At the age of seventeen Quinn Sullivan has already performed with some of music’s greats along with gracing the stages of many of the world’s elite concert halls. This week the guitar prodigy releases his third studio record.
Midnight Highway was produced by Grammy Award winning drummer/producer Tom Hambridge. The album was recorded primarily at Nashville’s prestigious Blackbird Studio and features an all-star cast which includes the likes of the legendary keyboard player and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Reese Wynans of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Double Trouble, bassists Michael Rhodes and Tom Macdonald and guitarist Rob McNelley.
Quinn Sullivan caught the eye of his hero Buddy Guy at the age of eight, and since this point, the pair has never looked back. As a result of their beautiful friendship Sullivan has toured the world together with the legendary bluesman. Although still a teenager Quinn has already shared the stage with the likes of Eric Clapton, Joe Bonamassa, Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, and his mentor Buddy Guy to name but a few.
National Rock Review recently caught up with Quinn Sullivan whereby he gave us the low down on his Top 5 albums as well as discussing how some of these artists have inspired him.
The Beatles: Sg. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band
I’m a huge Beatles fan and this record was something I had never heard before in my life. I didn’t understand it as a kid like I do now, but I knew that it grabbed me in such a way I couldn’t describe. The mixture of the inventive songwriting and the innovative approach to recording these songs is about as great as music gets for me.
Allman Brothers Band: live at the Fillmore
My dad turned me on to this record when I was a little kid. The improvisations created by this band is unmistakable and this is just one of those records you could listen to over and over and find something new about it every single time.
Derek and the Dominos: Layla and other Assorted Love Songs
Eric developed a whole other tone and sound on this record that we had never seen prior to this album. This was the first album where he introduced the strat into his rig and used very minimal amps and had this country twang tone that is so inspiring. Songs like “Why does Love got to be so Sad” and “Little Wing” stand out to me as being songs that I will forever consider my all time favorites.
John Mayer: Continuum
This album influenced me in so many ways. John, to me, is one of the greatest composers and artists of my generation, and this is my favorite record of his. The way he took his blues influence and created music that was understandable to people my age really is something I am inspired by. A legend in the making and a true artist.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCaZYoAhTLA
George Harrison: All Things must Pass
This record has so many different colors and textures. This being George’s debut solo record is extraordinary because the amount of greatness this album promotes is like no other debut solo record by any artist in my opinion. I can turn this one on and be inspired every single time in different, exciting new ways.
Quinn Sullivan’s new album Midnight Highway is out now via Mascot Label Group / Provogue
Quinn Sullivan
Website | Facebook | Twitter
Photo: Chuck Lanza