Gary Wehrkamp
Encyclopedia
Gary Wehrkamp is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 musician, songwriter and producer. He is most notably a member of the American progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...

 band Shadow Gallery
Shadow Gallery
Shadow Gallery is an American progressive metal band formed in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, United States, during the early 1980s, originally under the name Sorcerer. After changing their name to Shadow Gallery and recording a short 8-track demo, the band was signed to Magna Carta Records in 1991...

.

Personal life

Gary currently lives in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
Stroudsburg is a borough in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the Poconos region of the state, approximately five miles from the Delaware Water Gap, at the confluence of the Brodhead and Pocono Creeks. It is the county seat of Monroe County. Stroudsburg is part of the...

 with his wife and son. He owns New Horizon Music Studios, where he works as a producer, studio musician, engineer and teacher (drums, bass, guitar and piano and recording concepts).

Early Years

Gary made his foray into music as a self-taught drummer and vocalist at the age of ten. He took up guitar and bass in his teens and performed in various bands for local dances and private parties. He began performing regularly as a drummer with the band Blak Sox in 1981, playing covers and originals at numerous camps in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...

.

On May 25, 1986, he performed with the band Nuthin Fancy in the national event “Hands Across America
Hands Across America
Hands Across America was a benefit event and publicity campaign staged on Sunday May 25, 1986 in which approximately 6.5 million people held hands in a human chain for fifteen minutes along a path across the continental United States...

”.

At age 18, Gary won a piano and found himself improvising for hours each day, crafting his talent of composing music. Since then he has only worked as a full time musician. Gary performed in many New Jersey and Pennsylvania bands playing originals and covers. In 1992, Gary toured the U.S. playing shows to audiences of 40,000+ fans with the band, The Boxtops.

Shadow Gallery

Gary left The Boxtops in 1993 to join the progressive rock band Shadow Gallery
Shadow Gallery
Shadow Gallery is an American progressive metal band formed in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, United States, during the early 1980s, originally under the name Sorcerer. After changing their name to Shadow Gallery and recording a short 8-track demo, the band was signed to Magna Carta Records in 1991...

. Since then Gary has been a composer, as well as performing guitars, keyboards and vocals in the band.

He also manages the day-to-day affairs for Shadow Gallery through their publishing company, ROOM V MUSIC.

Shadow Gallery
Shadow Gallery
Shadow Gallery is an American progressive metal band formed in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, United States, during the early 1980s, originally under the name Sorcerer. After changing their name to Shadow Gallery and recording a short 8-track demo, the band was signed to Magna Carta Records in 1991...

 has released seven albums worldwide through Magna Carta Records
Magna Carta Records
Magna Carta Records is an independent record label located in Rochester, New York. Magna Carta was formed in 1989 and is owned by Peter Morticelli and his partner Mike Varney. The label has a diverse line-up consisting of musicians from many different genres, but is best known for many of its...

 (until 2003) and Inside Out. The band has been noted as one of the most important and innovative progressive metal bands to come out in the last decade.

“Shadow Gallery is a band with an extremely loyal fanbase, an irrefutable integrity, and a unique sound that will doubtlessly guarantee its continued existence for years to come.”

Other projects

Gary has been a musician, composer, producer, or engineer on over fifty albums throughout the past three decades. Some of these most notable projects are:

Gary wrote an original score for the Steve Coombs film, “A Walk in the Park”, which premiered in NYC on June 11, 2001. The same year, Gary was involved in a project called Sounds like Christmas, that featured artists such as John Wetton
John Wetton
John Kenneth Wetton is an English bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, singer and songwriter. He was born in Willington, Derbyshire, and grew up in Bournemouth. He has been a professional musician since the late 1960s...

 (King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...

), Steve Walsh
Steve Walsh (musician)
Steve Walsh is a singer and songwriter best known for his work as a member of the progressive rock band Kansas.-Introduction:The keyboardist/vocalist/songwriter/producer/percussionist is best known for his visionary work with Kansas...

 (Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...

), and Trent Gardner
Trent Gardner
-Magellan albums:*Hour of Restoration *Impending Ascension *Test of Wills *Hundred Year Flood *Impossible Figures *Symphony for a Misanthrope *Innocent God -Trent's projects:...

 (Magellan
Magellan (band)
Magellan is a progressive metal/rock band from California, United States, formed by the two brothers Trent Gardner and Wayne Gardner in 1985. The band has had a number of well known guest musicians, such as Ian Anderson , Joey Franco , and Tony Levin...

).

Gary has been a guest keyboardist or guitarist on three Arjen Lucassen albums: Ayreon
Ayreon
Ayreon is a project by Dutch composer and musician Arjen Anthony Lucassen.Ayreon's musical style derives mostly from heavy metal and progressive rock, but combines them with genres like folk, classical and electronica...

 - Flight of the Migrator (2000), Ayreon - Ayreonauts Only
Ayreonauts Only
Ayreonauts Only is an Ayreon compilation album released in 2000. As the title suggests, it is a CD made primarily for fans of Ayreon, and contains demos and alternate versions of Ayreon songs...

 (2000), Star One - Space Metal
Space Metal (Star One album)
Space Metal is an album by Star One released on the recording label Inside Out in 2002. It was issued in two versions, a standard version containing just the first CD and a limited edition version with more elaborate packaging and both CDs....

 (2002). He also provided his engineer skills for the Ayreon Human Equation album (2007).

“Because I thought he was funny I decided to allow him to play a solo on 'Flight of the Migrator'. The joke was on me then… it was one of the best solos I had ever heard; a combination of playfulness (Steve Vai), virtuosity (Edward van Halen) and speed (Yngwie Malmsteen) and still with a completely recognizable own sound. It goes without saying that I worked with Gary again on the Star One album 'Space Metal', especially because he had to play a duel with the fastest keyboard player of the world Jens Johansson (the outcome is undecided). That solo is the reason I never dared play the song 'Master of Darkness' live...” – Arjen Lucassen

During his past and present tenures with Lucassen he has received the rather affectionate nickname of "Garyeon".

In 2002, Gary was a guest guitarist on Explorers Club’s second release Raising the Mammoth, which also included other prog artists such as John Myung
John Myung
John Ro Myung is an American bassist, Chapman Stick player and a founding member of the progressive metal group Dream Theater. He is considered a virtuoso player who is widely recognized for his technical proficiency....

 (Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...

) and Terry Bozzio
Terry Bozzio
Terry John Bozzio is an American drummer best known for his work with Missing Persons and Frank Zappa.-Biography:Terry Bozzio was born December 27, 1950 in San Francisco, California. He started at age 6 playing makeshift drum sets. At the age of 13 he saw The Beatles premier performance on The Ed...

.

In 2005, Gary was involved in Prog-Aid, a charity release by various artists from the Progressive Rock world to raise funds for the survivors of the Asian Tsunami disaster.

In 2007, Gary joined a super group of musicians (Kurt Barabas, Nick D'Virgilio
Nick D'Virgilio
Nick D'Virgilio is an American drummer and multi-instrumentalist musician, often referred to as NDV, best known as a former member of the progressive rock band Spock's Beard. He was also one of two drummers chosen to replace Phil Collins in Genesis on the Calling All Stations album...

 and D.C. Cooper) under the name Amaran's Plight to create the album Voice in the Light. The concept of the album is a look at one man’s search for answers following a near death experience. Along with providing the guitar and keyboard work on the album, Gary also acted as composer, producer and recording engineer for this album. The album made various Top 2007 album lists, including #3 on the online site USA Progressive Music and staff top 2007 picks on the Sea of Tranquility website.

In 2008, Gary was a guest musician on Srdjan Brankovic’s Expedition Delta music project. That same year along with progressive music publicist Jill Hughes, and Pocono-area businessman Brian Schmidt and musician Kristi Bronico, Gary formed the charity group The Wishmakers whose slogan is, “Musicians making a difference...harnessing the power of music and art to foster the spirit of giving.” He produced the single “Christmastime in the Poconos” which successfully raised money for the Christmas Fund for local children in need.

In 2009, Gary was a guest guitarist on the album based on International bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson
Kevin J. Anderson
Kevin J. Anderson is an American science fiction author with over forty bestsellers. He has written spin-off novels for Star Wars, StarCraft, Titan A.E., and The X-Files, and with Brian Herbert is the co-author of the Dune prequels...

’s book “Terra Incognita: Beyond the Horizon”, under the band name Roswell Six. It also featured other guest musicians such as John Payne
John Payne (singer)
John Payne is a British musician, best known as the lead singer and bassist of Asia from 1992 to 2006 and from June 2007 with ASIA Featuring John Payne....

 (Asia), Erik Norlander
Erik Norlander
Erik Norlander is an American musician who describes himself as a 'keyboardist, composer, producer and engineer'. Norlander has produced albums for Rocket Scientists and his wife, Lana Lane. He also has a progressive rock solo project titled simply Erik Norlander...

 (Asia Featuring, Rocket Scientists), and Lana Lane
Lana Lane
Lana Lane is a North American rock singer. She sings lead in her eponymous band, and has sung backing vocals for the band Rocket Scientists and guest sung on Ayreon and Erik Norlander albums....

.

Along with the other Shadow Gallery band members, Gary has been involved in various tribute albums for Rush
Rush (band)
Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...

, Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...

, Genesis
Genesis (band)
Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...

, Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...

, etc.

Gary currently performs live on bass, guitar, keyboards and vocals with Pocono-area cover bands JR Trio, fronted by Jim Roberti, and The Maybabies. These bands have played regularly over 100 shows per year over the past decade, performing at venues such as Highline Ballroom, Central Park Boathouse, The Red Lion
Red Lion (theatre)
The Red Lion was an Elizabethan playhouse located in Whitechapel , just outside the City of London...

, The Players Club
The Players (club)
The Players, frequently referred to as the Players Club, is a social club founded in New York City by the noted 19th-century Shakespearean actor Edwin Booth, who purchased an 1847 mansion located at 16 Gramercy Park. During his lifetime, he reserved an upper floor for his home, turning the rest of...

, The Ritz-Carlton
Ritz-Carlton
The Ritz-Carlton is a brand of luxury hotels and resorts with 75 properties located in major cities and resorts in 24 countries worldwide...

, The Waldorf-Astoria
Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
The Waldorf-Astoria is a luxury hotel in New York. It has been housed in two historic landmark buildings in New York City. The first, designed by architect Henry J. Hardenbergh, was on the Fifth Avenue site of the Empire State Building. The present building at 301 Park Avenue in Manhattan is a...

 (NYC), and Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...

 Tailgate events (East Rutherford, NJ). “With more than 8,000 collective shows between them, the MAYBABIES have all the experience to deliver a professional and entertaining show where their evolving set-list includes music from all eras, suitable for the crowd in front of them.”

He also is one of the owners of Wasabi Brothers Management, which books artists and sets up publishing and licensing contracts for clients.

Influences

Gary notes that his personal music influences are Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...

, Rush
Rush (band)
Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...

, Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...

, Kansas
Kansas (band)
Kansas is an American rock band that became popular in the 1970s initially on Album-Oriented Rock charts, and later with hit singles such as "Carry On Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind"...

, Van Halen
Van Halen
Van Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...

, and Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...

. He also draws inspiration from guitar virtuosos such as Yngwie Malmsteen, Eddie Van Halen
Eddie Van Halen
Edward Lodewijk "Eddie" Van Halen is a Dutch-American guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter and producer, best known as the lead guitarist and co-founder of the hard rock band Van Halen, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...

, Chris Alia and Steve Vai
Steve Vai
Steven Siro "Steve" Vai is a three time Grammy Award-winning American guitarist, songwriter and producer who has sold over 15 million albums. Steve Vai is widely known as a flamboyant guitar virtuoso....

.

With Shadow Gallery

  • Carved in Stone (1995)
  • Tyranny (1998)
  • Legacy
    Legacy (Shadow Gallery album)
    Legacy is the fourth album by the progressive metal group Shadow Gallery, released in 2001 .-Track listing:# Cliffhanger 2 – 13:05## Hang On## The Crusher# Destination Unknown – 7:01# Colors – 7:02# Society Of The Mind – 5:23...

    (2001)
  • Room V
    Room V
    Room V is the fifth album by the progressive metal group Shadow Gallery, released in 2005 . It continues the story started in Tyranny, picking up after Tyranny's Act II....

    (2005)
  • Prime Cuts
    Prime Cuts (Shadow Gallery album)
    Prime Cuts is a compilation album by progressive metal band Shadow Gallery. This was the final release from the band on Magna Carta Records. The band compiled the track listing which consisted of 9 original studio cuts, 2 edits and an original unreleased demo from the Carved In Stone sessions...

    (2007)
  • Digital Ghosts (2009)

As a Composer

  • James Labrie
    James LaBrie
    Kevin James LaBrie is a Canadian vocalist who is best known as the lead singer of the American progressive metal band Dream Theater.-Early life:...

    ’s MullMuzzler
    MullMuzzler
    MullMuzzler was the name of the progressive metal solo side project by James LaBrie, the lead singer of Dream Theater, before recording under his own name in 2005. The band consisted of James LaBrie, Bryan Beller, Matt Guillory, Mike Mangini and Mike Keneally. The record company wouldn't allow...

     - Keep It to Yourself
    Keep It to Yourself
    Keep It To Yourself is the debut album by MullMuzzler . It was released on August 24, 1999.-Track listing:# "His Voice" - 3:43 # "Statued" - 3:23...

    (1999)
  • James Labrie
    James LaBrie
    Kevin James LaBrie is a Canadian vocalist who is best known as the lead singer of the American progressive metal band Dream Theater.-Early life:...

    ’s MullMuzzler
    MullMuzzler
    MullMuzzler was the name of the progressive metal solo side project by James LaBrie, the lead singer of Dream Theater, before recording under his own name in 2005. The band consisted of James LaBrie, Bryan Beller, Matt Guillory, Mike Mangini and Mike Keneally. The record company wouldn't allow...

     -MullMuzzler 2
    MullMuzzler 2
    MullMuzzler 2 is the second solo album by Dream Theater lead singer James LaBrie with his band MullMuzzler...

    (2001)

As an Engineer

  • Leonardo DaVinci – The Absolute Man (1999)
  • Ayreon
    Ayreon
    Ayreon is a project by Dutch composer and musician Arjen Anthony Lucassen.Ayreon's musical style derives mostly from heavy metal and progressive rock, but combines them with genres like folk, classical and electronica...

     – Human Equation (2004)

As a guest musician

  • Working Man
    Working Man
    "Working Man" is a song by rock band Rush from its debut album, Rush. On the live album All the World's a Stage, the song segues directly into "Finding My Way" and one of Neil Peart's drum solos....

    - Rush Tribute (1996)
  • Leonardo DaVinci – The Absolute Man (1999)
  • The Moon Revisited -Pink Floyd Tribute (1995)
  • Tales From Yesterday – Yes Tribute(1995)
  • Supper's Ready
    Supper's Ready
    "Supper's Ready" is a song by the band Genesis. A recorded version appeared on their 1972 album Foxtrot, and the band performed the song regularly on stage for several years following this...

    - Genesis Tribute 1995)
  • Jim Roberti - Maybaby (2000)
  • The December People – Sounds Like Christmas (2001)
  • Ayreon
    Ayreon
    Ayreon is a project by Dutch composer and musician Arjen Anthony Lucassen.Ayreon's musical style derives mostly from heavy metal and progressive rock, but combines them with genres like folk, classical and electronica...

     – Universal Migrator Part 2: Flight of the Migrator
    Universal Migrator Part 2: Flight of the Migrator
    Universal Migrator Part 2: Flight of the Migrator is a progressive metal album released in 2000 by Dutch multi-instrumentalist Arjen Lucassen, and is the fifth album of his Ayreon project....

    (2000)
  • Ayreon
    Ayreon
    Ayreon is a project by Dutch composer and musician Arjen Anthony Lucassen.Ayreon's musical style derives mostly from heavy metal and progressive rock, but combines them with genres like folk, classical and electronica...

     – Ayreonauts Only
    Ayreonauts Only
    Ayreonauts Only is an Ayreon compilation album released in 2000. As the title suggests, it is a CD made primarily for fans of Ayreon, and contains demos and alternate versions of Ayreon songs...

    (2000)
  • Trent Gardner
    Trent Gardner
    -Magellan albums:*Hour of Restoration *Impending Ascension *Test of Wills *Hundred Year Flood *Impossible Figures *Symphony for a Misanthrope *Innocent God -Trent's projects:...

     - Leonardo: The Absolute Man (2001)
  • Explorers Club - Raising the Mammoth
    Raising the Mammoth
    -Personnel:*Steve Walsh – lead vocals*James LaBrie – lead vocals*Kerry Livgren – guitar*Marty Friedman – guitar*Gary Wehrkamp – guitar*Jeff Curtis – additional guitar*Trent Gardner - keyboards*Mark Robertson - keyboards*John Myung - bass...

    (2002)
  • Star One
    Star One
    Star One is a Dutch progressive metal supergroup/side-project of Arjen Anthony Lucassen of Ayreon fame. Unlike Ayreon, the band did not follow one storyline; instead, each song was a different story with a sci-fi concept, most of the tracks based on existing movies and series.-Origins and first...

     – Space Metal
    Space Metal (Star One album)
    Space Metal is an album by Star One released on the recording label Inside Out in 2002. It was issued in two versions, a standard version containing just the first CD and a limited edition version with more elaborate packaging and both CDs....

    (2002)
  • Jim Roberti– Soul Kiss
    Soul Kiss
    Soul Kiss is the thirteenth studio album released by Olivia Newton-John in 1985. The sleeve contains photography by Helmut Newton and Herb Ritts.-Reception:...

    (2003)
  • Mark Radice
    Mark Radice
    Mark Radice is an American singer/musician and producer, who has worked with a variety of different artists and achieved minor success with his own material in the 1970s...

     – Generation Why (2003)
  • Gary Wehrkamp/John O’Connor – Generations of Melodies Remembered (2003)
  • Shadrane –Neurastasia (2004)
  • PROG-AID - “All around the world” (2005)
  • Dreamtone – Sojourn (2006)
  • Terri Mallett – Flower Avenue (2007)
  • Shadrane – Temporal
    Temporal (album)
    Temporal is collection of music by Love Spirals Downwards, an Ethereal band on the US record label, Projekt. It includes several previously unreleased songs.-Track listing:# Alicia – 4:48 –...

    (2008)
  • Expedition Delta  (2008)
  • Dreamtone and Iris Mavraki’s Neverland – Reversing Time
    Reversing Time
    Reversing Time is the first studio album of the Greek - Turkish band Dreamtone & Iris Mavraki's Neverland, released in February 2008. Many famous musicians from all over the world, such as Hansi Kürsch and Tom S...

    (2008)
  • Amaran's Plight– Voice in the Light  (2008)
  • The Wishmakers – "Christmastime in the Poconos" (2008)
  • Roswell Six (2009)
  • Rausch – self-titled (2009)
  • Star One
    Star One
    Star One is a Dutch progressive metal supergroup/side-project of Arjen Anthony Lucassen of Ayreon fame. Unlike Ayreon, the band did not follow one storyline; instead, each song was a different story with a sci-fi concept, most of the tracks based on existing movies and series.-Origins and first...

     - Victims of the Modern Age
    Victims of the Modern Age
    Victims of the Modern Age is the second studio album by Star One released on the recording label Inside Out on October 25, 2010 in the United States...

     (2010)

External links

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