Kyle's Bio

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Kyle's Biography

Kyle Edward Rowland was born on June 8, 1993 in Sacramento, California.  With a stretch of the imagination, one could say that Kyle has been playing the harmonica since birth.  When he was just a baby, his father put a harmonica in his crib.  For his first couple of years, Kyle used his harmonica as a pacifier/teething ring.  Kyle’s first memories of playing the harmonica are when he would sit along side his father and listen to him play the harmonica for fun.  One day when Kyle was 10 years old, his father heard harmonica music coming from the front yard.  He went outside and was amazed to find Kyle playing the Blues.  In May of 2004, at the age of 10, Kyle was sitting in front of a stage during the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee listening to “Mick Martin and The Blues Rockers”.  Kyle quietly began to play along on his harmonica and when Mick heard Kyle playing he asked him to join the band on stage. This was the beginning of  Kyle’s venture with the Blues.  Shortly after the festival Kyle began taking lessons from Mick Martin.  Kyle feels privileged to be learning from Mick who is known as one of the best blues harmonica players in Northern California.

Since that day in 2004, Kyle has played with some of the Blues greats such as James Cotton, Hubert Sumlin, Norton Buffalo, Roy Rogers, Tommy Castro, Jerry Martini (founding member of Sly & The Family Stone, and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductee), John Juke Logan, Frankie Lee, Barry (The Fish) Melton from Country Joe and the Fish, Nick Gravenites from Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Frank Hannon from Tesla, Angela Strehli, Zakiya Hooker, John Mayall, Mark Hummel, Rick Estrin, Kenny Neal, James Harmon, Charlie Musselwhite, John Nemeth and Rusty Zinn and others.  Kyle has performed at the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee since 2004, at the California State Fair since 2005, and at various other festivals in California and Nevada, including the popular Monterey Blues festival. Kyle can be found playing with the 'The Kyle Rowland Band' and sitting in with other bands in the area, such as: Mick Martin & the Blues Rockers, Gary Mendoza, Mere Mortals, Darrell Mansfield and others. Kyle's band is comprised of experienced adults with more than 30 years of musical experience each. Kyle released his first CD in Oct 2009 titled, 'Kyle Rowland, Messin with the Kid, a tribute to my blues heroes'. He has also received 'the blues harmonica player of the year, and blues new artist of the year' in 2009 from the West Coast Blues Hall of Fame Award show. Kyle’s joy of performing and love of the audience's response are visible in his showmanship.  He is a natural, and thoroughly enjoys playing the harmonica.

You can also see several videos of him playing - on YouTube. To contact Kyle, e-mail him at kyle.rowland@yahoo.com.