Artist description By age 23, Rocky Athas was honored as one of Texas’ Ten Best guitarists, as an inductee to BUDDY Magazine’s inaugural “TexasTornadoes” (along with ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, Eric Johnson, Bugs Henderson, Johnny Winter, John Nitzinger, and Jimmy Vaughan) Rocky Athas grew up playing neighborhood gigs with childhood pal Stevie Ray Vaughan, and shortly thereafter flip-flopped headliner chores in a series of shows with another friend, Eric Johnson. No Less than Billy Gibbons, Pantera’s “Dime-Bag” Darrell Abbott, and the New Bohemians’ Kenny Withrow are long-time admirers of the Oak Cliff guitarist.Rocky has been endorsed by Crate Amplifiers, and Van Zandt pick-ups. He has performed a variety of guest roles with the likes of Dangerous Toys, Warrant, and Ace Frehely -- which ideally spotlight the wildly innovative guitar style and sharpedged Rock ‘N’ Roll which has served as an ongoing chapter in the textbook on Texas music for almost two decades.Rocky combines a flair for writing creative hard rock songs with vertigo-inducing guitar pyrotechnics which causes listeners to gasp in astonishment. In the late 70s and early 80s, he was the creative vortex behind Lightning, absolutely one of the biggest draws in Texas nightclub history. The band toured with the hottest arena acts of the time, including Ted Nugent, Pat Travers, The Kinks, Rick Derringer, Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, and Peter Frampton. Also at that time Rocky’s fame was such that Guild introduced the Rocky Athas I guitar, and Gibson honored Rocky by making him the only non-record label endorsee in the company’s history.From ‘82 to ‘90, Rocky took a further step up and received a well-earned and more substantial taste of the big time when he signed on as lead guitarist for the multi-platinum Black Oak Arkansas. His frenzied guitar and winsome stage persona were an ideal compliment to the antics of frontman Jim Dandy Mangrum. The band criss-crossed the globe on several international tours. Rocky also played on BOA’s Ready As Hell LP, and his remarkable musical presence is a indelibly etched into the grooves of the critically acclaimed album.Subsequent to BOA Rocky has worked as a session guitarist for Polygram records out of Memphis’ Ardent Studios, as well as conducting a series of regional clinics in Dallas, and has co-written songs with former Deep Purple/Trapeze vocalist Glenn Hughes. Rocky also tells childhood stories on several pages in the book titled Stevie Ray Soul To Soul, by Kerri Leigh. His input is about he and “Steve” when they were growing up as good friends in Oak Cliff, Texas.His playing is more vibrant than ever, and the soaring originality of his new material is pure Athas -- guaranteed to delight.

Music Style Rock/Blues

Musical Influences Freddie King, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Jimi Hendrix

Similar Artists Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eddie Van Halen

Artist History Late 70s Rocky formed a band called Lightning who had great success in Dallas, and opened up for acts like Ted Nugent, & Ace Frehely. In the 80s he recorded and toured with Black Oak Arkansas, and again in the 90s til present. He has also recorded and toured with Glenn Hughes (vocalist & bassist for Trapeze & Deep Purple) they did a Tommy Bolin Tribute Tour and CD. The late Tommy Bolin of course was a great guitarist for the James Gang, Deep Purple, & had a successful solo career. Currently Rocky is touring and recording solo as well as with BOA, & just finished a project The Bluesberries with Stevie Ray Vaughans Double Trouble rythm section, and Buddy Miles (Jimi Hendrix Band of Gypsy's drummer).

Group Members Rocky Athas

Instruments 1962 White Fender Stratocaster, 1962 Surf Green Stratocaster, 1965 Reissue Stratocaster, 1979 Fender Stratocaster, History 1958 Les Paul Sunburst, 1959 Reissue Les Paul Sunburst, 1980 Les Paul Tiger Stripe, 1958 Reissue Les Paul Standard Black, 1972 Sunburst Les Paul Deluxe with Humbuckings

Albums 1984 Ready As Hell, 1997 Tommy Bolin Triubute, 1998 Jim Rutledge Texas Muzic, 1999 That's What I Know, 2000 The Wild Bunch, 2000 Blue Haze - Jimi Hendrix Tribute, 2000 The Bluesberries

Press Reviews "...watching Athas expertly finger -pick his cranked Fender Stratocaster recalled the post-supergroup era of Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck."San Antonio Express News Feb 26,99"He may be the hottest guitarist working today without a major record deal."Ralph Heibutzki Vintage Guitar Magazine June 2000No need to choose your personality. Switch on a half hour of Rocky and let him pick. The guitar gems that take you back to Beck (Jeff; who else?) with a smile around your pants.CDReview.com 2000

Additional Info Has been a session guitarist for Polygram records out of Memphis’ Ardent Studios, as well as conducting a series of regional clinics in Dallas, and has co-written songs with former Deep Purple/Trapeze vocalist Glenn Hughes.

Location Dallas, Texas - USA

Copyright notice. All material on MP3.com is protected by copyright law and by international treaties. You may download this material and make reasonable number of copies of this material only for your own personal use. You may not otherwise reproduce, distribute, publicly perform, publicly display, or create derivative works of this material, unless authorized by the appropriate copyright owner(s).