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About
Pat Metheny, born August 12, 1954, in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, has stood at the forefront of modern music for more than five decades. He began on trumpet at age eight and switched to guitar at twelve, performing with Kansas City’s top jazz musicians by fifteen.
After joining vibraphonist Gary Burton’s group in 1974, Metheny’s horn-like phrasing, lyrical touch, and rhythmic fluidity quickly distinguished him. His debut album, Bright Size Life (1975), redefined the possibilities of jazz guitar, introducing a new sonic openness and melodic clarity.
Metheny has sold more than 20 million albums and won 20 Grammy Awards in ten different categories. His collaborations include Steve Reich, Ornette Coleman, Herbie Hancock, Jim Hall, Milton Nascimento, and David Bowie. His compositions range from solo guitar works and orchestral pieces to projects like the Orchestrion.
A dedicated educator, Metheny became the youngest instructor in the history of both the University of Miami and Berklee College of Music; he later received an honorary doctorate from Berklee. He is a member of the DownBeat Hall of Fame, an NEA Jazz Master, and an inductee of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music and the Missouri Hall of Fame.
In 2026 Metheny will embark on a world tour with his new ensemble Side-Eye III+, supporting the release of their self-titled album—the first on his new label, Uniquity Music, which will encompass all of his recordings since 1984 and future projects.