Gary Hoey

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Gary Hoey bigraphy, stories - American musician

Gary Hoey : biography

August 23, 1960 –

Gary Hoey (born August 23, 1960) is a surfer-rock musician.

Later career

Gary Hoey’s most recent album, “Deja Blues,” was released in 2013. He has recorded 19 albums and had five top-20 Billboard hits, and has been called one of the top 100 guitarists of all time.

As writer, producer, and guitar player, Hoey’s clients have included Disney, ESPN, and No Fear, and he has performed the National Anthem for the New England Patriots, San Diego Padres, and the Boston Red Sox. Hoey has been featured on VH1 Classic’s documentary, “Aftermath,” and recently guest starred alongside Michael Anthony, Ace Frehley, and Dave Mason, among others, at the 2010 Rock N Roll Fantasy Camp in Los Angeles, which debuts as a special series on VH1 Classic beginning this spring.

His popular “Ho Ho Hoey” series of Christmas CDs and on-air station visits during the holiday season have become an annual staple at hundreds of radio stations nationwide. Moreover, his live annual interpretation, “Ho Ho Hoey’s Rockin’ Holiday Show,” gains new fans each year. Hallmark’s musical greeting cards feature two of Gary’s “Ho Ho Hoey” classics.

In addition to touring as a headline act, Hoey has toured and traded licks with Brian May of Queen, Ted Nugent, Foreigner, Joe Satriani, The Doobie Brothers, Kenny Wayne Shepard, Eric Johnson, Steve Vai, Peter Frampton, Rick Derringer, and Deep Purple. Hoey supported Jeff Beck on the US leg of his Spring 2010 tour.

Discography

  • Get A Grip (1991)
  • Heavy Bones (with the band Heavy Bones) (1992)
  • Animal Instinct (1993)
  • Endless Summer II Soundtrack (1994)
  • Gary Hoey (1995)
  • Ho! Ho! Hoey (1995)
  • Bug Alley (1996)
  • Ho! Ho! Hoey II (1997)
  • Hocus Pocus Live (1998)
  • Money (1999)
  • Ho! Ho! Hoey 3 (1999)
  • Best Of Ho! Ho! Hoey (2001)
  • Wake Up Call (2003)
  • Ho! Ho! Hoey: The Complete Collection (2003)
  • Best Of Gary Hoey (2004)
  • Monster Surf (2005)
  • American Made (2006)
  • Utopia (2010)
  • Deja Blues (2013)

Early life and early career

At fourteen, Hoey often lingered outside Boston’s renowned Berklee College of Music, making friends and offering to pay for lessons. To devote his time to music, he dropped out of high school and began playing Boston’s local clubs and teaching guitar to other young players. He auditioned for Ozzy Osbourne in 1988, when Osbourne was searching for a replacement for Jake E. Lee, but the job went to Zakk Wylde.

In 1990, he teamed with singer Joel Ellis, bassist Rex Tennyson, and drummer Frankie Banali to form Heavy Bones. The band released their debut album in 1992, but broke up shortly afterwards.

In 1993, he recorded the successful Animal Instinct album, which included a cover of the Focus hit "Hocus Pocus". Not only did the hit rocket into the Billboard Top 5, outpacing all other singles as the most frequently played rock song of the year, but the album went on to reach classic rock notoriety. The successful Endless Summer II soundtrack soon followed. He went on to record around twelve instrumental albums, all electric guitar oriented. His 1996 release, Bug Alley, displayed added vocal ability that he has expanded on more recent albums. He continues to tour extensively.