Success Stories

Matthew Atkins (PIT '92)
Jan 01, 2005

After graduating from PIT in 1992, drummer Matthew Atkins moved back to western Canada and began working as a freelance musician. Here is Matthew’s story in his own words:
“Since graduating in '92 I've had the opportunity to work on 30+ albums, jingles and soundtracks, countless demos, and even track the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2001 World Games held here in Edmonton. I've been able to play with the vast majority of our domestic country music recording acts, including several on "major" labels. I've been in three videos and dozens of TV appearances including performances as part of the house band for the Canadian Country Music Awards. I've been nominated as the Canadian country Music Association's “Drummer of the Year” seven times, and won it twice. I received the '99 "Session Player of the Year" award from the Alberta Recording Industries Association and a CCMA award for "Best Backup Band" in '98 for my work with an artist named Duane Steele. I've done clinics and seminars and have traveled through Canada, the U.S., the Caribbean, Europe, and a couple of spots in Asia and Africa.
“The skills I acquired at PIT have let me be able to routinely get calls for concert and session performances where, due to busy schedules, any kind of formal rehearsal is rare. Learning to read while playing has had the biggest influence on my career of any of the tools PIT gave me. I read at 95% of all the calls I go on, as I rarely do the same thing two days in a row. My wife and I are by no means rich. But we, along with the bank, own a nice home in a nice neighborhood and are able to take a month or so each winter, when things are slow, to go SCUBA diving in Mexico. I get to go out to work and do all these cool gigs, and get paid to be there. Life is good!
“Success obviously means different things to different people, but this does seem to be some people's idea of it. As for me, it is for now. I feel that without my time at MI I wouldn't have had the tools to accomplish these goals”.

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“More and more of the auditions I’m having for recording artists are turning out to be MI class reunions. The graduates of MI have been dominating the new, young music scene in LA”.

- Barry Squire
  Music Industry Talent Coordinator
  MI Hiring Hall Manager



MI alumni are working on stage, in the studio and behind the scenes around the world, with new stories arriving nearly every day. A sample of former MI students who have achieved industry recognition also includes:




Alessandro Cortini
Nine Inch Nails

Kalen Chase
Korn

Dave Kushner
Velvet Revolver

Rafael Moreira
Pink, Christina Aguilera,
Rock Star: Supernova

Mike Ward
Wallflowers, School of Fish

Kevin Hastings
Liz Phair

Pete Griffin
Hanson

Rivers Cuomo, Brian Bell,
Scott Shriner
Weezer

Curt Bisquera
Elton John, Mick Jagger,
Bonnie Raitt

Pete Anderson
guitarist, producer

Paul Gilbert
Mr.Big, Racer X

Norman Brown
recording artist

Scott Henderson
recording artist

Oscar Cartaya
Jennifer Lopez, Spyro Gyra

Alex Al
Tupac Shakur, Stevie Wonder

Keb’ Mo’
recording artist

Fred Clark
Chaka Khan, Ray Charles,
Stevie Wonder

Dave Weiner
Steve Vai

Jennifer Batten
recording artist, Jeff Beck,
Michael Jackson

Toss Panos
Steve Vai, Mike Landau,
Robben Ford

Frank Gambale
recording artist, Chick Corea

Kevin Dukes
Don Henley, Boz Scaggs,
Jackson Browne

Chad Smith,
John Frusciante
Red Hot Chili Peppers

Clayton Gibb, Les Falconer
Keb’ Mo’

John Shanks
Melissa Etheridge, Bonnie Raitt

Allen Hinds
Randy Crawford, Natalie Cole,
Crusaders

Jeff Buckley
recording artist

Scott Travis
Judas Priest

Ray Luzier
Korn, STP, Army of Anyone,
David Lee Roth

Matt Laug
Alanis Morissette, Slash

Ash Sood
Sarah McLachlan

Joacim Cans
Hammerfall

Leah Andreone
recording artist

Irene Gutierrez (DJ Irene)
DJ/producer/remixer/recording artist

T.J. Guger
Göla

Valerie Vega
Zomba/JIVE recording artist (France)

Ernest Tibbs
Alan Holdsworth, Natalie Cole

Toshi Hiketa
David Lee Roth

Travis Johnson
Dickies, TSOL

Jimmy Herring
Allman Brothers, The Other Ones,
ARU, Widespread Panic

Josh Sklair
Etta James, Jeffrey Osborne

Dan Caron
Clifton Chenier, Charles Brown

Jimmy Scott
Little Milton, Solomon Burke

Steve Kerscznic
Tom Jones

Brian Allen
Virgil Donati, Greg Adams

Meja
recording artist

Jesse Gress
music editor, Guitar Player Magazine

Sarah Hudson
recording artist
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