Derek Sharp
Encyclopedia
Derek Sharp is a Canadian rock
singer, songwriter
and guitarist
. He has been a member of several bands, but he is best known in the US as the current lead singer of The Guess Who
, a position he has held since April 2008.
, Ontario
. Canada
and moved to Toronto
, Ontario
in the early '70's.
His first band featured himself and flamenco guitarist, Jesse Cook
.
From 1989-1991, he was the guitarist with successful Toronto
group Mad About Plaid. He played on their second release and hit song "Camera
".
From 1992-1996 he played in Toronto
band, "Backstreet", featuring Gary Breit
(Bryan Adams
) and Charlie Cooley (Manteca
)
He has worked with Sass Jordan
, Red Rider
, Bobby Curtola
, Alannah Myles
, Joe Lynn Turner
(Rainbow
), Alex Ligertwood
(Santana
), Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple
) and
Jeff Healey
.
He is married to singer-songwriter Sass Jordan
;
's automobile accident in Australia which left him unable to perform.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
singer, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
. He has been a member of several bands, but he is best known in the US as the current lead singer of The Guess Who
The Guess Who
The Guess Who are a Canadian rock band from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Initially gaining recognition in Canada, they also found international success from the late 1960s through the mid-1970s with numerous hit singles, including "American Woman", "These Eyes" and "Share the Land"...
, a position he has held since April 2008.
Biography
Derek was born in 1965 in Fort WilliamFort William, Ontario
Fort William was a city in Northern Ontario, located on the Kaministiquia River, at its entrance to Lake Superior. It amalgamated with Port Arthur and the townships of Neebing and McIntyre to form the city of Thunder Bay in January 1970. Ever since then it has been the largest city in Northwestern...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and moved to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
in the early '70's.
His first band featured himself and flamenco guitarist, Jesse Cook
Jesse Cook
Jesse Cook is a Toronto-based guitarist, born in Paris to Canadian parents. Like other guitarists of his style of music, he incorporates funky jazz, latin & world music into his playing. Cook is also well known for the energy of his live shows. He has contributed to the Afro Celt Sound System album...
.
From 1989-1991, he was the guitarist with successful Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
group Mad About Plaid. He played on their second release and hit song "Camera
Camera
A camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
".
From 1992-1996 he played in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
band, "Backstreet", featuring Gary Breit
Gary Breit
Gary Breit is a Canadian keyboardist and vocalist best known for his collaboration with singer/songwriter Bryan Adams. He has also recorded with acts such as Amanda Marshall, Cassandra Wilson, Corey Hart, Amy Sky, Long John Baldry, Lucid Dreaming, Damhnait Doyle and has toured with Kim Mitchell and...
(Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and photographer. Adams has won dozens of awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations. He has also received 15 Grammy Award nominations including a win for Best Song Written...
) and Charlie Cooley (Manteca
Manteca
Manteca may refer to:* Manteca, California, a city* Manteca , a Canadian jazz fusion band* "Manteca" , a 1947 jazz tune co-written by Dizzy Gillespie, Chano Pozo, and Gil Fuller* Manteca, a UK record label imprint of Union Square Music...
)
He has worked with Sass Jordan
Sass Jordan
Sarah "Sass" Jordan is a Canadian, Juno Award winning, rock singer/songwriter who grew up in Montreal.- Biography :...
, Red Rider
Red Rider
Red Rider are a Canadian rock band popular in the 1980s. While the band achieved great success in Canada, in the US, the band never had a song in the Top 40....
, Bobby Curtola
Bobby Curtola
Robert Allen "Bobby" Curtola, CM is an early Canadian rock and roll singer and teen idol.-History:Curtola had several songs on the Canadian music charts beginning with "Hand In Hand With You"...
, Alannah Myles
Alannah Myles
Alannah Myles is a Canadian singer-songwriter, the daughter of Canadian broadcast pioneer William Douglas Byles. In 1989, she released her eponymous debut album...
, Joe Lynn Turner
Joe Lynn Turner
Joe Lynn Turner , is an American rock singer, known for his works with Rainbow, Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force, Deep Purple. From the late 1990s, he continued to perform in a large number of solo albums and other studio projects...
(Rainbow
Rainbow (band)
Rainbow were an English rock band, controlled by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore from 1975 to 1984 and 1994 to 1997. It was originally established with American rock band Elf's members, though over the years Rainbow went through many line-up changes with no two studio albums featuring the same line-up...
), Alex Ligertwood
Alex Ligertwood
Alex Ligertwood is a Scottish singer, guitarist and drummer, best known as the lead vocalist of Santana...
(Santana
Santana (band)
Santana is a rock band based around guitarist Carlos Santana and founded in the late 1960s. It first came to public attention after their performing the song "Soul Sacrifice" at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, when their Latin rock provided a contrast to other acts on the bill...
), Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
) and
Jeff Healey
Jeff Healey
Norman Jeffrey "Jeff" Healey was a blind Canadian jazz and blues-rock vocalist and guitarist who attained musical and personal popularity, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s.-Early life:...
.
He is married to singer-songwriter Sass Jordan
Sass Jordan
Sarah "Sass" Jordan is a Canadian, Juno Award winning, rock singer/songwriter who grew up in Montreal.- Biography :...
;
The Guess Who
He was invited to join The Guess Who and accepted in April 2008, following previous lead singer Carl DixonCarl Dixon
Carl Dixon is a Canadian rock singer, keyboardist and guitarist. He has been a member of the bands Coney Hatch, April Wine and The Guess Who.-Biography:Dixon was born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario...
's automobile accident in Australia which left him unable to perform.