Mike Keneally's Biography
Michael Joseph Keneally (born December 20 1961) is an American guitarist, keyboardist, vocalist and composer. Born in Long Island, New York, he moved to San Diego, California at an early age and has been a fixture on the local music scene there since 1985 when he formed the local cult band, Drop Control. Although a well established musician in his own right, Keneally is probably most well known as former Frank Zappa "stunt guitarist" and a Zappa 1988 tour band member on both guitar and keyboards. His ascendency to that position is legendary in certain musician circles, based on Keneally's command over the vast and difficult Zappa repertoire. Keneally's stint in the Zappa touring band was short lived with the early cancellation of the 88 tour and Zappa's death in 1993. Keneally moved on from the elder Zappa's band to work with the eldest Zappa son, Dweezil on his solo albums and work released as the band, Z. Keneally has also released nine albums of solo material since 1992 and has guested or acted as sideman on a wide variety of projects, most notably as part of Steve Vai's touring bands. He has played guitar and keyboards with Yo Miles!, Wadada Leo Smith and Henry Kaiser's Miles Davis tribute band as well as recording the 1995 album The Mistakes with Henry Kaiser, Prairie Prince, and Andy West (formerly of Dixie Dregs). He has also produced albums for several bands, including Chris Opperman's debut album. In 1998 Vai requested that Keneally arrange and perform an album of Vai's music on acoustic piano. Recorded in 1999, the album was finally released in 2004 as "Vai On August 10 2006, Keneally announced via his website that he would be re-releasing his earlier albums hat. and Boil That Dust Speck as deluxe, remastered double disc versions in the second quarter of 2007. Planned releases of Sluggo!, Half Alive In Hollywood and Soap Scum Remover will follow. On November 28, 2006, Keneally announced that he was hired as National Music Director for the Paul Green School of Rock Music.
Source: Wikipedia
