By: Robert Knight and Rick Landers
Quinn Sullivan – photo credit: Robert M. Knight
Quinn Sullivan has been living in the fast lane since he began to edge his way into the spotlight by releasing his first CD, Cyclone, in Nashville, at the age of 13.
He didn’t skip a beat before he was on the road with legendary blues man, Buddy Guy, touring Las Vegas, New York and the Montreux Jazz Festival.
Cyclone hit the ground running and clocked in a #7 on the Billboard Blues Album chart.
Quinn would soon gather respect from die-hard blues fans while he performed at venues like the Hollywood Bowl, Red Rocks Amphitheater and major blues festivals in Quebec, Ottawa, Austin and Boston.
2011 was a pivotal year for the young man as he promoted Cyclone on tour and where he performed his single, “My Sweet Guitar” on Jimmy Kimmell Live, where the audience rose to their feet in appreciation.
Quinn didn’t escape the attention of Fender. That same year, he became one of the youngest Fender artists.
By February 2012, he found himself center stage with Buddy Guy at the historic Apollo Theater in New York, where he performed with other artists in a tribute to the great blues man, Hubert Sumlin. A highlight of that gig was being introduced by Buddy to Eric Clapton.
Quinn was given his first guitar at the age of three and quickly developed skills way beyond his years. His natural ability combined with exposure to many kinds of music and musicians, led Quinn into the national spotlight, with an appearance on the Ellen Degeneres Show in 2006. He blew the audience away with a heavy fueled rendition of “Twist and Shout!”.
Today, Quinn continues to grow as an artist. He recently toured Europe and has been a guest on both Oprah and the Today Show. His friend and mentor, Buddy Guy, recently noted, “You don’t come across talent like this every day. People called Ray Charles a genius. I think you got another one here.”
Quinn works with Robert M. Knight and his Brotherhood of the Guitar with the backing of Fender, Guitar Center and Ernie Ball Strings – not a bad assortment of hi-end music industry stalwarts to be in one’s corner!
Guitar International caught up with Quinn Sullivan just after he got off the plane from his recent 2014 Europe jaunt. He talked about how his life and his career have changed since his first interview with the magazine, his gear, some new found guitar heroes and his love of music.
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Rick Landers: I think Guitar International was the first guitar magazine to interview you, back in 2011 and wondered if you had any idea that your world would expand so much since that time?
Quinn Sullivan: Yes, I think it was! Man, life has been really great in the last few years, having two albums out Getting There being my new album, playing across the world with my mentor Buddy Guy and myself and being on national tv.
It’s been a great ride so far and I’m very fortunate for all that’s happened so far.
Rick: I was watching a few of the earlier shows, you were on and it reminded me of a video I saw with a very young Joe Bonamassa playing on stage with the legendary Danny Gatton. What’s it been like working with some of the masters of the guitar?
Quinn Sullivan: It’s been really interesting for me, I’ve gotten to play with Joe himself, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Jonny Lang, Derek Trucks and Gary Clark, Jr. some of my all time favorites. They’ve all been really cool to me!
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Rick: What kind of relationship do you have with The Brotherhood of the Guitar and are you finding other young musicians that you can help show the ropes on how the music industry works?
Quinn Sullivan: Robert Knight is a wicked nice guy and it is so cool to be working with him knowing that he’s photographed Hendrix, Led Zeppelin etcetera. Very cool to be a part of that.
Rick: What’s your rig on stage and do you use the same gear in the studio?
Quinn Sullivan: On the road, I use an EC Fender Custom Shop Twinolux. Normally Strats are the go to guitar for me live and I use a few overdriven by Dunlop and Ibanez and a Wah Wah by Dunlop, as well.
There’s probably a few other things guitars and amps I use in the studio, but not too much different. I like to keep it simple.
Quinn Sullivan – photo credit: Robert M. Knight
Rick: It looks like you’re “living the dream”, but I’d guess that there are also disappointments along the way or challenges that you’ve had to overcome. How do you work through the tough ones?
Quinn Sullivan: You know, everyday I try to look at the positive things that have happened and try to focus on those more than the negative, not so good things.
Luckily, there have been a lot more great things that have happened than bad things. But this business is filled with disappointments and I’ve learned that over the years and you try to push through them and continue to just play.
Rick: You have a pretty hefty tour schedule this year. How do you juggle that with your other commitments and family time?
Quinn Sullivan: For me, it’s been great. It hasn’t been hard at all, because my dad travels with me everywhere I go and everything works out. And my mom and dad and family support me every day.
Rick: You’ve now got a couple albums under your belt and I understand you’re recording a new one. What kind of process do you use in order to get to the tracks that make the most sense for the final release? Tough to do?
Quinn Sullivan: Not at all, working with y producer, Tom Hambridge, we have a great relationship in and out of the studio. He’s my drummer on the road and it’s a fun experience!
Rick: I’ve gotta ask if Ellen Degeneres and Jay Leno are as funny off camera as on?
Quinn Sullivan: [Laughs] They’re great…nice people!
Rick: Are you most comfortable or more “you” when playing the blues or does the music style matter, as much as the fact that you’re up and running with your guitar?
Quinn Sullivan: I love all music man, that’s the beauty of being able to do what I do. You can play whatever you want and make it your own. Between your influences and your own thing, you can create whatever! No boundaries.
Rick: Have you discovered any older artists lately that you’d never heard about before who are inspiring you to grab some of their technique or sounds?
Quinn Sullivan: Definitely, Derek Trucks and Gary Clark, Jr. are two of my favorite guitar players right now and they’re huge influences for me!
Rick: Tell us about new projects you’ve got going on at the moment and dream projects that you have in mind for sometime in the future.
Quinn Sullivan: Yeah man, hopefully sometime in the near future, start working on a new album and see where that goes!
I’m enjoying the moment, playing at incredible venues and traveling the world! I’m 15 and humbled and honored of the stuff I’ve gotten to do in the years I’ve been playing.
