Michael Hedges
One of the most innovative and acclaimed solo guitarists of his era, self-described "violent acoustic" artist Michael Hedges rose to success on the strength of a unique performing style that utilized harmonics and picking to create the impression of multiple guitars playing simultaneously. Born in Sacramento, CA, in 1953, Hedges studied classical guitar while in college, subsequently earning a degree in composition from the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore. In 1980, he enrolled in Stanford University's renowned electronic music department, and while performing in nearby Palo Alto was spotted by Windham Hill label founder Will Ackerman, who immediately signed him to a contract; Hedges' debut LP, Breakfast in the Field, appeared in 1981.
In the years to follow, Hedges began developing his so-called "man-band" performances, which favored a two-handed tapping style of soloing achieved with the use of a custom-made, double-necked acoustic/bass guitar. His affiliation with Windham Hill prompted many to label him a new age musician, but he bristled at such categorizations and instead offered "violent acoustic," "heavy mental," "new edge," and "deep-tissue gladiator guitar." He often flirted with rock and pop, and included in his repertoire acclaimed covers of Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" and "All Along the Watchtower." With his second album, 1984's Aerial Boundaries, Hedges earned his first Grammy nomination, and with the release of 1985's Watching My Life Go By, Windham Hill agreed to create a subsidiary imprint, Open Air, to further distance his music from the increasing confinements of the new age tag.
With 1987's concert LP Live on the Double Planet, Hedges debuted a pair of compositions performed on the rare harp guitar, and on 1990's Taproot, he delivered his first vocal performance since his 1985 release, Watching My Life Go By. The record was Hedges' last for four years, however, and when he resurfaced with The Road to Return, his music was significantly different -- vocals were now the rule, not the exception, and in addition to acoustic guitar, he played flute, drums, synthesizer, harmonica, and electric guitar. 1996's Oracle signified a return to acoustic performance, but the record was the last to be issued during Hedges' own lifetime. On December 2, 1997, his body was discovered near the wreckage of a car accident just outside of his native Mendocino, CA; he was only 43 at the time of his death. His final recording, the acoustic "Java Man," appeared on the 1998 compilation The Sounds of Wood and Steel. Torched followed a year later. The compilations Best of Michael Hedges (2000), Platinum & Gold Collection (2003), and Pure Michael Hedges (2006) were all released posthumously on Windham Hill.
© Jason Ankeny /TiVo
Discography
11 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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Aerial Boundaries
Klassiek - Released by Windham Hill Records on 18 jun. 1984
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beyond Boundaries: Guitar Solos
Klassiek - Released by Windham Hill Records on 10 sep. 2001
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Watching My Life Go By
New age - Released by Windham Hill Records on 7 jun. 1985
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Best Of Michael Hedges
Klassiek - Released by Windham Hill Records on 21 jan. 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Oracle
Klassiek - Released by Windham Hill Records on 1 jan. 1990
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Breakfast In The Field
Klassiek - Released by Windham Hill Records on 1 feb. 1999
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Taproot
New age - Released by Windham Hill Records on 21 aug. 1990
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Live On The Double Planet
New age - Released by Windham Hill Records on 29 sep. 1987
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Pure Michael Hedges
Klassiek - Released by Windham Hill - Legacy on 26 jun. 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Torched
Klassiek - Released by Windham Hill Records on 8 feb. 1999
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Miami '85 Deluxe Edition (includes 18 bonus tracks)
Rock - Released by HiHat on 1 jan. 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo