Touted as "one of the best guitar players in the world, a voice on par with some of the greatest rock/soul singers and creative songwriting", Richie Kotzen has had an incredible journey in the world of music.
In 2006 as a solo artist, kotzen was the opening act for the legendary Rolling Stones a bigger bang tour in japan.
It all started at the age of seven when richie learned to play the electric guitar in his hometown of reading, pa.
He formed his first band at the age of twelve and played live gigs around pa, delaware and new jersey.
When he turned eighteen he headed west to san francisco and recorded his first album for shrapnel records. That year, Kotzen was featured on several magazine covers including Guitar World and was voted one of the top 3 best new guitarist's of the year by it's readers.
After recording three albums for shrapnel records, Kotzen moved to los angeles and, just out of his teens, he joined the multi platinum glam metal band poison and started living the dream !
He recorded the cd native tongue with the band and ventured on a world tour in support of the album. His song stand, reached #4 on mtv's most wanted and was in the top 20 in billboard magazine. That record soon reached platinum status.
After Poison, kotzen continued recording albums on various labels including geffen, shrapnel and jvc
until 1999 when he was invited by jazz legend stanley clarke to form the band vertu. They recorded a self titled album for Sony and spent the summer in europe playing the montreux Jazz and other festivals : "it was an honor and a great
Experience to be in a band with clarke and the other
Members". States richie.
Later that year, kotzen joined the immensely popular rock band Mr. Big, who are known for their #1 hit song "To be with you". In 1999, they played the osaka dome in japan with Aerosmith for the coveted millennium count down. Kotzen wrote 2 studio records with mr big and had his first #1 single in japan with a song called shine.
Richie continues to make killer solo records and tours around the world with superstar status in several countries, playing stadiums, festivals, and clubs. He has played with other well known musicians like gene simmons, from Kiss, and keanu reeves band Dogstar where he has made cameo performances on stage, including television performances with the band on jay leno and regis and kelly. Richie is always included in books, magazines, and websites as one of the top guitarist's in the world !
Kotzen is one of the few artists to be honored by Fender guitar with not one, but two signature model guitars of which the kotzen telecaster guitar has repeatedly been the #1 selling signature model guitar for Fender japan.
Cornford amplification honored kotzen with his own signature series guitar amp rk100 which in 2005 was voted amp of the year in the uk.
Kotzen has amassed a 25 plus album discography and he is just getting warmed up
"Touring and making music is my life. It is all I have ever done. I am very grateful to all the people around the world who have made that possible richie humbly says".
Richie resides in los angeles and enjoys spending time with his daughter August. His hobbies include basketball and playing poker. At times, you might catch him jamming with other music superstars.
Source : http://www.richiekotzen.com/
