Greg Suran is an American musician who was the lead guitarist in the

B-52s B5, B05, B-5 may refer to: Biology * ATC code B05 (''Blood substitutes and perfusion solutions''), a therapeutic subgroup of the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System * Cytochrome ''b''5, ubiquitous electron transport hemoproteins ...

, a role he performed from 2013-2022. He replaced

Keith Strickland Julian Keith Strickland (born October 26, 1953) is an American singer-songwriter, composer, musician, multi-instrumentalist, and one of the founding members of the B-52s. He was born in Athens, Georgia. Originally the band's drummer, Strickland ...

on the road after Strickland announced in December 2012 that he would no longer be touring with the B-52s but would continue as a member of the band. Suran performs in the

American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American Music competition, singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle (company), Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It a ...

house band. Prior to joining the B-52's, Suran had performed and toured with

Joe Walsh Joseph Fidler Walsh (born Joseph Woodward Fidler; November 20, 1947) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Best known as a member of the rock band Eagles (band), Eagles, his five-decade career includes solo work and stints in other ...

Mylene Farmer Mylene or Mylène is a given name, a contraction of Marie-Hélène. Notable people and characters with the name include: * Mylène Demongeot (1935–2022), French actress * Mylene Dizon (born 1976), Filipino actress and model * Mylène Farmer, Fren ...

Liz Phair Elizabeth Clark Phair (born April 17, 1967) is an American rock singer-songwriter and musician. Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Phair was raised primarily in the Chicago area. After graduating from Oberlin College in 1990, she attempted to sta ...

, Jewel,

Sunny Day Real Estate Sunny Day Real Estate is an American emo band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1992. The band currently consists of founding members Jeremy Enigk (vocals, guitar), Dan Hoerner (guitar) and William Goldsmith (drums), alongside Greg Suran ...

, and others. He plays guitar and mandolin and sings backing vocals.

Education

* Bachelor of Music,

University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac (known simply as Notre Dame; ; ND) is a Private university, private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, United States. Founded in 1842 by members of the Congregation of Holy Cross, a Cathol ...

South Bend, Indiana South Bend is a city in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States, and its county seat. It lies along the St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan), St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. It is the List of cities in ...

, June 19, 1993

Career

Greg Suran is a guitarist and composer from Chicago, Illinois, now residing in Los Angeles. He majored in classical guitar performance while also studying composition and arranging at

, near his birthplace. Throughout his life, though, Suran had played in well-known rock bands, including

, The

Goo Goo Dolls The Goo Goo Dolls are an American rock band based in Buffalo, New York, composed of lead vocalist and guitarist John Rzeznik, bassist and vocalist Robby Takac, as well as several rotating members since its formation in 1986. After starting ...

(2002–2007),

Machines of Loving Grace Machines of Loving Grace was an American industrial rock band from Tucson, Arizona, formed in 1989 by vocalist Scott Benzel, keyboardist Mike Fisher, and guitarist Stuart Kupers. The band released three albums in the 1990s before disbanding in ...

Local H Local H is an American rock band co-founded in 1990 in Zion, Illinois by guitarist and vocalist Scott Lucas, who has remained the band's sole consistent member. Following the departures of the early line-up's bassist and lead guitarist, Lucas a ...

, Cupcakes (a band he formed), which released an album on

Dreamworks Records DreamWorks Records (often referred in copyright notices as SKG Music, LLC) was an American record label founded in 1996 by David Geffen, Mo Ostin, his son Michael Ostin and Lenny Waronker as a subsidiary of DreamWorks Pictures. The label opera ...

. He has also recorded and/or toured with a diverse range of pop artists such as

Avril Lavigne Avril Ramona Lavigne ( ; ; born September 27, 1984) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. She is a key musician in popularizing pop-punk music, as she paved the way for female-driven, punk-influenced pop music in the early 2000s. List of awa ...

Five For Fighting Vladimir John Ondrasik III (born January 7, 1965), also known by his stage name Five for Fighting, is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. He is best known for his piano-based soft rock, such as the top 40 hits " Superman (It's Not Easy)" ...

Colbie Caillat Colbie Marie Caillat ( ; born May 28, 1985) is an American singer-songwriter. She rose to fame on the social networking website Myspace in 2005. She signed with Universal Republic Records to release her debut studio album, '' Coco'' (2007), w ...

, and Jewel. He has recorded guitar on feature film scores/soundtracks such as ''

Rent Rent may refer to: Economics *Renting, an agreement where a payment is made for the temporary use of a good, service or property *Economic rent, any payment in excess of the cost of production *Rent-seeking, attempting to increase one's share of e ...

'', ''

Treasure Planet ''Treasure Planet'' is a 2002 American animated science fiction film, science fiction adventure film directed by John Musker and Ron Clements and written by Musker, Clements and Rob Edwards (screenwriter), Rob Edwards. Produced by Walt Disney ...

'', and ''

Biker Boyz ''Biker Boyz'' is a 2003 American sports action drama film, directed by Reggie Rock Bythewood and written by Bythewood and Craig Fernandez, based on the 2000 '' New Times LA'' article of the same name by Michael Gougis. The film is about a group ...

''. Suran had worked as a musician in theater for many years with the

Blue Man Group Blue Man Group is an American performance art company formed in New York City in 1987. It is known for its stage productions that incorporate many kinds of music and art, both popular and obscure. Its performers, known as Blue Men, have their ...

and a production of ''

Hedwig and the Angry Inch Hedwig and the Angry Inch may refer to: * ''Hedwig and the Angry Inch'' (musical), 1998 ** ''Hedwig and the Angry Inch'' (soundtrack), 1999 * ''Hedwig and the Angry Inch'' (film), 2001 {{disambig ...

''. He toured with

from 2011 to 2013 on the "Analog Man" tour, then also for two tours with French pop star

in 2009 and 2013, then also with

Don Felder Donald William Felder (born September 21, 1947) is an American musician who was the lead guitarist of the rock band Eagles from 1974 to 2001. He is known for co-writing several of the band's songs, most notably "Hotel California". Felder was in ...

, formerly of the Eagles, from 2013–present. He worked as a session player and touring musician in Los Angeles until he joined the

in 2013, after

left, and remained with the band until their farewell tour in 2022. He has also been a guitarist in the house band for the television show, American Idol, since its reboot on ABC in 2018.

Personal life

For 6 years, by his own report, he has practiced a

vegan diet Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products and the consumption of animal source foods, and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. A person who practices veganism is known as a vega ...

Albums

Glee Glee may refer to: * Glee (music), a type of English choral music * ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy * ''Glee'' (Bran Van 3000 album) * ''Glee'' (Logan Lynn album) * Gle ...

– ''The 3D Concert Movie'' ST(CD), with several other artists, September 8, 2011. * Cupcakes *

– ''Gutterflower'' *

– ''Live in Buffalo'' *

– ''Let Love In'' * Jewel – ''Goodbye Alice in Wonderland'' *

Jeremy Enigk Jeremy Enigk (; born July 16, 1974) is an American singer-songwriter, vocalist and guitarist/multi-instrumentalist. He is known as a solo artist, a film score composer, and as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and keyboardist of the Seattle-ba ...

– ''World Waits'' *

– ''Breakthrough'' *

– ''Slice'' *

– ''Best Damn Thing'' *

BackStreet Boys Backstreet Boys (often abbreviated as BSB) are an American vocal group consisting of Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, and cousins Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson (musician), Kevin Richardson. The band formed in 1993 in Orlando, Flori ...

– ''Never Gone'' *

Jen Wood Jennifer "Jen" Wood (born c. 1976) is an American indie rock musician based in Seattle, Washington. A solo artist since 1996, she was previously a member of alternative rock band Tattle Tale. Biography In 1992, at the age of fifteen, Wood fo ...

– ''Wilderness''

References

The B-52's members American new wave musicians Bienen School of Music alumni Lead guitarists Living people University of Notre Dame alumni Year of birth missing (living people) {{The B-52's