T. J. Helmerich is an American musician and audio engineer. Helmerich is known for developing a unique 8-finger style of playing his guitar, a technique he taught to a young Joel Hoekstra as one of his first guitar teachers. He has produced/engineered over 110 releases, working with some of the biggest names in the music industry. He has played/toured with

Dweezil Zappa Dweezil Zappa (born Ian Donald Calvin Euclid Zappa; September 5, 1969) is an American rock guitarist and occasional actor. He is the son of musical composer and performer Frank Zappa. Exposed to the music industry from an early age, Dweezil deve ...

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Zappa Plays Zappa Zappa Plays Zappa is an American tribute act led by Dweezil Zappa, the elder son of late American composer and musician Frank Zappa, devoted to performing the music of Frank Zappa. History The band debuted in 2006 with shows in Europe, Canada ...

Planet X (band) Planet X was an instrumental rock supergroup, founded by keyboardist Derek Sherinian and drummer Virgil Donati. They were active for a decade, releasing three studio albums and a live album, each with a variety of guest musicians and oft-changi ...

Autograph (American band) Autograph is an American glam metal band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1983. The band is best known for their 1984 hit song " Turn Up the Radio". Due to the song being their only major success, Autograph is often considered a one-hit wond ...

, Paul Gilbert,

Eddie Jobson Edwin "Eddie" Jobson (born 28 April 1955) is an English musician noted for his use of synthesizers. He has been a member of several progressive rock bands, including Curved Air, Roxy Music, U.K. and Jethro Tull. He was also part of Frank Zap ...

, and others. He has been featured in popular guitar magazines nationally/internationally in ads, articles, reviews and lessons. Together with Australian guitarist

Brett Garsed Brett Edward Garsed (born 20 April 1963) is an Australian musician and songwriter, best known for his work as a guitarist with John Farnham and T. J. Helmerich, as well as being a former member of the American band Nelson. Garsed was featu ...

, the duo helped define the direction of instrumental guitar music throughout the 1990s and establish the genre now known as rock fusion. Helmerich resides in North Hollywood, California. He teaches guitar and audio engineering courses at

Musicians Institute Musicians Institute (MI) is a private for-profit music school in Los Angeles, California. MI students can earn Certificates and – with transfer of coursework taken at Los Angeles City College – Associate of Arts Degrees, as well as Bachelor ...

in Hollywood, California, where he created their "Recording Institute of Audio Engineering" (RIT) program. He held the directors seat at RIT for 10 years and has taught at the college for over 20. He can be caught performing regularly with an "all-star" line up at the world-famous

The Baked Potato The Baked Potato is a prominent jazz club on Cahuenga Boulevard in Studio City, Los Angeles, California, opened by Don Randi (father of bassist Leah Randi) in 1970. Randi formed his own group, Don Randi and Quest, as the house band. Over the year ...

club.

Audio Engineering Credits

Please click on the following links

Releases as Musician

Helmerich has released 5 CDs with fellow guitarist

which are in the rock music, Rock/ Jazz Fusion medium: * ''Quid Pro Quo'' (1992) * ''Exempt'' (1994) * ''Under the Lash of Gravity'' (1999) * ''Uncle Moe's Space Ranch'' (2001) * ''Moe's Town'' (2007) Helmerich has recorded guitar or vocals on the following releases: * ''When Four Become One''- (Vinyl 1985) Premonition * ''Chicago's Class of 87- (Vinyl 1987) Premonition * ''Dog Party''

Scott Henderson Scott Henderson (born August 26, 1954) is an American jazz fusion and blues guitarist best known for his work with the band Tribal Tech. Tribal Tech Henderson formed Tribal Tech with bass player Gary Willis in 1984. Under the direction of Hende ...

* ''Buzz''

* ''Guitar on the Edge'' (Volumes 1-3) - Legato Records * ''On the Brink'' - Monica Mancillas * ''Centrifugal Funk'' - Legato Records * ''Goovin' In Tongues''

Bobby Rock Nitro was an American heavy metal band from Hollywood, California. Formed in 1988, the group originally featured vocalist Jim Gillette, guitarist Michael Angelo Batio, bassist T. J. Racer and drummer Bobby Rock. Nitro released its debut album ' ...

* ''Guitarapalooza Vol. 1''- Woo Music * ''The Loner-Tribute to Jeff Beck''- ESC Records * ''Fearless'' - ZIV * ''Serious Young Insects''

Virgil Donati Virgil Donati (born 22 October 1958) is an Australian drummer, composer and producer. He holds the drum sticks in the traditional style and is also proficient at the keyboard. Donati formed Planet X with Derek Sherinian and was the band's princ ...

* ''Party with Yourself''- Gnaposs * ''Liquid Piece of Me''- Sergio Buss * ''Out of Body''

* ''Go with what you know''

* ''Outsider''- Gnaposs * ''This is Fusion Guitar''

Tone Center Records Tone Center Records is a record label devoted to jazz fusion. It was founded by Mike Varney, who started the rock music label Shrapnel Records in 1980. The label grew out of Varney's admiration for the jazz fusion of the 1970s and groups such as ...

* ''Return of the Son of...''

Helmerich's album with guitarist Brett Garsed, titled ''Uncle Moe's Space Ranch'', received the following review from John Patterson of eer-music.com: "Strictly for those hip to the trip of loud, fast, and explosive. Enjoy axes dripping with riffs, bass that delivers seismically, drums that attack the primal bedrock and keys that will tie your ears in knots. T.J. had recorded a solo to vinyl first and then T.J./DJ scratched it in for the final mix. Unreal! These guys never cease to amuse and amaze me."

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Helmerich, T.J. American experimental guitarists American male guitarists American rock guitarists Living people Year of birth missing (living people)