Dan Vickrey

Daniel Vickrey (born August 26, 1966) is an American musician. He has performed since 1994 as a lead guitarist in the alternative rock band, Counting Crows. Vickrey also provides backing vocals, and is a harmonist within the band.

As co-writer of a number of hit songs with Counting Crows, Vickrey has distinguished himself as a nominee for a Grammy Award, Golden Globe Award, an Oscar, and was a winner of an award from BMI for co-writing the song, "Accidentally in Love."

Early years and influences

Vickrey learned to play the guitar when he was about 11 years old with his father. Because of this, he was first influenced by his father's musical preferences. From childhood, he had listened to vinyl records belonging to his father, older brother, and sister. Albums in these collections featured Bruce Springsteen, Willie Nelson, Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and his sister's Bee Gee's records. Vickrey's next-door neighbor introduced him to The Beatles, and Vickrey began spending time at a local guitar shop where he found a guitar teacher named Bruce Hock, a blues fanatic, who gave Vickrey a taste of some of Eric Clapton's earliest work, performing with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, which left a lasting impression on him. He joined his first band with his neighbor, Steve Bowman, and his brother.