Patrick Bruce 'Pat' Metheny is an American jazz guitarist and composer who is acknowledged as one of the greatest contemporary musicians owing to his versatility on any instrument. He is a multi-Grammy winning jazz fusion guitarist known for incorporating pop music and traditional jazz with the help of technology. He has spent most of his life touring and averages between 120-240 shows a year since he began touring over 30 years ago, some for his own projects and some for other artists. Coming from a musical lineage, he was proficient in playing the trumpet and the guitar by the age of 15. During high school he played the French horn for the half-time marching band for academic credits and gave jazz performances in Kansas City. His accomplishments as a musician are unique, but his feats as a music educator are no less. He became the youngest teacher at the Miami University and also at the Berklee College of Music. At Berklee's, under the guidance of vibraphonist Gary Burton he became known as a teenage prodigy. Eventually he went on to found the Pat Metheny Group which also featured the pianist Lyle Mays; Mays would become his frequent collaborator and their professional relationship has spanned over 25 years and 15 albums.
