Los Angeles-based artist and producer, Wil Key, is the genuine article! A triple-threat studio veteran who has produced, recorded and performed with some of the finest talent on the planet including members of Linkin Bridge (America’s Got Talent, Jimmy Fallon), R&B/Jazz singer Miki Howard, The Flobots (Universal Records) Def Jam recording artists Playa, whose subsequent debut album was produced by Timbaland and features Missy Elliot and the late Aaliyah among others. The Louisville, Kentucky native, who sings and plays several instruments, has also worked extensively with former JIVE recording artists L.A .Ganz, with whom he attended the High School of The Performing Arts as a Theater and Music major.
The group recorded fifteen tracks for the label, four of which went on to be included on Major-Motion-Picture soundtracks including Booty Call, Phat Beach and The Long Kiss Good Night (Samuel L. Jackson). In addition to co-sequencing the LA Ganz song “Count On Me,” which is featured on the soundtrack for the New Line Cinema release Dangerous Ground (Ice Cube), Wil also performs the piano solo. Wil is an alum of Howard University (Fine Arts) in Washington, D.C – home to several highly talented contemporaries including Chris Dave, Gorden Campbell, Sy Smith, Maritri Garrett, Marlon Wayans and Eric Roberson (to name a few).
He moved to Denver and studied graduate audio recording for 2 years at the University of Colorado at Denver (UCD) with Roy Pritts. While there, he received honorable mention from legendary producer and engineer, Eddie Kramer (Jimi Hendrix, Led Zepplin), for his production and performance of the original song “Dandelion” which is featured on the school’s CD release for that year, as well as Wil’s solo debut CD entitled “Gypsy.”
Wil went on to receive a Masters of Music in Jazz Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He has been a guest lecturer at several college campuses including the University of Louisville, and the University of Northern Colorado where he has presented courses on keyboard technology and software synthesis. He currently teaches college-level Music Production courses in Hollywood, CA and runs his own recording studio in South Bay, Los Angeles called The Bridge.
Wil has performed all over the world including Italy, Amsterdam, Canada, Norway, Fiji, Iceland, Mexico, Germany, France, Bermuda and Australia. He has also toured extensively in the U.S., performing in over 16 different states including Hawaii, New York, Texas, Alabama, Nevada, Alaska and New Orleans for Mardi Gras. His current CD project – aptly titled Globetrotter (Side A) – is his fourth studio album and is the culmination of songs written and recorded over the course of four years traveling abroad.
Each song on Globetrotter was written and/or recorded in a different country and features an amazing line-up of talent including Laura Key, Ben “Black” Bush (Playa), L. Young (Stevie Wonder), Cecil Thomas, Jr. (Diana Ross), Darrell Crooks (Layla Hathaway, Ledisi), Gorden Campbell (Rahsaan Patterson), Raymond McKinley (Sheila E.), Ramona Dunlap (Pieces of a Dream), Jairus Mozee (Prince, BJ The Chicago Kid), Joel Numa (Christina Aguilera, Nelly Furtado) Empress K (Italian Idol), Sebastian Gosnell (Spain), Mario Guarini (Italy), Tony Austin (Kamasi Washington) and more. The project is the first part in a two-album series. Globetrotter (Side B) is set to be released sometime in 2019.
Although he has many years of writing and performing experience under his belt, he says “I feel as though this is just the beginning, I have many stories to make!”
Wil Key is on radio rotation with the tracks “Red Light” and “A Million Miles Away”.
OFFICIAL LINKS: WEBSITE
