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Keith Wallen

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Keith Wallen
Keith Wallen performing on June 3, 2016.
Keith Wallen performing on June 3, 2016.
Background information
Birth nameKeith Wallen
Born (1980-02-24) February 24, 1980 (age 44)
Shady Spring, West Virginia, US
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • piano
Years active2000–present
Labels
Website

Keith Wallen (born February 24, 1980) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer from Shady Spring, West Virginia, best known as the rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist of the rock band Breaking Benjamin, former guitarist and backing vocalist of Adelitas Way and the co-founder, lead singer and guitarist for Knoxville, Tennessee based band Copper.[1]

Wallen also co-wrote songs with other artists, including Saint Asonia ("Ghost" and "Beast" off Flawed Design), Love and Death (2021 album Perfectly Preserved), Red ("Sever" from Declaration), Pillar ("Call to Action" and "Lose It All" from Confessions), Fuel ("Scars in the Making" from Angels & Devils), Saving Abel ("She Got Over Me" from Saving Abel) and Emmaus Road ("Unbelief" from Transformed).[2]

Biography

Early years and Copper

Copper's roots go back to Shady Spring, West Virginia, where Wallen and lead guitarist Shane Bragg had been friends since the first grade. They teamed up for occasional acoustic shows, but only began seriously putting a band together while Wallen was attending college at University of Tennessee in Knoxville and Bragg was enrolled at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro. The original lineup included Wallen, Bragg, bass player Brad Reynolds, and a rotating pair of drummers. They recorded Copper's debut album, Exchange (2001). Drummer and singer Brack Owens joined soon after Exchange was released, and a second album, The Fragile Fall, was recorded with producer Travis Wyrick and released in 2003. Bragg then left the band and was replaced by Shawn Lickliter. Owens and Lickiter were later replaced by Lincoln Nesto on drums and Mike Barnes on lead guitar.

The first single from The Fragile Fall, "By Now" went to Active and Modern Rock radio and entered the top 50 within nine weeks. "Turn" was the second single, was also registered on Radio & Records Active "Most Added" chart for two straight weeks, and reached the top 50 as well. In support of the album, a music video for a song "Inside and Out" was released.[3]

In 2005, Copper was selected from 3000 participants as the winner of J. D'Addario, Guitar.com and Fuse "We're Listening" contest, resulting in appearance on the Fuse Daily Download in March 2006 and being the centerpiece of D'Addarios television and print campaign.[4]

In 2008, Copper released their third album, Take My Chances. It included single "Broken Sky" and a song "Call to Action", which was covered and re-recorded by a Christian rock band Pillar for their album Confessions in 2009. Soon after the album release, Copper went on hiatus, playing two reunion shows: in 2011[5] and The Fragile Fall 15th anniversary show in 2018.[6]

Copper has played more than 300 shows overall, headlining and supporting bands like Thirty Seconds to Mars, Shinedown, Seether, 10 Years, Breaking Benjamin, and Saliva.[7]

Adelitas Way

From 2009 to 2013, Wallen was a guitarist and backing vocalist for Las Vegas, Nevada based rock band Adelitas Way. During the time with the band, he took part in recording of two albums, Adelitas Way (2009) and Home School Valedictorian (2011), as well as intensive touring and sharing the stage with such notable acts like Guns N' Roses, Creed, Papa Roach, Godsmack, Theory of a Deadman, Three Days Grace, Deftones, Puddle of Mudd, Sick Puppies, Staind, Alter Bridge, Skillet, Halestorm and others. Wallen also co-wrote three song for Home School Valedictorian, "Cage the Beast", "I Can Tell" and "Hurt".[8]

Breaking Benjamin

On August 19, 2014, after four years of hiatus, Breaking Benjamin announced the reformation via the official Facebook page.[9] The band re-emerged as a quintet, including Wallen as a guitarist and backing vocalist.[10]

Solo career

On June 24, 2014, Wallen released his first solo effort, a five-track indie acoustic and piano driven Allies EP.[11]

In 2018, Wallen released two alternative pop singles, "Summer Sunday" and "Four Letter Words", produced by Colin Brittain.

In 2019, three solo singles were released: two of them being acoustic covers ("Shallow" by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, and "The Look" by Roxette) and one original alternative rock song, "Crows".

In 2020, Wallen posted pictures from the studio on his social media, indicating work on his debut solo full length album alongside Joe Rickard and Jasen Rauch.[12] On January 15, 2021, "Dream Away", the first single off the album, was released.

Discography

With Breaking Benjamin

With Adelitas Way

With Copper

  • 2001 – Exchange[13]
  • 2003 – Fragile Fall[14]
  • 2008 – Take My Chances

As a solo artist

  • 2014 – Allies EP
  • 2018 – "Summer Sunday" (single)
  • 2018 – "Four Letter Words" (single)[15]
  • 2019 – "Shallow" (single)[16]
  • 2019 – "Crows" (single)[17]
  • 2019 – "The Look" (single)[18]
  • 2021 – "Dream Away" (single)
  • 2021 – This World or the Next

References

  1. ^ Steve Leggett. "Copper - Biography - AllMusic". AllMusic.
  2. ^ "Keith Wallen - Credits". AllMusic.
  3. ^ "Inside and Out - Copper" – via YouTube.
  4. ^ "GetMeloaded with D'Addario" – via YouTube.
  5. ^ "Copper - One Night Only - Reunion Show w/Dead Language". facebook.com.[non-primary source needed]
  6. ^ Rachel Craig (April 11, 2018). "Copper Reunites on the Open Chord's Stage for Anniversary Show". Knoxville Music Warehouse Music Blog.
  7. ^ "Knoxville Based Band Copper To Release Take My Chances". Top40-Charts.com.
  8. ^ "Rock Access – Rock News  » Interview With Keith Wallen From Adelitas Way / Copper". rockaccess.net. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
  9. ^ "Breaking Benjamin Reveal Imminent Return With New Lineup". Loudwire.
  10. ^ "Breaking Benjamin return with video teasing new music". Alternative Press.
  11. ^ "iTunes Music - Allies - EP by Keith Wallen". iTunes Store.
  12. ^ Keith Wallen teases studio work on Instagram
  13. ^ "Copper to release first album". The Daily Beacon. Archived from the original on March 24, 2015.
  14. ^ "Rough Edge: Copper CD Reviews". roughedge.com. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015.
  15. ^ "Keith Wallen Returns With New Single, "Four Letter Words"". Music News Net.
  16. ^ "Shallow - Single by Keith Wallen on Apple Music". February 15, 2019.
  17. ^ "Keith Wallen Releases Music Video for New Single "CROWS"". March 22, 2019.
  18. ^ "The Look - Single by Keith Wallen on Apple Music". July 26, 2019.
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