Biography
A guitarist and songwriter named Rusty Anderson has sustained a respected independent path alongside lucrative work as a touring and recording musician, lending his talents to artists from Paul McCartney through Neil Diamond. Raised in La Habra, California, Anderson assembled his debut group, the hard-rock ensemble Eulogy, at age thirteen during the mid-1970s. The band cultivated a strong regional audience and secured an audition before Arista chief Clive Davis, yet remained unsigned and dissolved without issuing any material. He promptly launched the Living Daylights, whose progressive and psychedelic leanings suited him better; although that outfit likewise stayed unsigned, a demo reached producer David Kahne, who enlisted Anderson for guitar solos on the Bangles’ 1986 album Different Light.
While maintaining session work, Anderson briefly joined Animal Logic, the short-lived trio completed by ex-Police drummer Stewart Copeland and Return to Forever bassist Stanley Clarke, then served as guitarist and songwriter in the alternative-rock band Ednaswap. Between 1995 and 1998 the group issued three albums; its most lasting impact arrived when Natalie Imbruglia transformed the Ednaswap track “Torn,” from the album Wacko Magneto, into an international hit. Ednaswap disbanded in 1999, the same year Anderson supplied the guitar solo on Ricky Martin’s breakthrough single “Livin’ la Vida Loca.”
His most consequential opportunity arrived in 2001 with an invitation to record guitar for Paul McCartney’s Driving Rain; Anderson subsequently joined McCartney’s touring band for the world trek captured on Back in the U.S. and Back in the World. He later contributed to the 2005 McCartney album Chaos and Creation in the Backyard and continued with the former Beatle on ensuing tours. Anderson issued his own debut solo album, Undressing Underwater, in 2003, drawing assistance from McCartney, Stewart Copeland, David Kahne, and other longtime associates. Steady demand for his playing delayed the follow-up, Born on Earth, until 2010.
While maintaining session work, Anderson briefly joined Animal Logic, the short-lived trio completed by ex-Police drummer Stewart Copeland and Return to Forever bassist Stanley Clarke, then served as guitarist and songwriter in the alternative-rock band Ednaswap. Between 1995 and 1998 the group issued three albums; its most lasting impact arrived when Natalie Imbruglia transformed the Ednaswap track “Torn,” from the album Wacko Magneto, into an international hit. Ednaswap disbanded in 1999, the same year Anderson supplied the guitar solo on Ricky Martin’s breakthrough single “Livin’ la Vida Loca.”
His most consequential opportunity arrived in 2001 with an invitation to record guitar for Paul McCartney’s Driving Rain; Anderson subsequently joined McCartney’s touring band for the world trek captured on Back in the U.S. and Back in the World. He later contributed to the 2005 McCartney album Chaos and Creation in the Backyard and continued with the former Beatle on ensuing tours. Anderson issued his own debut solo album, Undressing Underwater, in 2003, drawing assistance from McCartney, Stewart Copeland, David Kahne, and other longtime associates. Steady demand for his playing delayed the follow-up, Born on Earth, until 2010.
Albums
Singles
