Kitt Wakeley
Kitt Wakeley | |
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![]() Wakeley performing at Carnegie Hall in 2022 | |
Born | Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
Other names | AudioKaoz |
Occupations |
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Years active | 1987–present |
Awards | Grammy |
Musical career | |
Genres | |
Instruments |
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Website | kittwakeley |
Kitt Wakeley is an American Grammy Award-winning composer, songwriter, musician, and music producer.[1] His album Symphony of Sinners & Saints (featuring Joe Satriani) peaked at #1 on Billboard's Classical Crossover and Classical charts, and at #18 on Hot Hard Rock Songs.[2] Singles "Conflicted", "Forgive Me", and "Sinners and Saints" all peaked at #1 on Billboard's Hard Rock Digital Song Sales as well as charting on the Top-10 Hot Hard Rock Songs chart.[3][4] He has released four studio albums that feature Nuno Bettencourt, Nita Strauss, Kenny Aronoff, Andy Timmons, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and the London Voices.[5][6][3][7]
In 2023, Wakeley's An Adoption Story won a Grammy Award for Best Classical Compendium.[8]
Early life and education
[edit]Wakeley was born in Memphis, Tennessee and grew up in Holdenville, Oklahoma. He earned a bachelor's degree in Pre-Law and Sociology and a Masters in Public Administration from East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma, where he was in the Gamma Xi Chapter of Phi Kappa Tau in 1987.[9][10]
Music career
[edit]Wakeley is a composer, songwriter, musician, and music producer whose genres have been classified as rock, hard rock, EDM, and orchestral. His professional career began at age 16 when he was hired to write the intro for one of Oklahoma's top radio DJ's shows.[11] He wrote, produced, and recorded songs for the rock band Mydion. They released one album, Ashes and the Angel.[12]
His first rock and EDM solo album, Cinematic Chaos, was released in 2013 under his pseudonym, AudioKaoz.[11]
His third orchestral rock collection, Midnight in Macedonia (recorded in Skopje, Macedonia), featuring the Macedonian Choir and Macedonian Philharmonic Orchestra, was released in 2015.
Wakeley released his fourth solo studio album, Symphony of Sinners and Saints,[13] rwhich was recorded at the Abbey Road Studios in London with the Royal Philharmonic and London Voices.[14][15] The album tour included shows at Carnegie Hall,[7] the Civic Center Music Hall in Oklahoma, and South by Southwest.[16]
The first three singles from Symphony of Sinners & Saints hit number #1 on Billboard's Rock Charts, with the album itself hitting #1 on Billboard's Crossover Classical and Classical charts.
Throughout his career, Wakeley has received numerous awards for his music. At the 2019 Indie Music Awards he won awards in eight categories, including, Best New Male Artist of the Year, Best Special Live Performance, Best Instrumental Producer, Artist of The Year, and Best Instrumental Songwriter. He won, Song of the Year at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards and two Josie Music Awards in 2020 for, Songwriter of the Year and Producer of the Year. In 2021 he was inducted into the Indie Music Hall of Fame, along with winning Album of the Year for Symphony of Sinners and Saints.[7][17]
In 2023, Wakeley's album, An Adoption Story, won a Grammy Award for Best Classical Compendium.[1] The album was recorded at Abbey Road Studios and features Joe Satriani, the London Symphony Orchestra, and Wouter Kellerman.[18][19]
Selected discography
[edit]- Mydion – Ashes and the Angel[12]
- AudioKaoz – Cinematic Chaos
- Midnight in Macedonia[20]
- Symphony of Sinners and Saints[21]
- Adoption Story
Billboard charts
[edit]Year | Work | Category | |
---|---|---|---|
Billboard US | |||
2021 | Symphony of Sinners & Saints (album)[22] | Classical Crossover | 1 |
Symphony of Sinners & Saints (album)[23] | Classical | 1 | |
Symphony of Sinners & Saints (album)[24] | Hard Rock Albums | 12 | |
Kitt Wakeley[25] | 2021 Year-End Classical Crossover Albums Artists | 10 | |
"Conflicted" (featuring Joe Satriani (single)[26] | Hard Rock Digital Sales | 1 | |
"Conflicted" (featuring Joe Satriani (single)[27] | Hot Hard Rock Songs | 18 | |
"Forgive Me" (featuring Joe Satriani) (single)[28] | Hard Rock Digital Sales | 1 | |
"Sinners and Saints" (single)[29] | Hard Rock Digital Sales | 1 | |
2022 | An Adoption Story (EP)[30] | Classical Crossover | 1 |
Awards
[edit]Year | Nominated work | Category | Award | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot | Best Production/Producer[31] | Hollywood Independent Music Awards | Nominated |
2024 | Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot | Best Music Production/Producer[32] | Josie Music Award | Nominated |
2023 | An Adoption Story | Best Classical Compendium[8] | Grammy Award | Won |
2023 | Best in Music Genre | Contemporary Classical[33] | Hollywood Independent Music Award | Nominated |
2023 | An Adoption Story | EP of the Year (Male)[34] | Josie Music Award | Won |
2023 | The Storm | Best Instrumental Song[35] | Intercontinental Music Award | Won |
2023 | Stairway to Heaven | Best Rock Song[35] | Intercontinental Music Award | Won |
2022 | Live and Recorded Sound | Outstanding Musical Ensemble[36] | Josie Music Award | Won |
2021 | You Gave Me Wings | Best Instrumental Song [37] | Hollywood Music in Media Award | Won |
2021 | Symphony of Sinners & Saints | Album of the Year[38] | Josie Music Award | Won |
2021 | Indie Music Hall of Fame inductee[39][40] | Indie Music Hall of Fame | Won | |
2021 | Forgive Me | Instrumental Song of the Year[41] | Hollywood Music in Media Award | Won |
2021 | Outstanding Stage Production[42] | Josie Music Award | Won | |
2020 | Musician of the Year[43] | Josie Music Award | Won | |
2020 | You Gave Me Wings | Best Instrumental [41] | Hollywood Music in Media Award | Won |
2019 | End of my Journey | Best Gospel Song[41] | Hollywood Music in Media Award | Won |
2019 | Midnight in Macedonia | Album of the Year[44] | ISSA (Independent Singer-Songwriter Awards) | Won |
2019 | Closure | Best Instrumental Producer[45] | Indie Music Channel Awards | Won |
2018 | Closure | Best Instrumental Producer[45] | Indie Music Channel Awards | Won |
2019 | An Evening in Gotham | Best Instrumental Songwriter[45] | Indie Music Channel Awards | Won |
2019 | Closure | Best Male Instrumental Artist[45] | Indie Music Channel Awards | Won |
Personal life
[edit]Wakeley is married to Melissa Wakeley. They share four biological children together, and three adoptive children.[46]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Kitt Wakeley". Grammy.com.
- ^ "Kitt Wakeley's "Conflicted" featuring Joe Satriani Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard's Hard Rock Digital Song Sales, No. 6 on Rock Digital Song Sales, and No. 18 on Hot Hard Rock Songs, page 80". Rock and Blues International. April 1, 2021. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
- ^ a b "Kitt Wakeley: A Teen Rocker to Breakout Composer". Top-40 Charts. May 17, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
- ^ McDonnell, Brandy. "Oklahoman Kitt Wakeley topping charts with new album 'Symphony of Sinners and Saints'". The Oklahoman.
- ^ "KITT WAKELEY THE JOURNEY TO ATTAINING THE GOLD STANDARD IN THE MUSICAL INDUSTRY". Flaunt. April 5, 2022. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
- ^ "Kitt Wakeley: A Teen Rocker to Breakout Composer". Singers Room. September 24, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Oklahoma Musician Lands Spot in Indie Music Hall of Fame by Annabella Potts". 405 Magazine. August 19, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
- ^ a b "2023 Grammy Grammys Complete Winners List". LA Times. February 5, 2023. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
- ^ Lee, Brxton (2021-10-06). "Kitt Wakeley, Working His Way Up in the Music Industry". AllHipHop. Retrieved 2022-05-05.
- ^ "Order of Phi Member Kitt Wakeley Brings Home a Grammy Award". pktalumniclub.com. February 5, 2023. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
- ^ a b "Producer/composer Kitt Wakeley Unleashes Epic Orchestral Rock sounds on "Sinners and Saints"". glidemagazine.com. 16 April 2021. Retrieved 2022-05-05.
- ^ a b "Mydion - Angels and Ashes". Amazon.com.
- ^ Cristi, A. A. "Composer Kitt Wakeley 'Symphony Of Sinners And Saints,' Out May 21". BroadwayWorld.com.
- ^ "MULTI-AWARD-WINNING COMPOSER KITT WAKELEY EXCLUSIVELY PREMIERES "CONFLICTED" Feat. JOE SATRIANI". Rock 'N' Load. February 26, 2021.
- ^ Rabinowitz, Chloe. "Kitt Wakeley to Bring SYMPHONY OF SINNERS AND SAINTS To Carnegie Hall in October". BroadwayWorld.com.
- ^ "SXSW Schedule 2022". SXSW. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
- ^ "Kitt Wakeley: A Teen Rocker to Breakout Composer". Singers Room. September 24, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
- ^ "Grammy Nominations 2023: Abbey Road contributions". Abbey Road. November 16, 2022. Retrieved November 28, 2022.
- ^ "5 intriguing Oklahoma Grammy nominations — and one big Sooner State snub by Brandy McDonnell". Oklahoman 3. November 16, 2022. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
- ^ "Kitt Wakeley - Midnight in Macadonia". iheart.com. 16 June 2018.
- ^ McDonnell, Brandy. "Oklahoma composer Kitt Wakeley tops classical charts with new album and more music news". The Oklahoman.
- ^ "Billboard Classical Crossover Chart June 5, 2021". Billboard.com. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
- ^ "Billboard Classical Chart June 5, 2021". Billboard.com. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
- ^ "US Billboard Charts June 5, 2021". www.databasedreams.co.uk. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
- ^ "2021 Year-End Classical Crossover Albums Artists". Billboard. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
- ^ "Billboard Hard Rock Digital Sales - March 13, 2021". Billboard.com. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
- ^ "Billboard Hot Hard Rock Songs March 13, 2021". Billboard Hot Hard Rock. March 13, 2021. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
- ^ "Billboard Hard Rock Digital Sales - May 29, 2021". Billboard.com. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
- ^ "Billboard Hard Rock Digital Sales - May 1, 2021". Billboard.com. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
- ^ "Billboard Classical Crossover Albums - November 12, 2022". Billboard.com. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
- ^ "2024 Nominations and Selections". Hollywood Independent Music Awards. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
- ^ "2024 Tenth Annual Josie Music Awards Official Nominees". Josie Music Awards. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
- ^ "HIMA Winners 2023". Hollywood Independent Music Awards. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
- ^ "Josie Music Awards 2023: See the full list of winners in Nashvillet". The Tennessean. October 24, 2023. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
- ^ a b "The InterContinental Music Awards Announces 76 Worldwide Winners and a Promising ICon: Anslom". Intercontinental Music Awards. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
- ^ "2022 Official Winner List". Josie Music Awards. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ "HMMA Winners". Hollywood Music in Media. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
- ^ "2021 Official Winner List". Josie Music Awards. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
- ^ "Kitt Wakeley Teams with Joe Satriani for New Single". Eon Music UK. November 3, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
- ^ "Musician Kitt Wakeley as an EDM Legend". Spin. Spin Magazine. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Hollywood Media Music Award Winners". HMM Awards. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
- ^ "Josie Music Awards Official Winners 2021". Josie Music Awards. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
- ^ "Official 2020 Winners Presentations". Josie Music Awards. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
- ^ "SSA Award Winners 2019". ISSA Songwriters. 5 August 2019. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
- ^ a b c d "Indie Music Channel Instrumental Winners". Indie Music Channel. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
- ^ "Oklahoma siblings separated as young children, find each other after 40 years, living just one mile apart". KFOR. May 18, 2021. Retrieved January 28, 2023.