Michael Christopher Landau (born June 1, 1958) is an American musician, audio engineer, and record producer. He is a

session musician Session musicians, studio musicians, or backing musicians are musicians hired to perform in recording sessions or live performances. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a recording artist on a ...

and guitarist who has played on many albums since the early 1980s with Boz Scaggs,

Minoru Niihara is a Japanese singer. He is the original and current lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Loudness. His first band was Earthshaker, in which he played bass and sang. His vocal style was influenced by blues singers, but he adapted quickly ...

, Joni Mitchell, Rod Stewart,

Seal Seal may refer to any of the following: Common uses * Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly: ** Earless seal, or "true seal" ** Fur seal * Seal (emblem), a device to imp ...

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...

James Taylor James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, havi ...

, Helen Watson, Luis Miguel, Richard Marx,

Steve Perry Stephen Ray Perry (born January 22, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He was the lead singer of the rock band Journey during their most commercially successful periods from 1977 to 1987, and again from 1995 to 1998. He also wrote/co ...

Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...

Phil Collins Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English singer, musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and lead singer of the rock band Genesis and also has a career as a solo performer. Between 1982 and ...

on " Two Hearts" and "

Loco in Acapulco "Loco in Acapulco" is a song by the Four Tops, released as a single in 1988. It was written and produced by Phil Collins (who played drums on the track) and Lamont Dozier (one third of the group's legendary Motown long-time songwriting team, Holla ...

Roger Daltrey Roger Harry Daltrey (born 1 March 1944) is an English singer, musician and actor. He is a co-founder and the lead singer of the Rock music, rock band The Who. Daltrey's hit songs with The Who include "My Generation", "Pinball Wizard", "Won't Ge ...

Stevie Nicks Stephanie Lynn Nicks (born May 26, 1948) is an American singer, songwriter, and producer known for her work with the band Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist. After starting her career as a duo with her then-boyfriend Lindsey Buckingham, releasi ...

Glenn Frey Glenn Lewis Frey (; November 6, 1948 – January 18, 2016) was an American singer, guitarist and a founding member of the rock band Eagles. Frey was the co-lead singer and frontman for the Eagles, roles he came to share with fellow member Don H ...

, Eros Ramazzotti,

Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston in ...

, and

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of music ...

. Landau, along with fellow session guitarists

Dean Parks Weldon Dean Parks (born December 6, 1946) is an American session guitarist and record producer from Fort Worth, Texas. Albums Parks was member of the North Texas State One O'clock Lab Band before moving to Los Angeles to work with Sonny and Cher ...

, Steve Lukather, Michael Thompson and

Dann Huff Dann Lee Huff (born November 15, 1960) is an American record producer and songwriter. For his work as a producer in the country music genre, he has won several awards, including the ''Musician of the Year'' award in 2001, 2004, and 2016 at the Co ...

, played on many of the major label releases recorded in Los Angeles from the 1980s–1990s. He has released music with several record labels, including Ulftone Music and

Tone Center Records Tone Center Records is a record label devoted to jazz fusion. It was founded by Mike Varney, who started the rock music label Shrapnel Records in 1980. The label grew out of Varney's admiration for the jazz fusion of the 1970s and groups such as ...

, a member of Shrapnel Label Group. In addition to his session work, Landau has led several bands, including Raging Honkies and Burning Water. In the early 1980s, he was also in the band Maxus with Robbie Buchanan, Mark Leonard,

Jay Gruska Jay Gruska (; born April 23, 1952) is an American songwriter and composer best known for his film and television scoring, and for writing hit songs for a variety of artists. He has composed musical scores for dozens of TV dramas, with over 500 ...

, and

Doane Perry Doane Ethredge Perry (born June 16, 1954) is an American musician, composer and author. From 1984 to 2011 he was drummer and percussionist with the band Jethro Tull and has also appeared on hundreds of recordings spanning multiple genres on r ...

Early life

Landau was born and raised in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

Career

At age 19, he was touring the globe with Boz Scaggs, and the following year, he began performing in studios on the recommendation of his friend Steve Lukather.

Influences

Landau cites influences including

the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...

Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...

Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ci ...

Cream Cream is a dairy product composed of the higher-fat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. In un-homogenized milk, the fat, which is less dense, eventually rises to the top. In the industrial production of cream, this process ...

, the Band,

Weather Report Weather Report was an American jazz fusion band active from 1970 to 1986. The band was founded in 1970 by Austrian virtuoso keyboardist Joe Zawinul, American saxophonist Wayne Shorter, Czech bassist Miroslav Vitouš, American drummer and voca ...

Pat Martino Pat Martino (born Patrick Carmen Azzara; August 25, 1944 – November 1, 2021) was an American jazz guitarist and composer. Biography Martino was born Patrick Carmen Azzara in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, to father Carmen "Mickey" ...

, and

Jaco Pastorius John Francis Anthony "Jaco" Pastorius III (; December 1, 1951 – September 21, 1987) was an American jazz bassist, composer and producer. He recorded albums as a solo artist and band leader and was a member of Weather Report from 1976 to 1981. ...

Equipment

Landau has a signature

Single coil guitar pickup A single coil pickup is a type of magnetic transducer, or pickup, for the electric guitar and the electric bass. It electromagnetically converts the vibration of the strings to an electric signal. Single coil pickups are one of the two most po ...

with

Suhr Guitars Suhr Guitars (officially ''JS Technologies Inc'') is an American company that manufactures electric guitars and basses, guitar amplifiers, and effect units. The company is based in Lake Elsinore, California and was founded in 1997 by John Suhr, ...

called the 'ML.' In 2013, Fender announced that they would be collaborating with Landau on a signature

Stratocaster The Fender Stratocaster, colloquially known as the Strat, is a model of electric guitar designed from 1952 into 1954 by Leo Fender, Bill Carson, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares. The Fender Musical Instruments Corporation has continuously ...

. In 2015, Fender released the Michael Landau Signature amplifier, a modified version of Hot Rod DeVille III. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Landau used a rack switching system made by Bob Bradshaw of Custom Audio Electronics. Other notable users of such systems were Steve Lukather and Eddie Van Halen.

Discography

Solo releases * ''Tales from the Bulge'' (1990) * ''The Star Spangled Banner'' (2001) * ''Michael Landau Live 2000'' (2001) * ''The Michael Landau Group-Live'' (2006) * ''Organic Instrumentals'' (2015) * ''Rock Bottom'' (2018) * ''Liquid Quartet Live'' (2020) With Blue Horn * ''Noise for Neighbors'' (2000) With Renegade Creation * ''Renegade Creation'' (2010) * ''Bullet'' (2012) With Hazey Jane * ''Holy Ghost'' (2009) With Stolen Fish * ''Give Me A Ride'' (1999) * ''Like I Said'' (2001) With the Raging Honkies * ''We Are The Best Band'' (1994) * ''Boner'' (1996) With Burning Water * ''Burning Water'' (1991) * ''Mood Elevator'' (1992) * ''Live And Lit'' (1993) * ''Abbandonato'' (1994) With Rita Lee * ''Bom Bom'' (1983) With

With

Michael Bolton Michael Bolotin
, The Jewish Historical Society of New Haven, 1998. (born February 26, 1953), known professio ...

* ''

Soul Provider ''Soul Provider'' is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Michael Bolton. The album was released on June 19, 1989 by Columbia Records/CBS. To date, the album has sold 12.5 million copies worldwide. Containing five US top 40 hits ...

'' (1989) * '' Time, Love & Tenderness'' (1991) * '' Timeless: The Classics'' (1992) * '' The One Thing'' (1993) * '' All That Matters'' (1997) * ''

Only a Woman Like You ''Only a Woman Like You'' is an album by Michael Bolton, released in 2002 (see 2002 in music). The album constituted a comeback for Bolton peaking at #36. Nevertheless, the album's success could by no way be compared to the success of his previ ...

'' (2002) With Richard Marx With

Barry Manilow Barry Manilow (born Barry Alan Pincus; June 17, 1943) is an American singer and songwriter with a career that spans seven decades. His hit recordings include "Could It Be Magic", " Somewhere Down the Road", " Mandy", "I Write the Songs", " Can ...

* ''

Barry Barry may refer to: People and fictional characters * Barry (name), including lists of people with the given name, nickname or surname, as well as fictional characters with the given name * Dancing Barry, stage name of Barry Richards (born c. 19 ...

'' (1980) * '' Manilow'' (1985) With

Kenny Rogers Kenneth Ray Rogers (August 21, 1938 – March 20, 2020) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Rogers was particularly popular with country audiences but also charted mo ...

* '' Once Upon a Christmas'', Kenny Rogers and

Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album d ...

(1984) * '' What About Me?'' (1984) * ''

The Heart of the Matter ''The Heart of the Matter'' (1948) is a novel by English author Graham Greene. The book details a life-changing moral crisis for Henry Scobie. Greene, a former British intelligence officer in Freetown, British Sierra Leone, drew on his expe ...

'' (1985) * ''

They Don't Make Them Like They Used To ''They Don't Make Them Like They Used To'' (also referred to as ''They Don't Make 'Em...'') is the nineteenth studio album by country superstar Kenny Rogers. Overview The album's title cut was used as the theme tune to the box office hit movie '' ...

'' (1986) With

Tim McGraw Samuel Timothy McGraw (born May 1, 1967) is an American country singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He has released 16 studio albums (11 for Curb Records, four for Big Machine Records and one for Arista Nashville). 10 of those album ...

With

Laura Branigan Laura Ann Branigan (July 3, 1952 – August 26, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Her signature song, the platinum-certified 1982 single "Gloria", stayed on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for 36 weeks, then a record for a ...

* '' Branigan'' (1982) * ''

Branigan 2 ''Branigan 2'' is the second studio album by American singer Laura Branigan, released in March 1983 by Atlantic Records. The album reached number 29 on the US ''Billboard'' 200 and was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of Ame ...

'' (1983) * ''

Self Control Self-control, an aspect of inhibitory control, is the ability to regulate one's emotions, thoughts, and behavior in the face of temptations and impulses. As an executive function, it is a cognitive process that is necessary for regulating one' ...

'' (1984) * '' Hold Me'' (1985) * ''

Touch In physiology, the somatosensory system is the network of neural structures in the brain and body that produce the perception of touch ( haptic perception), as well as temperature ( thermoception), body position (proprioception), and pain. It ...

'' (1987) With Joni Mitchell * ''

Wild Things Run Fast ''Wild Things Run Fast'' is the 11th studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. Her first of four releases for Geffen Records, it was released in 1982 and represents her departure from jazz to a more 1980s pop sound. This was he ...

'' (1982) * '' Dog Eat Dog'' (1985) * ''

Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm ''Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm'' is the 13th studio album by Canadian singer and songwriter Joni Mitchell, released in 1988. It was her third for Geffen Records. The album features various duets with guest artists such as Peter Gabriel on "My Secr ...

'' (1988) * ''

Night Ride Home ''Night Ride Home'' is the 14th album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, released in 1991. It was the last of four albums she recorded for Geffen Records. Songs on the album include "Cherokee Louise" about a childhood friend who suffe ...

'' (1991) * ''

Turbulent Indigo ''Turbulent Indigo'' is the 15th album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. Released in 1994, it won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Album. John Milward, writing for ''Rolling Stone'', wrote that it was Mitchell's "best album since the mid- ...

'' (1994) * ''

Taming the Tiger ''Taming the Tiger'' is the sixteenth studio album by the Canadian musician Joni Mitchell. Released on September 29, 1998 through Reprise Records, it is the follow-up to the successful ''Turbulent Indigo'' (1994). The album was, at the time, wide ...

'' (1998) With

Sheena Easton Sheena Shirley Easton (; born 27 April 1959) is a Scottish singer and actress. Easton came into the public eye in an episode of the first British musical reality television programme '' The Big Time: Pop Singer'', which recorded her attempts to ...

* '' Best Kept Secret'' (1983) * ''

A Private Heaven ''A Private Heaven'' is the fifth studio album by Scottish pop singer Sheena Easton, released on 21 September 1984 by EMI America Records. The album featured two US Top 10 hit singles: the lead single "Strut" and the controversial "Sugar Walls". ...

'' (1984) * ''

My Cherie ''My Cherie'' is the 12th album by Scottish singer Sheena Easton, released in 1995 on MCA Records. The album consists of adult pop songs. The title track was issued as a single but failed to chart. Other tracks include "You've Learned To Live W ...

'' (1995) With

Faith Hill Audrey Faith McGraw (; born September 21, 1967), known professionally as Faith Hill, is an American singer and actress. She is one of the most successful country music artists of all time, having sold more than 40 million albums worldwide. Hill' ...

* '' Breathe'' (1999) * ''

Cry Crying is the dropping of tears (or welling of tears in the eyes) in response to an emotional state, or pain. Emotions that can lead to crying include sadness, anger, and even happiness. The act of crying has been defined as "a complex secreto ...

'' (2002) * ''

The Rest of Our Life ''The Rest of Our Life'' is the first collaborative album by American country music artists as well as husband and wife, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. It was released on November 17, 2017, by Arista Nashville. While the album marks McGraw's fifteent ...

'', Faith Hill and Tim McGraw (2017) With Luis Miguel * ''

Aries Aries may refer to: *Aries (astrology), an astrological sign *Aries (constellation), a constellation of stars in the zodiac Arts, entertainment and media * ''Aries'' (album), by Luis Miguel, 1993 * ''Aries'' (EP), by Alice Chater, 2020 * "Aries" ...

'' (1993) * ''

Nada Es Igual Nada Es Igual may refer to: * ''Nada Es Igual...'' (Luis Miguel album) (1996), by Mexican artist Luis Miguel * ''Nada es igual'' (Franco De Vita album) (1999), by Venezuelan artist Franco De Vita * ''Nada Es Igual'' (Chenoa album) (2005), by Spa ...

'' (1996) * '' Amarte Es Un Placer'' (1999) * ''

Mis Romances ''Mis Romances'' ( en, italic=yes, My Romances) is the fourteenth studio album of Mexican singer Luis Miguel, released on 20 November 2001 by Warner Music Latina. It is the fourth album in the ''Romance'' series wherein Luis Miguel covers bolero ...

'' (2001) * '' 33'' (2003) With

Mari Hamada is a Japanese heavy metal and pop rock singer. Since her debut in 1983, Hamada has been known as the "Heavy Metal Queen" of Japan. Throughout her career, she has released 25 singles and 23 studio albums. Biography Early history Mari Ham ...

With Miho Nakayama * ''

Wagamama na Actress is the 15th studio album by Japanese entertainer Miho Nakayama. Released through King Records on June 23, 1993, it is Nakayama's fifth studio release (after ''One and Only'', ''Mind Game'', ''Merry Merry'', and '' Dé eaya'') to not feature a si ...

'' (1993) * '' Mid Blue'' (1995) With others

References

External links

Official website
* * *
Myspace page

Official Tone Center website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Landau, Michael 1958 births Living people American session musicians American male guitarists Lead guitarists Guitarists from Los Angeles 20th-century American guitarists 21st-century American guitarists Yellowjackets members Provogue Records artists