Brian Setzer is an American singer, guitarist and songwriter born on April 10, 1959, Massapequa, New York.
Brian Setzer has formed his own band “Brian Setzer Orchestra” and currently working with this band.
The Stray Cats are a rockabilly band formed by Brian Setzer with his school friends Lee Rocker and Slim Jim Phantom in 1979. After their performance in New York in 1980 they went to London, England and called themselves as “Stray Cats”. The Stray Cats band drew the attention of Dave Edmunds a well know producer and released a series of successful singles in UK. In 1981 Stray Cats released their debut album in England on Arista Records. They became popular with their three hits that year “Runaway Boys”, “Rock This Town” and “Stray Cat Strut”.
The “Gonna Ball” of Stray Cats was not well received and had negative reviews in UK.
In the year 1982 Stray Cats caught America’s attention with the album “Built for Speed” which included the two Top Ten Hits, “Rock This Town”, “Stray Cat Strut”, as well as with the follow-up of 1983 album “Rant ‘N Rave with the Stray Cats” which included the two successful singles “(She’s) Sexy + 17 and “I Won’t Stand in Your Way”.
Brian Setzer broke up with Stray Cats in 1984, however they would reunite for a short term to mount tours and record albums till the early 1990s. Brian Setzer released his first solo album “The Knife Feels Like Justice” in the year 1986 which moved from rockabilly to mainstream rock sound. In the mid of 1990s Brian came back to swing and jump blues and formed “Brian Setzer Orchestra” band. The biggest success of the group came in 1998 with the release of “The Dirty Boogie” which split the US album charts and featured a hit single, “Jump, Jive an’ Wail” a cover of Louis Prima.
Brian Setzer solo albums included “Rockin’ By Myself” in 1998, “Ignition” in 2001, “Nitro Burnin’ Funny Daddy” in 2003, “Rockabilly Riot Vol 1: A Tribute To Sun Records” in July 26, 2005 and his latest record “13” released in October 2006.
The Brian Setzer Orchestra’s “Wolfgang’s Big Night Out” on September 25, 2007 take on classical pieces and earned Brian Setzer his 8th Grammy nomination for Best Classical Crossover album of the year.
BRIAN SETZER GUITAR COLLECTION
- 1938 D'Angelico Excel
- 1940 D'Angelico New Yorker
- 1956 Martin Model D-28 Acoustic
- 1957 Gretsch Model 6129 Silver Jet - White Pickguard
- 1957 Gretsch Model 6129 Silver Jet - No Pickguard
- 1957 Gretsch Model 6128 Black Duo Jet
- 1955 Gretsch Model 6130 Round Up
- 1957 Gretsch Model 6136 White Falcon
- 1958 Gretsch Model 6129 Silver Jet - Black Pickguard
- 1959 Gretsch Model 6119 "Christmas Custom"
- 1959 Gretsch Model 6120 "Stray Cat"
- 1959 Guild Bluesbird
- 1960 Gretsch Model 6119
- 1960 Gretsch Model 6120
- 1964 Gibson Firebird V
- 2000 Gretsch Model 6120 Setzer Hod Rod Custom Purple
- 2000 Gretsch Model 6120 Setzer Hot Rod Custom "Pinstripe"
- 2001 Gretsch Model 6120 Setzer Hot Rod Custom "Spotty"
- 2003 Bigsby Custom
- 2004 Gretsch Model 6120 Setzer Signature Prototype
- 2005 Gretsch Model 6120SSLVO Setzer Signature
- 2006 Gretsch Model 6120 Setzer Hot Rod Custom "Sparkle Red"
- 2006 Gretsch Model 6120 Setzer Hot Rod Custom "Sparkle Blue"