Guitarist Richie Kotzen Essentials package looks back on an impressive career
Guitarist Richie Kotzen will release The Essential Richie Kotzen - a collection of material that's been curated from an impressive 20-year career and showcases material that spans Kotzen’s 18 solo albums in addition to his work with the bands Poison and The Winery Dogs—on Sept. 2.
The new package was purposely designed to give listeners the most comprehensive, concise and cohesive introduction to Kotzen’s extensive body of work and includes two CDs of classic material as well as two brand new songs, along with a DVD of music videos, acoustic performances and even some bootleg material. It’s the ultimate collection of music for Richie Kotzen fans.
Born and raised in Reading, Pennsylvania, Kotzen is a guitar phenom who was discovered as a teenager after submitting a demo tape of his playing to Mike Varney of Shrapnel records.
Kotzen recorded his first album at the age of 18 and has since never looked back, touring extensively with his trio both inside and outside the United States as well as building a loyal fan base and selling out shows throughout Europe, Latin America, and Japan.
In 1996, Fender guitars honored him with not one, but two signature models. His signature Telecaster is available worldwide and remains a top seller.
Some of Kotzen's other career highlights include opening for The Rolling Stones in 2006 and collaborating with the likes of Gene Simmons from KISS and jazz legend Stanley Clarke.
Presently, Kotzen is part of the The Winery Dogs with bassist Billy Sheehan and drummer Mike Portnoy. The power-trio has just recently completed a successful run of touring as well as an intensive camp for musicians in upstate New York.
With another full-length solo album on the horizon for January of 2015 as well as countless gigs, Richie Kotzen’s legacy is only continuing to expand.