Neil Swanson was already playing Deep Ellum bars when he was 15; it didn’t take long before he had made the round of DFW venues and went off to tour the world.
After winning Guitar Center’s “Steve Vai Sessions” contest, he was flown to Hollywood to meet Vai, and while there, he entered another contest called “Be My Band” which he won. Neil soon met platinum-selling guitarist Orianthi (Michael Jackson/Alice Cooper). Afterward, he received an email from the organizer of the competition, Dave Stewart of the band Eurythmics.
“He liked my style and asked if I would like to play with his all-star band,” said Neil. “For the next couple of years, I joined Dave in performing places like the Hollywood Bowl, Greek theater, and many others.”
On the heels of that success, he was hired by Orianthi as her regular guitarist which allowed him the opportunity to regularly perform with Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi). He later became the guitarist for Diamante, with whom he spent several years touring arenas and amphitheaters.
Neil was then hired as lead guitarist for platinum-selling rock singer Tommy Vext and played on several singles that reached top 5 on iTunes and Billboard streaming sales charts. As a session player, Neil has worked with producers such as Carlos “Six July” Broady (Diddy, Nas, Lil Kim, The Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige), Aaron Accetta (American Authors, Forever The Sickest Kids) and others.
Corporate sponsors started to take notice as well; he is now sponsored by several top tier music gear sponsors including Charvel guitars, Boss/Roland and Orange amps.
In 2020 Neil released Story Of Ro, a comic book style solo album that blended rock music with a futuristic sci-fi story to create a unique listening experience.
“I’ve definitely become known for creative thinking and musical diversity, though I personally lean towards the rock genre,” Neil told Voyage Dallas in 2020. “I like to keep several lines open and multiple irons in the fire. Eventually, something new gets hot, and I try to be right there when it happens. There’s a reason so few musicians are able to grow outside of their local scene. It boils down to being able to see a bigger picture and not being afraid to risk everything.”
