Pat Metheny was born in Kansas City on August 12, 1954 into a musical family. Starting on trumpet at the age of 8, Metheny switched to guitar at age 12. By the age of 15, he was working regularly with the best jazz musicians in Kansas City, receiving valuable on-the-bandstand experience at an unusually young age. Metheny first burst onto the international jazz scene in 1974. Over the course of his three-year stint with vibraphone great Gary Burton, the young Missouri native already displayed his soon-to-become trademarked playing style, which blended the loose and flexible articulation customarily reserved for horn players with an advanced rhythmic and harmonic sensibility - a way of playing and improvising that was modern in conception but grounded deeply in the jazz tradition of melody, swing, and the blues. With the release of his first album, Bright Size Life (1975), he reinvented the traditional "jazz guitar" sound for a new generation of players. Throughout his career, Pat Metheny has continued to re-define the genre by utilizing new technology and constantly working to evolve the improvisational and sonic potential of his instrument.
Metheny's versatility is almost nearly without peer on any instrument. Over the years, he has performed with artists as diverse as Steve Reich to Ornette Coleman to Herbie Hancock to Jim Hall to Milton Nascimento to David Bowie. He has been part of a writing team with keyboardist Lyle Mays for more than twenty years - an association that has been compared to the Lennon/McCartney and Ellington/Strayhorn partnerships by critics and listeners alike. Metheny's body of work includes compositions for solo guitar, small ensembles, electric and acoustic instruments, large orchestras, and ballet pieces, with settings ranging from modern jazz to rock to classical.
As well as being an accomplished musician, Metheny has also participated in the academic arena as a music educator. At 18, he was the youngest teacher ever at the University of Miami. At 19, he became the youngest teacher ever at the Berklee College of Music, where he also received an honorary doctorate more than twenty years later (1996). He has also taught music workshops all over the world, from the Dutch Royal Conservatory to the Thelonius Monk Institute of Jazz to clinics in Asia and South America. He has also been a true musical pioneer in the realm of electronic music, and was one of the very first jazz musicians to treat the synthesizer as a serious musical instrument. Years before the invention of MIDI technology, Metheny was using the Synclavier as a composing tool. He also been instrumental in the development of several new kinds of guitars such as the soprano acoustic guitar, the 42-string Pikasso guitar, Ibanez's PM-100 jazz guitar, and a variety of other custom instruments. He took the whole instrument development process into a different level with his mechanical, solenoid driven Orchestrion.
It is one thing to attain popularity as a musician, but it is another to receive the kind of acclaim Metheny has garnered from critics and peers. Over the years, Metheny has won countless polls as "Best Jazz Guitarist" and awards, including three gold records for (Still Life) Talking, Letter from Home, and Secret Story. He has also won 20 Grammy Awards in 12 different categories including Best Rock Instrumental, Best Contemporary Jazz Recording, Best Jazz Instrumental Solo, Best Instrumental Composition. The Pat Metheny Group won an unprecedented seven consecutive Grammies for seven consecutive albums. Metheny has spent most of his life on tour, averaging between 120-240 shows a year since 1974. At the time of this writing, he continues to be one of the brightest stars of the jazz community, dedicating time to both his own projects and those of emerging artists and established veterans alike, helping them to reach their audience as well as realizing their own artistic visions.
AWARDS
35 Grammy award nominations
Winner of 20 Grammy awards, including an unprecedented 7 in a row for 7 consecutive recordings.
3 Gold Records (Secret Story, Still Live Talking, Letter From Home)
38 recordings totaling about 20 million records sold worldwide
Nominated in 12 different Grammy Award categories, winning in 10 of them. No one else has won in 10 different categories.
Best Contemporary Jazz Album
Best Pop Instrumental Performance
Best Jazz Instrumental Solo Performance
Best Jazz Instrumental Performance by Individual or Group
Best Rock Instrumental Performance
Best Instrumental Composition
Best Jazz Fusion Performance
Best Jazz Performance
Best New Age Performance
Best Arrangement on an Instrumental
Best Country Instrumental Performance
2013
JazzTimes Readers Poll: #1 Jazz Guitarist – Pat Metheny
JazzTimes Readers Poll: #1 Contemporary/Electric Group - Pat Metheny Unity Band – Pat Metheny
JazzTimes Readers Poll: #2 Best New Release of 2012: Pat Metheny Unity Band – Pat Metheny
2012
Downbeat Readers Poll: Best Guitarist – Pat Metheny
Grammy Award : Best New Age Album - What's It All About – Pat Metheny
2011
Downbeat Readers Poll: Best Guitarist – Pat Metheny
2010
Downbeat 75th Readers Poll Award: : Best Jazz Album - Orchestrion – Pat Metheny
Downbeat 75th Readers Poll Award: Guitarist of the Year – Pat Metheny
2009
Downbeat 74th Readers Poll Award: Best Jazz Group – Pat Metheny Trio
Downbeat 74th Readers Poll Award: Guitarist of the Year – Pat Metheny
Guitar Player Magazine: 2009 Reader's Poll - Best Jazz Guitarist – Pat Metheny
Acoustic Guitar Magazine: Best Acoustic Guitarist-Readers Poll – Pat Metheny
2008
All About Jazz: 10 Best of 2008 (new releases) TOKYO DAY TRIP – Pat Metheny Trio
All About Jazz: 10 Best of 2008 (reissues) QUESTION & ANSWER – Pat Metheny w/Dave Holland & Roy Haynes
NPR Music: Best CDs of 2008 - DAY TRIP – Pat Metheny Trio
Grammy Award Nomination: Best Jazz Instrumental Album - DAY TRIP – Pat Metheny Trio
Grammy Award Nomination: Best Jazz Instrumental Solo - SON OF THIRTEEN (from Day Trip) – Pat Metheny
Grammy Award Nomination: Best Country Instrumental Performance - IS THIS AMERICA (KATRINA 2005) From Charlie Haden's Ramblin Boy recording – Pat Metheny, Charlie Haden, Jerry Douglas, Bruce Hornsby
DownBeat 73rd Annual Readers Poll Award: Guitarist of the year – Pat Metheny
DownBeat 73rd Annual Readers Poll Award: Jazz Group of the Year – Pat Metheny Trio
Downbeat: DownBeat Critics Poll Award for Guitarist of the Year – Pat Metheny
2007
Downbeat: Best Guitarist – Pat Metheny
Downbeat: Jazz Album of The Year- Metheny/Mehldau – Pat Metheny/Brad Mehldau
Grammy Award: Pilgrimage – Michael Brecker (Pat Metheny Co-Producer)
itunes: Best of 2006-Jazz – Metheny Mehldau
JazzTimes Magazine: Best Contemporary/Electric Group – Pat Metheny Group
JazzTimes Magazine: Best Guitarist – Pat Metheny
Jazz Journalists Association: Best Guitarist – Pat Metheny
2006
Popmatters.com: Top 10 Recordings of 2006- Metheny Mehldau – Pat Metheny
Grammy Award: Best Contemporary Jazz Recording-The Way Up – Pat Metheny Group
Pat Metheny : Jazziz Critics Choice Award 2005 – Pat Metheny Group
JazzTimes Magazine Reader's Poll 2005: Best Jazz Guitarist – Pat Metheny
Jazztimes Magazine-Reader's Poll 2005: Best Comtemporary /Electric Group – Pat Metheny Group
2005
All About Jazz: Top 10 Recordings of 2005-THE WAY UP – Pat Metheny Group
All About Jazz: Top 5 Reissued Recordings of 2005-SONG X 20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION – Pat Metheny & Ornette Coleman
Echos NPR Radio Listener's Poll: Top 5 Records of 2005-The Way Up – Pat Metheny Group
2004
Grammy Award: Best New Age Album-One Quiet Night – Pat Metheny
Boston Music Awards: Jazz Act Of The Year – Pat Metheny Group
JazzTimes Readers Poll '04: Best Guitarist – Pat Metheny
JazzTimes Readers Poll '03: Best Contemporary Electric Group – Pat Metheny Group
2003
Grammy Award: Best Contemporary Jazz Album -Speaking Of Now – Pat Metheny Group
Grammy Nomination: Best Pop Instrumental Performance-"As It Is" – Pat Metheny Group
Grammy Nomination: Best Jazz Instrumental Solo Performance-"Proof" – Pat Metheny
2002
Downbeat Readers Poll: Best Electric Jazz Group – Pat Metheny Group
Edison Award (Netherlands): SPEAKING OF NOW - Best Instrumental Jazz Recording (international) – Pat Metheny Group
Boston Music Awards: Best National Jazz Act – Pat Metheny
2001
Adlib Magazine (Japan): : Best Video 2001-Imaginary Day Live – Pat Metheny Group
Swing Journal (Japan): Best Jazz Video-Imaginary Day Live – Pat Metheny Group
Boston Music Awards: Best National Jazz Act – Pat Metheny
JazzTimes Magazine: JazzTimes Reader's Poll - Best Guitarist – Pat Metheny
2000
Grammy Award: Best Jazz Instrumental Solo-"(Go) Get It" – Pat Metheny
Jazziz Magazine Reader's Poll: Best Guitarist – Pat Metheny
Jazziz Magazine Reader's Poll: Top 10 Jazz Recordings of 2000-Trio LIVE – Pat Metheny
BET/Billboard Jazz Awards: Best Soundtrack Album composed and performed by – Pat Metheny
JazzTimes Magazine: Best Guitarist – Pat Metheny
1999
Grammy Award : Best Jazz Instrumental Performance by Individual or Group- – Gary Burton, Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, Roy Haynes, Dave Holland
Down Beat Reader's Poll: Best Electric Jazz Group – Pat Metheny Group
Bell Atlantic Jazz Awards: Radio Jazz Artist Of the Year – Pat Metheny
1998
Grammy Award : Best Contemporary Jazz Performance - Imaginary Day – Pat Metheny Group
Grammy Award : Best Rock Instrumental Performance - "The Roots of Coincidence" – Pat Metheny Group
Jazziz: Best Electric Guitarist – Pat Metheny
Down Beat Readers Poll: Jazz Musician of the Year – Pat Metheny
Down Beat Readers Poll: #1 Electric Jazz Group – Pat Metheny Group
1997
Grammy Award : Best Jazz Instrumental Performance-Beyond The Missouri Sky (short stories) – Pat Metheny & Charlie Haden
Jazziz Readers Poll: Best Jazz Musician – Pat Metheny
Jazziz Readers Poll: Best Electric Guitarist – Pat Metheny
Jazziz Readers Poll: Best Jazz Fusion Group – Pat Metheny Group
1996
Fort Lauderdale Film Festival: Best Filmscore-for Gentle Into The Night a/k/a Passagio Per Il Paradiso – Pat Metheny
Boston Music Awards Nomination: Best Act of the Decade – Pat Metheny Group
Jazz Central Station Global Poll: Best Jazz Guitarist – Pat Metheny
Jazz Times Magazine: Best Contemporary Jazz Group – Pat Metheny Group
The Orville H. Gibson Award: Best Jazz Guitarist – Pat Metheny
1995
Grammy Award : Best Contemporary Jazz Performance - We Live Here – Pat Metheny Group
Adlib Magazine (Japan): Best Video 1995 - We Live Here -Live In Japan – Pat Metheny Group
Adlib Magazine (Japan): Best Album 1995 Grand Prix Award - We Live Here – Pat Metheny Group
1994
Grammy Nomination: Best Instrumental Composition- "Half Life of Absolution" The Road To You – Pat Metheny
Jazziz Readers Poll: Best Electric Guitarist – Pat Metheny
Jazziz Readers Poll: Best Musician – Pat Metheny
Boston Music Awards: Outstanding Jazz Album - The Road To You – Pat Metheny Group
Boston Music Awards: Outstanding Jazz Act – Pat Metheny Group
Boston Music Awards: Inducted into the BMA Hall of Fame – Pat Metheny
Adlib Magazine: Best Fusion Album - The Road To You – Pat Metheny Group
Adlib Magazine (Japan): Best Video - More Travels – Pat Metheny Group
1993
Grammy Award : Best Contemporary Jazz Performance Instrumental - The Road To You – Pat Metheny Group
Grammy Nomination: Best Contemporary Jazz Performance Instrumental for "Road To You" – Pat Metheny Group
Boston Music Awards: Best Jazz Album - Secret Story – Pat Metheny
Boston Music Awards: Best Jazz Act – Pat Metheny
Jazziz Readers Poll: Best Electric Guitarist – Pat Metheny
Jazziz Readers Poll: Top 3 Best Albums of All Time - Secret Story – Pat Metheny
Jazziz Readers Poll: Best Album Concept - Secret Story – Pat Metheny
Jazziz Readers Poll: Best Album by a Solo Artist - Secret Story – Pat Metheny
Jazziz Readers Poll: Musician of the Year – Pat Metheny
Adlib Magazine (Japan): Best Fusion Album - Secret Story – Pat Metheny
1992
Grammy Award : Best Contemporary Jazz Performance Instrumental - Secret Story – Pat Metheny
Grammy Award : Best Contemporary Jazz Performance Intrumental for – Pat Metheny
Jazz Times Readers Poll: Best Guitar Synthesizer Player – Pat Metheny
Jazziz Readers Poll: Best Electric Guitarist – Pat Metheny
Boston Music Awards: Best Jazz Group – Pat Metheny Group
1991
Downbeat Readers Poll: Best Electric Guitarist – Pat Metheny
Jazz Times Readers Poll: Best Guitar Synthesizer Player – Pat Metheny
The Orville H. Gibson Award: Best Jazz Guitarist – Pat Metheny
1990
Grammy Award : Best Instrumental Composition - Change of Heart – Pat Metheny
Grammy Nomination: Best Instrumental Composition - "Change of Heart" – Pat Metheny
Keyboard Readers Poll: Alternate Controllers Award – Pat Metheny
Downbeat Magazine Readers Poll: Guitarist of the Year – Pat Metheny
Top Ten Records of 1990/Boston Globe: Question and Answer – Pat Metheny
Swing Journal Magazine Readers Poll: Best Guitarist – Pat Metheny
Swing Journal Magazine Readers Poll: Best Jazz Group – Pat Metheny Group
Jazz Times Readers Poll: Best Guitar Synthesizer – Pat Metheny
Jazz Times Readers Poll: Best Contemporary Jazz Artist – Pat Metheny
Jazz Times Readers Poll: Best Contemporary Jazz Group – Pat Metheny Group
Boston Music Awards: Outstanding Jazz Album - Letter From Home – Pat Metheny Group
Boston Music Awards: Outstanding Jazz Act – Pat Metheny Group
1989
Grammy Award : Best Jazz Fusion Performance - Letter From Home – Pat Metheny
Grammy Nomination: Best Instrumental Composition - "Letter From Home" – Pat Metheny
R&R Magazine: #1 Jazz Album of the Year NAC and Jazz Format - Letter From Home – Pat Metheny Group
Gavin Report: #1 Jazz Album of the Year NAC and Jazz Format - Letter From Home – Pat Metheny Group
Keyboard Readers Poll: Alternate Controllers Award – Pat Metheny
Downbeat Magazine Readers Poll: Guitarist of the Year – Pat Metheny
Downbeat Magazine Readers Poll: Jazz Album of the Year - Letter From Home – Pat Metheny Group
Cash Box: Top Guitarist – Pat Metheny
Cash Box: Top Electric Jazz Act – Pat Metheny Group
1988
Downbeat Magazine Readers Poll: Best Guitarist – Pat Metheny
Cash Box Jazz Awards: Best Guitarist – Pat Metheny
Cash Box Jazz Awards: Top Electric Jazz Group – Pat Metheny Group
1987
Grammy Award : Best Jazz Fusion Performance-Vocal or Instrumental - Still Life (Talking – Pat Metheny Group
Grammy Nomination: Best Instrumental Composition - Minuano (six-eight) – Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays
Boston Globe Readers Poll: Best Jazz Musician – Pat Metheny
Downbeat Magazine Readers Poll: Best Electric Jazz Group – Pat Metheny Group
Downbeat Magazine Readers Poll: Best Jazz Guitarist – Pat Metheny
Boston Music Awards: Best Guitarist – Pat Metheny
Boston Music Awards: Best Jazz Act (Major Label) – Pat Metheny Group
Rolling Stone: Top 100 Pop Albums - Still Life (Talking) – Pat Metheny Group
USA Today: Top 10 Best Jazz Albums - Still Life (Talking) – Pat Metheny Group
R&R Magazine: #1 Top Jazz Album - Still Life (Talking) – Pat Metheny Group
Hi Fi Magazine Readers Poll (Germany): Best Jazz Fusion Album - Still Life (Talking) – Pat Metheny Group
Boston Music Awards: Best Jazz Album (Major Label) - Still Life (Talking) – Pat Metheny Group
1986
Cash Box Magazine: Best Jazz Group – Pat Metheny Group
International Musician & Recording World: Music Award Poll Best Jazz Group or Artist – Pat Metheny Group
Boston Music Awards: Outstanding Jazz Fusion Group – Pat Metheny Group
Boston Music Awards: Outstanding Guitarist – Pat Metheny
Guitar Player Magazine: Gallery of Greats Best Jazz Guitarist 1982-1986 – Pat Metheny
Guitar Player Magazine: Best Jazz Guitarist – Pat Metheny
Downbeat Magazine: Best Jazz Guitarist – Pat Metheny
Jazziz Readers Poll: Best Jazz Musician – Pat Metheny
Boston Music Awards: Outstanding Jazz Album - Song X – Pat Metheny/Ornette Coleman
Jazziz Readers Poll: Best Group Album - Song X – Pat Metheny/Ornette Coleman
New York Times (John Pareles): Top Album - Song X – Pat Metheny/Ornette Coleman
USA Today: Top Jazz Album - Song X – Pat Metheny/Ornette Coleman
Cash Box Magazine: Best Jazz Collaboration Album - Song X – Pat Metheny/Ornette Coleman
Downbeat Magazine Readers Poll: Best Jazz Album - Song X – Pat Metheny/Ornette Coleman
Downbeat International Critics Poll: Record of the Year - Song X – Pat Metheny/Ornette Coleman
1985
Guitar Player Magazine Readers" Poll: Best Jazz Guitarist – Pat Metheny
Cash Box Magazine: Top Jazz Album - First Circle – Pat Metheny Group
Cash Box Magazine: Best Jazz Group – Pat Metheny Group
International Musician & Recording World: Music Award Poll Best Jazz Group or Artist – Pat Metheny Group
1984
Grammy Award : Best Jazz Fusion Recording Vocal or Instrumental-First Circle – Pat Metheny Group
International Musician & Recording World: Best Jazz Group or Artist Music Award Poll Winners – Pat Metheny Group
Guitar Player Magazine Readers Poll: Best Jazz - Guitarist – Pat Metheny
Academie Du Jazz (France): Best Contemporary Jazz Recording of the Year - Rejoicing – Pat Metheny/Charlie Haden/Billy Higgins
NACA Award: Campus Attraction of the Year (Jazz) – Pat Metheny Group
1983
Grammy Award : Best Jazz Performance - Travels – Pat Metheny Group
Swing Journal (Japan): Best Guitarist – Pat Metheny
Performance Magazine: Best Instrumentalist of the Year – Pat Metheny
NACA Award: College Campus Jazz Entertainer of the Year – Pat Metheny
Downbeat Magazine Readers" Poll: Best Jazz Guitarist – Pat Metheny
Guitar Player Magazine: Best Jazz Guitarist – Pat Metheny
Cash Box: Best Jazz Group – Pat Metheny Group
1982
Grammy Award : Best Jazz Performance - Offramp – Pat Metheny Group
Grammy Award Nomination: Best Instrumental Composition - Are You Going With Me – Pat Metheny
Grammy Award Nomination: Best Arrangement on an Instrumental - "Are You Going With Me" – Pat Metheny
Performance Magazine Readers Poll: Best Jazz Act of the Year – Pat Metheny Group
Playboy Readers Poll: Best Jazz Album - Offramp – Pat Metheny Group
Rolling Stone Readers Poll: Best Jazz Performer of the Year – Pat Metheny
Guitar Player Magazine: Best Jazz Guitarist – Pat Metheny
1981
Grammy Award Nomination: Best Jazz Performance - As Falls Wichita So Falls Wichita Falls – Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays
Grammy Award Nomination: Best Instrumental Composition-title track-" As Falls Wichita So Falls Wichita Falls" – Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays
Performance Magazine: Top 40 Grossing Touring Acts in North America – Pat Metheny Group
Playboy Readers Poll: Best Jazz Album - As Falls Wichita – So Falls Wichita Falls
1980
Grammy Award Nomination: Best Jazz Performance-Vocal or Instrumental - American Garage – Pat Metheny Group
Musician Magazine: Jazz Artist Who Made the Greatest Impact on the "70s – Pat Metheny
Musician Magazine Readers Poll: Guitarist Making the Most Impact on the "80s – Pat Metheny
New York Jazz Awards: Best Album of the Year - 80/81 – Pat Metheny Group
Cash Box: Top Groups of the Year - American Garage – Pat Metheny Group
German Record Critics Award: Jazz Record of the Year - 80/81 – Pat Metheny Group
1979
Downbeat Critics Poll: Artist Deserving Wider Recognition – Pat Metheny
Record World Magazine: Jazz Album of the Year - New Chautauqua – Pat Metheny
New York Jazz Awards: Best Album of the Year - American Garage – Pat Metheny Group
New York Jazz Awards: Best Jazz Guitarist of the Year – Pat Metheny
