The music bug bit me when I was about four after I saw Stevie after I saw Stevie Wonde on Sesame Street Their is superstitious writing on the wall.

That was a really important moment in my life.

Recording artist Myles Kennedy can trace his success to growing up in Spokanes supportive music community I was probably about ten, and she said, I really would like you to pick an instrument.

And started on the trumpet.

I do owe a lot of it to my mother During high school, Myles briefly served as a drum major before discovering his true passion for the guitar.

He showcased his musical versatility by playing in a jazz band, a marching band, and even a heavy metal band called bittersweet.

During his junior year.

It's hard to kind of pin me down stylistically because I do enjoy so many different genres.

Bittersweet included Myles friend Zia who continues to play drums in Myles solo endeavors.

After graduating, Myles enrolled in the Commercial Music Jazz Studies program at Spokane Falls Community College.

Inspired by local guitar legend Joe Brasch, with whom Myles had been studying.

and I at one point was in the country combo, I was in the big band combo, I was in the rock comp, I was in another rock combo I was I was like in a fusion combo.

Its just all I wanted to do was play.

And then on top of that, I had bittersweet or whatever I was playing in at night.

my education was just play as much as humanly possible.

it was just a really incredible like minded individuals and teachers who were so important in my musical evolution.

Using the skills he learned at college, Myles joined a jazz group called Cosmic Dust, who released one album.

He then formed a new band called Citizen Swing and began writing his own songs.

But they follow you anyway The group released two albums, with the second one written entirely by Myles.

In 1996, Kennedy formed The Mayfield Four.

The band created a demo to secure gigs, and one song from the demo, Don't Walk Away.

Started gaining attention in the music industry.

Dont walk away before we know it, we had all these labels coming to our shows Labels began competing to sign them.

But ultimately they chose Epic Records after the label's president flew to Seattle to catch one of their shows.

You know, I flew all the way across the country to see your band.

That's how bad I want your band.

I didn't fly to see Pearl Jam or Rage Against the Machine, but I flew out to see your band, and I was like, okay, we're signing with this guy.

However, the band soon faced the harsh realities of the music industry.

By the time Fallout, their first record, was released the key person who had brought them in was no longer at the label, so they didn't receive the support they needed to succeed.

During the band's 15 month tour in support of Fallout, They opened for Creed on a handful of dates, which is how Myles first met lead guitarist Mark Tremonti.

And was it five years later?

You know, I get a call and Hey what's going on?

You know, long time no see.

Would you be interested in doing something?

And, flew to Orlando about a month later and 20 some odd years later, we're still doing it.

In 2009, Myles received a call from Slash, of the legendary Guns n Roses band.

Slash invited him to add vocals to a couple of tracks for his solo album.

This opportunity led to touring with Slash and eventually expanded into a permanent gig.

Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators, has released four albums to date, with another one on the way.

And then the Conspirators and that whole thing happened and it became a team, a band.

15 years later, been a great ride.

Myles embarked on a solo career in 2018, releasing the deeply personal album Year Of The Tiger, In the year of the tiger.

a reference to both the Chinese calendar year of 1974 and the year his father passed away.

Since then, he has released two additional solo albums, all while successfully juggling his many creative projects.

I just enjoy it and we've managed to make it work because we have agents and managers who can who can communicate and carve out windows of time and, there's like this whole ecosystem now between Slash and the Conspirators, Guns n Roses and then Alter Bridge and then both Mark and I have our solo bands now.

Now they've got the Creed thing back together.

It all just kind of works.

you're basically planning two years in advance though, like you always know what's what's happening for at least 12 months, but usually, you know, about two years.

Myles also enjoyed a once in a lifetime moment in 2008, when he had the chance to jam with members of Led Zeppelin.

so I was lucky enough to be brought into the fold for a while.

And it was, yeah, it was, it was, it was amazing.

music In 2014, Myles and his wife Selena wanted to combine her work with childrens mental health, with his love of music.

music was my thing, I love music and like, you all have discovered the power of music and how it makes you feel.

Together with his former music teacher Joe Brasch, They started the Future Song Foundation.

We are very passionate about music education and making sure that young people in particular have access to, whether it's musical instruments or instruction or whatever it is to help you achieve what you'd like to achieve as a young musician.

Over the past decade, the foundation has donated dozens of guitars, keyboards microphones and more.

to area schools.

it's addictive that giving.

t's just been really fun to see what it's turned into.

with the success Kennedy has achieved, he could have settled anywhere, but chose to stay in Spokane.

He loves the area and believes that staying here made all the difference for his career.

A really great place as a creative.

And I knew that if I moved to LA or Manhattan, which I almost did, a number a number of times, came really close.

I knew that that would affect the work.

Overall, Myles Kennedy remains profoundly grateful for his career and isn't slowing down any time soon.

I mean its been an insane run.

so I don't want to be greedy, but because I feel if it all ends tomorrow, I'm good.

It's been a it's been a great run.

I, it's exceeded my expectation.