Artist in Focus: Lyric Dubee with Brotherhood of the Guitar

Canadian guitarist Lyric Dubee can’t be confined to a single genre. After gaining proficiency with ease playing rock, pop, blues, classical, and jazz, Dubee began experimenting with a unique range of sounds. This led to the development of his own personal style of music, which he’s rightfully proclaimed “revolution rock”. 

Although only 21 years old, Dubee has had an impressive musical upbringing. By 17, he had already released four albums — one of which was produced by Grammy award-winner Warren Huart — and has performed alongside artists including Walk Off The Earth, David Usher, Riki Emmett of Triumph, Jim Cuddy of Blue Rodeo, and Lee Aaron. 

“Lyric Dubee is the real deal. I love this young man’s talent, work ethic and current song list which is light years beyond everything I heard!. He has the songwriting ability of Taylor Swift and a young Bryan Adams combined with the youthfulness of Justin Beiber and the guitar playing and blues knowledge of Colin James. He is the embodiment of the future of music in Canada.”

Michael Williams, Journalist, Record Producer, and Media Personality

With the help of manager and legendary rock n’ roll photographer Robert M. Knight, Dubee has been joined by a talented backing band and is expected to hit 2020 with plenty of live performances.    

Q & A

You started releasing music at a very young age. Did you grow up with a lot of music in your family?

LD: While my family loves music and certainly listens to it a lot, I’m one of the only ones with any musical abilities! No one else even plays an instrument!

When did you first learn to play the guitar?

LD: I first started playing guitar when I was 9 years old. It was something I’d been interested in so my parents put me in music lessons.

What was the moment you realized you wanted to pursue music full-time?

LD: It was at my second CD release party. I’d sold out the venue and had it sitting at 50 overcapacity, I had one of my best shows ever and decided this is exactly what I want to do with my life.

Can you remember the first time you played an Ernie Ball Music Man instrument?

LD: Most certainly. It was January 2015 and my second guitar player, Steve Costello, had just gotten his hands on the brand new Armada. It had yet to be released and was a prototype that didn’t have the two-tone color that the Armada is known for but it still caught my eye. Soon after I got the Music Man bug and headed up to the factory to try out every [guitar] I could get my hands on. Within three months I had my Luke III and my Majesty (along with an Albert Lee I received on loan) just in time for my first tour in Asia! I remember being blown away with the craftsmanship and care put into each instrument.

Tell us a little bit about your “revolution rock” style. How did you go about developing this unique sound?

LD: Revolution Rock was developed over my years of studying multiple genres. I started out in blues/rock, as most young guitar players do, but quickly moved to jazz and classical where I completed my studies at the Royal Conservatory of Music for practical studies, advanced harmony and advanced theory. All the while, I was working as a session player in metal and country bands. This led to some interesting draw for inspiration when writing my own music.

What artists/bands do you typically draw inspiration from?

LD: While most of my inspiration comes from books or life experiences, there are still some styles of music or musicians themselves that have inspired me over the years. Two of the biggest inspirations would be 30 Seconds to Mars and John Mayer. They were both my favorite bands/artists growing up and an instrumental influence that helped me find “my sound”. These days, I find myself drawing inspiration from a lot of funk/soul music along with prog/alternative metal.

How have Ernie Ball Music Man instruments helped you grow as a guitar player?

LD: The most obvious answer to this question is that Music Man guitars make me want to be playing 24 hours a day. They’re a joy to play and it’s an addiction I’m sure I’ll never kick! Also, they’ve given me more time to focus on the music I’m making by saving me time I’d have normally spend setting up guitars or worrying what’s going to go wrong at the next show. It’s not something a lot of people think about nor something the gigging musician advertises, but life on the road is extremely hard on instruments. There have been many times I’ve been thankful to have such reliable guitars in my arsenal. Simply put, they’re incredibly well made and perfect for the touring musician. I’ve been to hell and back with those guitars and they’ve never once failed me.

What can we expect in 2020? Any exciting projects we should look out for?

LD: Most certainly! To kick off the year I’ll be releasing my newest EP titled Sudden Death of Stars. Following the EP will be my long-awaited acoustic album (it’s been 4 years in the making) accompanied by a tour across Canada! Stay tuned for another year of big releases and bigger shows!

Gear

Lyric Dubee has been developing his sound with his Ernie Ball Music Man instruments since he was 16 years old. He currently relies on his custom Cutlass, Majesty, and Luke III guitars.

Listen

About Brotherhood of the Guitar

After receiving hundreds of emails each month from aspiring young guitarists, famed rock and roll photographer Robert M. Knight felt compelled to help in some way. While young artists tend to play entry-level instruments, Knight used his industry connections to help put world-class gear in the hands of aspiring musicians. Thus, the Brotherhood of the Guitar was born. With the help of Knight and the Brotherhood, Ernie Ball Music Man has been giving up-and-coming musicians the opportunity to play professional gear since 2015. Visit their website to learn more about the passion project and its mission.