Courtesy of the Musical Instrument Museum
Audio By Carbonatix
Almost twenty years ago, acoustic guitarist Andy McKee recorded a few videos of himself playing some of his original songs and arrangements of familiar hits (such as Toto’s “Africa”) and uploaded them to a little site, then quite new, called YouTube. He thought it might help bring in some new fans and sell a few albums. But something else happened. McKee’s use of extended techniques (such as alternate tunings, drumming on the guitar body, and tapping on the fingerboard with the right hand) caught people’s attention. Those videos were among the first on YouTube to go viral, two of which were even briefly the most viewed videos on the site. McKee was soon touring the world and meeting — and performing with — some of his own musical heroes.
On November 15, McKee kicks off a tour of the Southwest and West with a performance at Phoenix’s Musical Instrument Museum.
“I’ve played at the MIM four times, maybe five,” McKee said in a recent phone interview. “It’s an incredible museum and an honor to be part of the MIM myself in the harp guitar exhibit.” That exhibit also prominently features Michael Hedges, one of the instrument’s virtuosi and a major inspiration and influence for McKee. McKee plans to perform one or two new pieces, some new arrangements of old favorites, and arrangements of pieces by other contemporary acoustic guitarists. “I always like to showcase some of the players who have influenced me,” McKee said. “Don Ros, Preston Reed, Billy McLaughlin.”
This is a busy period for McKee. In addition to the fall tour in Arizona, California, Oregon, and Washington, he is recording a new album (expected out in spring of next year), rerecording his 2005 release Art of Motion (including “Drifting” and “Rylynn,” which were among those early YouTube hits), and preparing for a tour in Europe beginning in Scotland in April.
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Musical Instrument Museum
On the day of the interview, McKee had recorded a couple of the Art of Motion songs earlier in the day. “I’ve been playing those tunes for twenty years,” McKee said. “There’s something about how tunes can change over time.” He decided to rerecord those pieces to capture how they had changed over the years, through hundreds of performances. For some songs, new introductions and new sections are not present in the arrangements as originally recorded. For other tunes, McKee now plays them on baritone guitar, which is generally tuned a fourth or fifth lower than standard tuning on guitar. “Some tunes have more subtle changes,” he added. “Dynamics, nuance things.”
There is also the album of new material, which McKee considers a return to solo acoustic guitar, following the 2024 guitar trio album Tripliciti (with a group of the same name) and the 2022 electronic music EP Pulse. McKee did not reveal much about this album-in-progress, only that a few of its new pieces may be heard at MIM next month.
To support music education, McKee worked with Acoustic Coffee to develop a light-roast blend called The Art of Motion (after his breakthrough 2006 album). Sales of this blend (which, according to the Acoustic Coffee site, contains hints of citrus, blueberry, vanilla, and caramel) help support the organization Guitars in the Classroom in its mission to train elementary school teachers to sing, play and write lyrics, bringing music to children who might not otherwise encounter it. (And the organization is not strictly about guitars — there are ukuleles, too.)
For McKee fans who are guitar players themselves, there is the 2026 Musicarium. McKee founded this music retreat in 2015, and over the years, he has invited players such as Eric Johnson, Tommy Emmanuel, Calum Graham, and Mike Dawes to instruct students in modern fingerstyle technique and composition. Of the format for Musicarium, McKee emphasizes that players of all levels are welcome. “It’s not a competition.”
Some attendees have come to every Musicarium. “It’s a great way to connect with people into fingerstyle guitar.” The 2026 Musicarium will be held July 22 through 26 at Red Cliffs Lodge in Moab, Utah, with McKee as well as Petteri Sariola, Antoine Dufour, Tom Anello and Jon Gomm as instructors, plus some special guests not yet announced.
“We try to get a mix of approaches to the guitar,” McKee says of selecting instructors. “Since Michael Hedges, there’s been another branch of steel-string guitar-playing, and we’re trying to carry that tradition now.”
Andy McKee performs at 7:30 p.m. on November 15 at the Musical Instrument Museum.