The Trey Alexander Band

Trey Alexander picked up his first guitar at age 15. It was an antique acoustic model that his parents used as a decorative piece in their home. Although he had always loved music, this was Alexander’s first instrument and he began practicing so much that he wore the winding off of the strings. This is when Alexander’s dad, his biggest fan and inspiration, realized that his son was more than a curious teenager with an old guitar. Within a few weeks of discovering this instrument, Alexander began playing regularly at open mics and jam sessions and won his first guitar competition.

When Alexander was 18, he saw Steve Vai perform live in concert, an experience he describes as “awe-inspiring.” He stayed up all night describing the experience to his father, who listened to him play for hours. His father told him, “You will be one of the best guitar players who has ever lived.” Those words were his father’s last as he died of a brain hemorrhage that night. Alexander realized that he needed to live his dream, to be a musician, and carry on his father’s legacy.

With his father’s words fresh in his mind, Alexander put all of his energy into music. His band, The Trey Alexander Band, practiced everyday for the following few years and released a self-titled album in 2000.

In 2002, Alexander started the band, Sonic Lux, a pop fusion jam band with whom he plays presently. Along with bassist, singer and keyboardist, Hassan Ali and drummer Woody Campbell, Sonic Lux plays regularly at venues in southeastern Pennsylvania and along the east coast. They released a four-song EP in 2004 and plan to release an album in fall 2007.

In 2006, came the fulfillment of Alexander’s dream and his father’s words. Alexander entered Guitar Player Magazine’s Guitar Hero competition in San Francisco, CA. After competing against the other nine finalists and in front of judges such as Joe Satriani, Steve Lukather and Richie Kotzen, he was named Guitar Hero 2006. He has since appeared in Guitar Player Magazine seven times.

As a result of his win, Alexander was invited to play at Muriel Anderson’s All Star Guitar Night at the NAMM Show in January 2007. Alexander also has many endorsements including: Peavey, Ernie Ball, DiMarzio, Radial/Tone Bone, Tom Anderson Guitar Works, George L, Buddha, Tremol-No, Keeley Electronics, Suhr and Guitar Player Magazine.

Alexander is currently employed at Manor Music Mansion in Millersville, PA as a guitar teacher. He has about eighty students each week and enjoys teaching because he values his role as a mentor and motivator to the students. He has even created a forum on his website for the students so they always have a place to go for advice outside their lessons. Alexander has studied with Dave Weiner, a 7-year member of the Steve Vai Band and continues his studies with Greg Howe.

Trey is currently working on instruction guitar videos that will be released through TrueFire. You can also catch Alexander teaching master guitar classes at the Premier Guitar Show in September in Boston where he will also perform with Stu Hamm.

While Alexander’s accomplishments are numerous and impressive, his musical vision and career are far from complete. Joe Satriani said of Alexander’s performance, Alexander “put on a well-paced performance that showed me he had good technique, tone and his own sense of style… he didn’t buckle under the pressure. He appeared sincere and communicated well with the band…toward the end of his performance, he really let loose and showed us the showman lurking in his otherwise mellow character; it was really a stroke of genius the way he played the crowd…I have a feeling we will be hearing great things from Trey to come.”