Michael Adam Hedges (December 31, 1953 – December 2, 1997) was an American … Read Full Bio ↴Michael Adam Hedges (December 31, 1953 – December 2, 1997) was an American composer and acoustic guitarist born in Sacramento, CA. He studied classical guitar at Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most influential solo acoustic guitarists of all time. His music features his own unique performing style which features harmonics, fingerpicking, knocking and slapping.
Michael Hedges was a conservatory composition major who applied his classically trained musical background in combination with radical innovation to “reinvent” the steel string acoustic guitar. He combined many unusual techniques on the acoustic guitar with a wide range of musical styles, and was also considered a dynamic performer in concert - in short, a “Paganini” of the guitar.
He is known for extensive use in several pieces of two handed tapping techniques (nearly a contrapuntal style of multiple voices). He used the fingers of his right (typically picking) hand to slap harmonic "chords" at the 12th, 7th or 5th fret (or elsewhere). He made use of right hand hammer-ons, particularly on bass notes, and often used the left hand for melodic or rhythmic hammer-ons and pull offs, as well as unusual strummings, that played, as mentioned, independent voices to the right hand. These techniques tended to convert the guitar into a quasi-keyboard like instrument for certain musical purposes. He also made extensive use of string dampening as employed in classical guitar, and was known to insist strongly on the precise duration of sounds and silences in his pieces. Other facets to his playing were percussive slapping on the guitar body and extensive use of artificial harmonics. He also played guitar-variants like the Harp Guitar (an instrument with additional bass strings that Hedges used to play Bach's Prelude to Cello Suite #1 in G Major in its intended key), and the Trans-Trem Guitar.
Michael Hedges was discovered by William Ackerman who heard him performing in a Palo Alto cafe (the former Varsity Theater) and immediately signed him to a recording contract (1980). For several years Hedges toured and performed in concert with Ackerman. He also appeared on several of Ackerman's albums. In turn William Ackerman produced Hedge's first two albums.
The first two records Michael Hedges made - Breakfast in the Field and Aerial Boundaries - were milestones for the acoustic guitar. He then branched out into singing and performing more popular forms of music, although he would periodically make a return to more guitar-centred music. His record Oracle won the 1998 Grammy for Best New Age Album. Hedges was in fact quite a multi-instrumentalist, playing piano, percussion, tin whistle, harmonica, and flute, among others on his albums. Bassist Michael Manring contributed to many of Michael's records.
Many acoustic guitarists claim a very broad range of influences and will not fit into any genre, but this was truer of Hedges than of any other. His musical education was largely in modern 20th century composition. He listened to Leo Kottke, Bruce Cockburn, Martin Carthy, John Martyn, John Fahey, and the Beatles, but his approach to composition owed much to Stravinsky, Varèse, Webern, and experimental composers such as Morton Feldman. He saw himself as a composer who played guitar, rather than a guitarist who composed music. He was often categorized as New Age due to his association with the Windham Hill record label. Somewhat in reaction to this, he would describe his music as "Heavy Mental", "New Edge", ""Thrash Acoustic", "Deep Tissue Gladiator Guitar" or "Savage Myth Guitar," amongst other terms.
Hedges was killed in a car accident in 1997 at the age of 43. His unfinished last recordings were brought to completion in the album Torched, with the help of his friends David Crosby and Graham Nash.
Michael Hedges was a conservatory composition major who applied his classically trained musical background in combination with radical innovation to “reinvent” the steel string acoustic guitar. He combined many unusual techniques on the acoustic guitar with a wide range of musical styles, and was also considered a dynamic performer in concert - in short, a “Paganini” of the guitar.
He is known for extensive use in several pieces of two handed tapping techniques (nearly a contrapuntal style of multiple voices). He used the fingers of his right (typically picking) hand to slap harmonic "chords" at the 12th, 7th or 5th fret (or elsewhere). He made use of right hand hammer-ons, particularly on bass notes, and often used the left hand for melodic or rhythmic hammer-ons and pull offs, as well as unusual strummings, that played, as mentioned, independent voices to the right hand. These techniques tended to convert the guitar into a quasi-keyboard like instrument for certain musical purposes. He also made extensive use of string dampening as employed in classical guitar, and was known to insist strongly on the precise duration of sounds and silences in his pieces. Other facets to his playing were percussive slapping on the guitar body and extensive use of artificial harmonics. He also played guitar-variants like the Harp Guitar (an instrument with additional bass strings that Hedges used to play Bach's Prelude to Cello Suite #1 in G Major in its intended key), and the Trans-Trem Guitar.
Michael Hedges was discovered by William Ackerman who heard him performing in a Palo Alto cafe (the former Varsity Theater) and immediately signed him to a recording contract (1980). For several years Hedges toured and performed in concert with Ackerman. He also appeared on several of Ackerman's albums. In turn William Ackerman produced Hedge's first two albums.
The first two records Michael Hedges made - Breakfast in the Field and Aerial Boundaries - were milestones for the acoustic guitar. He then branched out into singing and performing more popular forms of music, although he would periodically make a return to more guitar-centred music. His record Oracle won the 1998 Grammy for Best New Age Album. Hedges was in fact quite a multi-instrumentalist, playing piano, percussion, tin whistle, harmonica, and flute, among others on his albums. Bassist Michael Manring contributed to many of Michael's records.
Many acoustic guitarists claim a very broad range of influences and will not fit into any genre, but this was truer of Hedges than of any other. His musical education was largely in modern 20th century composition. He listened to Leo Kottke, Bruce Cockburn, Martin Carthy, John Martyn, John Fahey, and the Beatles, but his approach to composition owed much to Stravinsky, Varèse, Webern, and experimental composers such as Morton Feldman. He saw himself as a composer who played guitar, rather than a guitarist who composed music. He was often categorized as New Age due to his association with the Windham Hill record label. Somewhat in reaction to this, he would describe his music as "Heavy Mental", "New Edge", ""Thrash Acoustic", "Deep Tissue Gladiator Guitar" or "Savage Myth Guitar," amongst other terms.
Hedges was killed in a car accident in 1997 at the age of 43. His unfinished last recordings were brought to completion in the album Torched, with the help of his friends David Crosby and Graham Nash.
Ritual Dance
Michael Hedges Lyrics
Instrumental
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Katie Joy
This is my favorite song of his. When I was in college I wrote a song & interpretive dance to this… Here are the words (it’s a dialogue… I’ll mark the people 1- and 2 - )
1 - Won’t you come with me? Won’t you come with me? We can travel the world together & the mountains? Won’t you come with me? Won’t you come with me? We can travel the world together & the oceans?
2 - No I can’t go. No I can’t go… with you. No I can’t go. No I can’t go… with you.
1 - I Love You
2 - I Love You
1 - I Love You … Won’t you come with me? Won’t you come with me? We can travel the world together & the mountains? Won’t you come with me? Won’t you come with me? We can travel the world together & the oceans?
2 - No I can’t go. No I can’t go… with you. No I can’t go. No I can’t go… with you.
1 - I Love You
2 - I Love You
1 - I Love You … Won’t you come with me? Won’t you come with me? We can travel the world together & the mountains? Won’t you come with me? Won’t you come with me? We can travel the world together & the oceans? The mountains? The oceans?
Larry S
He was one with the guitar, body, mind and spirit. He only wanted to please his listeners. He went on tour in Japan. A Japanese guitar company made a double neck guitar, customized just for him. They presented it as a gift to him. I watched him play it at Shiver hall, Johns Hopkins Univerisity. It was fantastic!!!
WhiteLakeDan
A true Genius. Very likely the best acoustic guitar player to ever grace this planet.
Ben McLendon
I've finally started checking out this guy's work, and he's a fantastic musician. With how prevalent rhythmic acoustic guitar playing is now, it's a little sad, considering when he passed away, he probably had no idea how much of an impact he made on the scene. Watching these old live performances reminds me of how sweet and short life can be.
Rikk303
there's this really strange moment when you're a player....everything just goes right....all you can do is smile because you're surfing. Nothing smug or fancypants about it....the whole thing just makes sense. It's an incredible joy
Ella Shapiro
I know exactly what you mean.
Bryan Franco
It's like when MJ is in the zone. Unstoppable
wlmason73
My god, his dynamic control is just awe inspiring. Even at that pace, and with such difficult material he's completely in control of his instrument.
johntrik
The new acoustic guitar movement was clearly his invention.John Fahey,Windham Hill Records/Will Ackerman,Leo Kottke and Hedges were the cornerstones.I just hope that all these guys who ripping off his riffs everyday have that in mind and thank him.R.I.P. Michael.
Shivam Vyas
Literally the best acoustic guitarist in the world! I felt God’s presence by listening to this masterpiece! RIP Michael. You will be missed. This is the best song I have heard! 1:32 best part 0.5
theonemodifier
Literally? Subjective