom Hambridge (Buddy Guy, Susan Tedeschi, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Johnny Winter). Tom Hambridge has talked about Quinn's professionalism in the studio. "I completely forgot how young he was." He continues, "We've recorded some amazing songs. I cannot wait for the world to be turned on to this kid... he's going to be a big star."
The journey continues for Quinn this summer, when he goes on tour in cities around the country.
When Quinn isn't playing the guitar with music legends or hanging out with celebrities, he's practicing his drumming skills, playing baseball with friends and watching scary movies. He's also got dreams of "playing for people and meeting more of my heroes including Eric Clapton, David Gilmore, Carlos Santana... and maybe someday meet Paul McCartney."
So what does the young artist think of his extraordinary talents?
"I definitely consider myself a regular kid," says Quinn. "Who can also play guitar."
Quinn plays Fender guitars and amps including Fender Stratocasters, Bassmans and Twin Reverbs live but in the studio uses all different varieties of guitars, petals and amps. Quinn also plays out of a Buddy Guy signature Chicago Blues Box Amp. Quinn's effects include an Ibanez Tube Screamer, a Buddy Guy signature Dunlop Wah Wah Pedal, and a Boss Tuner Pedal. Quinn also has a Gibson ES-335 that he got on the Ellen Degenerous show in 2006.
There are so many Influences that Quinn has including Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton, David Gilmore, Carlos Santana, Derek Trucks, Paul McCartney, Jimi Hendrix, Rain: a Tribute to the Beatles, John Lennon, The Beatles, Steve Winwood, Warren Hanes, Frank Zappa, Jeff Beck, Susan Tedeschi, Duane Allman, Allman Brothers Band, Blind Faith, Derek and the Dominos, Cream, The Who, BB King, Pink Floyd, Junior Wells, Led Zeppelin, The Grateful Dead, Jerry Garcia, Tom Hambridge and many more.