lt;br>Poulton-le-Fylde Lancashire England | Birth_name Andrew James Somers | Instrument Guitar Bass guitar Keyboard instrument singing | Genre Rock music jazz music post-punk New Wave music reggae | Occupation Musician songwriter Photographer Record producer | Years_active 1959 - present | Associated_acts The Police The Animals Soft Machine Robert Fripp Kevin Ayers John Etheridge Gustavo Cerati | URL http://www.andysummers.com/ andysummers.com] | Notable_instruments [[Fender Telecaster]] [[Fender Stratocaster]] [[Gibson ES-335]] }} Andy Summers (born Andrew James Somers 31 December 1942) is an England guitarist and composer best known for his work in The Police and Eric Burdon & The Animals

Biography

Early life

Andrew James Summerswas born on 31 December 1942 in Poulton-le-Fylde Lancashire England lt;ref nameshortbio>lt;/ref> to his parents, Maurice and Jean Somers. When he was a young child, he moved to Bournemouth Dorset Attended Summerbee School and took up the guitar at age 14.By 17, he was playing in local clubs. While a teen he worked in a Bournemouth music store frequented by a young Robert Fripp Summers, Andy (2006), One Train Later: A Memoir, New York, N.Y.: Thomas Dunne Although Summers had been essentially self-taught when he began his professional musical career, he studied classical guitar at California State University at Northridge lt;ref namelegends/>lt;/ref> for four years until 1973.

Pre-Police career

Summers began his recording career in the 1960s as the guitarist for the R&B group Zoot Money and its subsequent psychedelic-era incarnation, Dantalian's Chariot lt;/ref> In 1968, Summers was a member (for a couple of months, from May to July of the Canterbury scene jazz fusion band Soft Machine lt;/ref> although he did not record with the groupHe also recorded with The Animals lt;ref nameshortbio/> ([[Love Is (The Animals album)|Love Is]], and spent much of the mid-seventies doing session work for Kevin Ayers Kevin Coyne and others. He was also a member of the band Strontium 90 (band) along with Sting (musician) Stewart Copeland and Mike Howlett lt;/ref> When he moved back to London, he changed his surname from Somersto Summers

The Police (1977–1983; 2007-2008)

Summers achieved international prominence as the guitarist for The Police (which he first had contact with in 1977, and of which he was the oldest member by almost a decade), most notably on popular hits such as "Message in a Bottle (song) , "Don't Stand So Close to Me , and "Every Breath You Take . Summers also wrote songs for the Police, such as "Omegaman"lt;/ref> and "Mother"lt;/ref>, and his instrumental "Behind My Camel (on which Sting refused to play) won the Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental in 1980. Although Sting was the primary lead vocalist, Summers sang lead vocals on several songs, including "Be My Girl - Sally" (which he co-wrote) and "Mother." lt;/ref>

Post-Police

After the break-up of The Police in 1984, Summers continued his musical career, both as a solo artist and in collaboration with other musicians. He has also developed his career as a writer (of books and essays) and a photographer.

Equipment

The Police Years 1977-1984

Guitars

* Fender ** 1963 Fender Telecaster Custom ** 1961 Fiesta Red Fender Stratocaster lt;ref>http://web.tiscali.it/andatta/ The Unofficial Andy Summers Website] * Gibson ** 1958 Gibson ES-335 ** 1957 Gibson Les Paul * Roland ** Roland G-303 Guitar Synthesizer controller

Amps

* Marshall Amplification Stack and Roland Jazz Chorus Combo

Pedalboards

* A custom Pete Cornish Guitar pedalboard * Roland GR-300 Guitar Synthesizer

Discography

Studio albums

References

External links

* http://www.andysummers.com Official website] * http://www.fender.com/summers Andy Summers Fender tribute Telecaster homepage] * http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/content/articles/2007/04/04/andy_summers_interview_feature.shtml BBC interview with Andy Summers including audio] * http://www.fender.com/news/index.php?display_article138 Andy Summers in Fender News] * http://www.dailyvault.com/article.php5?id71 Book Review of Andy Summers One Train Later] * http://www.contemporary-magazines.com/photography75.htm Contemporary interview with Andy Summers] * http://web.tiscali.it/andatta/ Andy Summers Detailed Discography, Timeline and Equipment List] * http://www.bonedo.de/feature/gitarre-bass/containerseiten/andy-summersthe-police-sound-play-alike/index.html Andy Summers Play-/Sound-Alike] (German instructions) Category:1942 births Category:Living people Category:English rock guitarists Category:California State University, Northridge alumni Category:English jazz guitarists Category:Progressive rock guitarists Category:Jazz fusion guitarists Category:Contemporary jazz guitarists Category:The Police members Category:The Animals members Category:Soft Machine members Category:Canterbury scene Category:People from Poulton-le-Fylde ca:Andy Summers cs:Andy Summers de:Andy Summers es:Andy Summers fr:Andy Summers it:Andy Summers ka:ენდი სამერსი hu:Andy Summers nl:Andy Summers ja:アンディ・サマーズ pl:Andy Summers pt:Andy Summers ro:Andy Summers ru:Саммерс, Энди fi:Andy Summers sv:Andy Summers uk:Енді Саммерс