Bio
Ken Burton is a professional guitarist based out of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada with 30 years of performing and teaching experience. He has performed all over Canada and the U.S. with various artists and his playing has been featured on various recordings, jingles, radio and television programs. He is currently working steadily as a freelance guitar player and teaches 50 students privately per week.
History:
Ken started playing guitar when he was 14 years old. He began playing professionally on weekends through high school and toured full time upon graduating. At 21, having been self taught for seven years, he decided to pursue classical guitar and continued studying until he achieved his Gr. X through the Royal Conservatory of Music. During this period, Ken received two Fredrick Harris scholarships, for twice having attained the highest marks for performance in Saskatchewan.
After working with a number of bands, studying at the University of Regina, and teaching at a local music store, Ken moved to Boston to attend Berklee College of Music. He moved back to Regina to teach at the Professional Musician's College where he designed the curriculum for the guitar program, and began playing with the country rock band Black Jack. Since then he has worked as a freelance guitar player for: Lindsay Ell, Small Town Pistols, Aaron Goodvin, The Orchard, Tenille Arts, Lynn Anderson, Rory Allen, Roy Clayborn, Ronnie Profit, Gordie Tapp, Bo Diddley, The Jordanaires, Ritch Little, Petula Clark, Steve Fox, Rick Tippe, Jerry Douglas, Sheila Deck, The Poverty Plainsmen, Stephanie Thomson, Jeffery Straker, Tracey James, Amy Nelson, Casey Stone, Third Degree Birnz, March Hare, and J.J.Voss to name a few.
Ken has played in the CTV produced Kinsmen Telemiracle pit band for Gowan, Valdy, Tom Jackson, Bobby Curtola, Colin James, Joan Kennedy, Gloria Loring, and Bob McGrath as well as played with the legendary Bernard Purdie, Steve Ferrone, and Herman Matthews as guitarist with the Regina Drum Festival house band.
Ken has also played in the pit bands for musicals at Globe Theatre, Persephone Theatre, Regina Summer Stage, Souris Valley Theatre, Sask Express, Applause Dinner Theatre, with the house bands for CKRM vocal contests, Sask. Country Music Awards, Sask. Motion Picture Awards, the CBC-produced Francothon, Gala Fransaskois de La Chanson, Chant' Ouest and as guest guitarist with the Regina Symphony Orchestra.
To add to his live, television, radio and teaching experience, some of the recording projects Ken has credit playing on are: "Bare Bones", "You Pull Away", "Whiskey The Tree and Me" (J.J. Voss), "Alive At 25" (Mandy Ringdall), "If She Only Knew" (Rory Allen), "Hurry Up And Wait" (Conrad Bigknife), "Too Many Melodies Ago" (Sheila Deck), "For You" (Kent Krienke), "Via le Net" (Alain Pomerleau), Matt Rapley's Christmas, "Preoccupied" (Paul Chesters), "Sweet Revenge", "Cold Wet Rain" (FoxxWorthee), "Cowboys R Cool" (Terri Anne Strongarm), "The Thing About That" (Jess Moskaluke), "Re Ride" (Sisters).
