Stevie Salas


Stevie Salas is a Native American guitarist, author, television host, music director, record producer, film composer, and advisor of contemporary music at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian.

Career

Salas was born on November 17, 1964, in Oceanside, California, United States. He is of Apache ancestry.
In 1989, Stevie was credited in "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" as performing the guitar solo of the character "Rufus" in the closing scene. Stevie's hands were also featured performing the solo, according to the film's end credits.
In 1990, Salas released his first solo album Stevie Salas Colorcode, opening for Joe Satriani and his 1989 album Flying in a Blue Dream. Salas' music received attention in both Japan and Europe.
In 1993, he released Stevie Salas Presents: The Electric Pow Wow, a covers album of songs that inspired Salas as a youth featuring guest artists like Zakk Wylde, Glenn Hughes, T.M. Stevens, Richie Kotzen and Slim Jim Phantom. Then in 1994, Salas released Back from the Living in Japan, where his singles "Start Again" and "Tell Your Story Walkin" were released. During this time, he also appeared on the album Rats by then girlfriend Sass Jordan.
Salas was touring guitarist for Rod Stewart´s Out of Order Tour where he got the inspiration for his book ˝When We Were the Boys˝, a book of memories from touring world stages.
In 2001, Mick Jagger hired him as guitarist and music director for Jagger's "Goddess in the Doorway" Tour. Later that year Salas released Shapeshifter: The Fall and Rise of Stevie No Wonder.
In 2003, he released The Soulblasters of the Universe, and did his first European Colorcode tour since 1999.
From 2006 to 2010, Salas served as music director and consultant for American Idol and 19 Entertainment nurturing Kris Allen, Adam Lambert, Chris Daughtry, and their respective touring bands for subsequent American tours.
Salas began working as host and executive producer of the Canadian Music TV series Arbor Live for APTN. In mid-2009, Salas co-founded with the internet entrepreneur Laurence Dorazio the company Rockstar Solos, LLC which focuses on iPhone and iPad gaming and entertainment application development. The first application also called Rockstar Solos became available in the iTunes Store in December 2009. The company Rockstar Logic has thousands of downloads to date.
In 2009, Salas worked with T.I and Justin Timberlake on the song "Dead and Gone", the single eventually reaching #2 on the US Billboard Charts. Later that year, Salas received a Native American Lifetime Achievement Award at the Native American Music Awards. From 2010 to 2012, he served as the advisor to contemporary music at National Museum of the American Indian. He co-created both the Up Where We Belong-Natives In Popular Culture exhibit and The Living Earth Festival. In 2012 Salas created and is executive producer of Catch The Dream Bios with Adam Beach for APTN with shows airing 2014.
Salas is Executive Producer of 'RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World', a Native American music documentary for PBS and Super Channel.. Executive Producer and Creator of Dreamcatcher Bios. Produced by Rezolution Pictures Montreal Canada for APTN television.
Co-Wrote and Produced the new project/band INABA/SALAS with Japanese superstar vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Koshi Inaba for the Japanese record label Vermillion Records. Chubby Groove album was released on January 18, 2017 and was the #2 album in the country that week, and remained in the top 10 for several weeks after. The album was supported by sold-out Chubby Groove Tour 2017 that played throughout Japan in January/February 2017. The record was certified Gold in Japan on October 4, 2017.

Musical influences

Salas' musical influences are derived mainly from late 60s and 70s rock and roll music, as well as funk. Artists who have influenced Salas as a musician include James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, Mick Ronson, David Bowie, and Frank Black.

Discography

Solo career

Studio albums

EPs

Live albums

Compilations

Group projects

Hardware – Stevie Salas with Bootsy Collins and Buddy Miles
1992Third Eye Open
Black Arc/Rykodisc Records

Nicklebag – Stevie Salas with Bernard Fowler
199512 Hits and a Bump
Indanee/Pony Canyon Japan/East West/Warners Europe
1997Mas Feedback
Iguana U.S.

Inaba/Salas – Stevie Salas with Koshi Inaba
2017Chubby Groove
Vermillion Records

Guest appearances