The REASN for an Extraordinary Guitarist: Adam Skeppar
Even as the music business explores new ways to navigate the constant changes in technology and the industry, great talent perseveres. Though many will tell you that it’s harder than ever for a “hired gun” musician to make it these days, guitarist Adam Skeppar is one of the most sought after and coveted in the modern music scene. Creating his prominence with an evergreen approach of talent, tenacious work ethic, and versatility; Skeppar is the late 2010s version of musical gunslinger in the lineage of Steve Lukather and Steve Vai. Though he has proven a number of times that he is capable of the pyrotechnics which thrills guitar geeks, a major contributor to his jam-packed calendar is his tendency to sideline this in order to best serve the song. Adam concedes that the artists whom he works with will unleash this part of his musical personality from time to time to the delight of the fans. Listening to his playing on recordings or live in concert is literally witnessing a master artist who has accumulated the vocabulary of the musical genres preceding current times and is able to utilize them with sublime ease.
Adam’s renown for versatility led Christine Hufenbecher (manager for artist The Reasn) to have the guitarist meet with The Reasn, his producer Joei Jo, and his band. Described as a Pop, RnB, Rock, Alternative, and Hip-hop, The Reasn’s music calls for an authenticity from a guitarist that is nearly unfathomable. From unusual and complex R&B Chords, to pyrotechnic solos, and an overall “eerie” sense, the sonic contributions of Adam to the music is eclectic to say the least. This approach is presented in The Reasn’s hit single “Slow” which has already received more than 200,000 plus streams on Spotify. The strength of the song’s online attention has led to international touring by the group throughout North America ranging from Hollywood “tastemaker” hotspots like The Sayers Club to the Westward Music Festival in Canada, and others. In addition to the singles Skeppar recently completed for The Reasn, he will soon be recording the guitar parts for this compelling artist’s upcoming album; cementing him as a part of the Reasn’s live and recorded works.
All the great backing musicians are by nature versatile. Only those who can bring their own exceptional talent to a wide spectrum of genres can persist and thrive in the music industry. It’s as essential today as it was in the days of Les Paul, Glen Campbell, and Jimmy Page. When you reach that elite level, it’s often the representatives of artist who seek out these master players. When America's Got Talent (ABC) winner Bianca Ryan, her manager Sunni McCord, and her Casting director Luke Stafford, began auditioning a backing band of premier musicians to support her, it was obvious right away to them that Adam was the perfect choice. AGT’s average of between nine million and twelve million viewers brought a massive fanbase to Ryan’s professional career; the singer and her team required the most talented musicians for her backing band. Authentic in many style, possessing his own unique sound, and an exciting stage presence, Skeppar was immediately enlisted to assume guitar duties. As guitarist for Bianca’s band, Adam has experienced a varied set of venues ranging from a star studded performance on Perez Hilton’s “Backyard Sessions” to Live TV (Trojanvisions The Morning Brew), and radio (Build a Bear Radio).
The career of a backing/session musician can be challenging. They sojourn for a period with an artist and often are required to move on as other artist seek them out. It’s somewhat like being an island that attaches itself to a continent until the current moves them along. For a fan of music and all the differences it offers him, this is not a defeatist outlook for Adam Skeppar. Whether he is recording in a studio, performing to huge audiences, or to an invisible one via TV and radio airwaves, Skeppar’s focus is always on transferring his internal excitement and enthusiasm to help those whom he works with infuse it into their own vision. If there is any “guitar ego” to be found here, it’s also invisible.
Written by Patrick Wilson
10th of May, 2019
