Bradley Ernest Whitford (born February 23, 1952)[1][2] is an American musician who is best known for serving as guitarist for the hard rock band Aerosmith for which he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001. He has also worked as a songwriter for the group, co-composing well-received tracks such as 1976's "Last Child".[3]
Early life and education
Whitford performing with Whitford/St. Holmes in St. Charles, Illinois, November 13, 2015
Whitford played in local bands Cymbals of Resistance, Teapot Dome, Earth, Inc., and Justin Thyme before joining Aerosmith in 1971, where he replaced original guitarist Ray Tabano.[5][6] Aerosmith went on to be one of the most successful bands of the 1970s. Following several less successful albums in the late 1970s, however, Whitford left Aerosmith in 1981 to work on his own project with singer Derek St. Holmes, called Whitford/St. Holmes.[6] The project was dissolved after a sole self-titled album was released in 1981, although Whitford/St. Holmes reunited for 2015 and 2016 tours and released another album, Reunion.
Whitford briefly toured with Joe Perry Project, featuring former Aerosmith bandmate Joe Perry, before both Perry and Whitford rejoined Aerosmith in 1984.[1][2] In the mid-late 1980s, all band members completed drug rehabilitation, including Whitford, who completed programs to combat his alcohol abuse. Whitford remains sober to this day and continues to be an active member in Aerosmith.
Whitford also served as a producer for the Neighborhoods, a Boston band that was led by David Minehan, a rabid Aerosmith fan. In 1994, a family illness forced Whitford to leave unexpectedly in the middle of a tour of Asia, and Minehan flew to Japan, where he performed in Whitford's place for several days until Whitford returned.
21st century
In 2007, along with fellow Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry, Whitford was included in the Guitar World book The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.[7]
Whitford missed the start of Aerosmith's 2009 summer tour after requiring surgery as a result of a head injury sustained while getting out of his Ferrari. He joined the tour a month later.[8][9]
While Joe Perry is Aerosmith's better known guitarist and the band's principal songwriter with Steven Tyler, Whitford has made significant contributions to the band's repertoire over the years. This includes co-writing Aerosmith's hit "Last Child" as well as some of Aerosmith's heaviest songs: "Nobody's Fault" and "Round and Round", and playing lead guitar on "Sick as a Dog" and "Back In the Saddle" (on which Perry plays six string bass), "Last Child", and on the ballads "You See Me Crying" and "Home Tonight", "Lord of the Thighs" and "Love in an Elevator". The version of "Lord of the Thighs" on their 1978 live album Live! Bootleg in particular is perhaps his most famous soloing moment. When Aerosmith made their comeback in the late 1980s, Whitford continued to co-write tracks such as "Permanent Vacation" and "Hoodoo/Voodoo Medicine Man", and plays occasional lead guitar on some more recent tracks as well as during many live performances.
Concerning his lesser role in the band's songwriting process, Whitford has said, "I don't consider myself a terribly prolific writer. I can write music with other people if they're better songwriters than I am. I really can't create a song. It's very difficult to do. That's why the people that can do it are very few and far between. I'm certainly not that type of a guy. More of a guitar player, more of the kind of [guy] who comes up with enough riffs and ideas to write a song. But to write lyrics and come up with a melody for it, it won't happen."[11]
Said Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler of the two guitarists, "Joe is self-taught and his playing comes from raw emotion. Not that Brad's doesn't, but his style is more schooled."[12]
Slash, lead guitarist of Guns N' Roses cites Whitford as one of his heaviest influences, stating: "I identified with Joe Perry's image, both soundwise and visually....but I was also totally into Brad Whitford's guitar solos, and he had a more direct influence on the way I play than anybody realizes."[13]
At current performances, Whitford can be seen playing a wide array of solid-body guitars, some including Floyd Rose locking tremolos: Gretschs, several Floyd Rose Discovery Series guitars, a Shoreline Gold painted (Stratocaster style) Melancon Pro Artist, a Gibson Les Paul Goldtop along with a wide variety of Fender Stratocasters. Whitford continues to tour primarily with vintage Fender Stratocasters and Gibson Les Pauls for Aerosmith concerts as well as smaller gigs.[14]
Meanwhile, Aerosmith's original heyday in the late 1970s saw both Whitford and co-guitarist Joe Perry arm themselves with aggressive-looking guitars from BC Rich (Whitford favored an unpainted BC Rich Eagle, while Perry often played an alien-looking red BC Rich Bich).
On the amplifier front, Whitford has created his own amplifier company – 3 Monkeys Amplification and tours with many of their products. Furthermore, he also uses Paul Reed Smith amps. Additionally, Whitford has used a myriad of pedals throughout his career including many boutique ones.[15]
Guest appearances
Whitford appears in Guitar Hero: Aerosmith as the guitarist. He is also a playable character.
In 2011 Whitford made a guest appearance on A&Es Storage Wars episode "Hang 'Em High Desert" along with collector Barry Weiss appraising two vintage guitars and an amp
In 2019, Whitford made an appearance, along with his son Graham, in an episode of American Pickers where Mike and Frank find the original Aerosmith van (Season 20, episode 8)
References
^ abPutterford, Mark (1991) The Fall and Rise of Aerosmith, Omnibus Press, ISBN978-0-7119-2303-4
^ abStrong, Martin C. (2001) The Great Metal Discography (2nd edn.), MOJO Books, ISBN1-84195-185-4, p. 11-13
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