Ned Evett, the Nashville-born fretless guitar virtuoso, is about to bring his groundbreaking artistry to South African audiences for the first time. Known for pioneering the all-glass fretless guitar and captivating listeners worldwide with his innovative techniques, Evett’s music fuses technical brilliance with raw emotion. With his latest album, STRANGE KIND OF FREEDOM, and an impressive tour line-up, fans are in for an unforgettable experience.

1. The Fretless Guitar and Beyond

You’ve been hailed as "the world’s first fretless guitar rockstar." What drew you to the fretless guitar, and how has it shaped your musical identity?

"Well, I was made aware of Fretless guitar as a kid after seeing Adrian Belew play one on television.

I was so inspired by that I made my own Fretless guitar cobbled together from a guitar I’d smashed on stage. It has shaped my identity through having to play chords and write songs specifically for Fretless guitar, plus the advances such as glass fingerboards and the thousands of gigs I’ve performed on it around the world."

2. Crafting Strange Kind of Freedom

Your new album, STRANGE KIND OF FREEDOM, is a sonic exploration of emotion and technique. Could you share your creative process for this record and the role the Morningstar Glass Guitar played in bringing your vision to life?

"I wrote this album after teaching Fretless guitar at Joe Satriani’s G4 experience in Las Vegas in 2023. I came up a bunch of cool Fretless riffs during the camp and used those to write songs around for this album. I had just gotten the Morningstar guitar a couple of weeks early which was super inspiring. I wrote nearly 25 songs with Cherian Jubilee, and we chose ten for the album."

3. A Tribute to Jeff Beck

In your rendition of ‘Nadia’, you pay tribute to Jeff Beck using your glass fretless guitar. What inspired this tribute, and how did you approach bringing your unique sound to a piece written by Nitin Sawhney?

"Jeff was always a hero of mine because he played Fingerstyle electric, which is how I play mostly. Plus he’s Jeff Beck! Nadia is a beautiful song, and I wanted to pay tribute to the song and Jeff’s otherworldly playing."

4. Connecting Precision and Emotion

Your performance of ‘Nadia’ showcases both technical mastery and deep emotional expression. How do you balance these elements in your playing, particularly on such a tribute piece?

"I start with the chords and melody, how they interrelate, this sparks emotions which I try to capture as I’m recording.

My video of Nadia is the third take of the song, tracked directly into ProTools".

5. Collaboration with Icons

Having collaborated with legends like Joe Satriani, Adrian Belew, and John Fogerty, what’s the most profound lesson you’ve taken from working with such iconic figures?

They would much rather you be you, rather than try to copy them. Also, write great songs.

6. Inspiration from Adrian Belew

You’ve mentioned Adrian Belew as a major influence and a connection to South Africa through his work on Paul Simon’s Graceland. How has his mentorship shaped your artistry, and what does it mean to now be performing in South Africa?

"Adrian was great in terms of not laboring things in the studio take after take. His amazing prowess as a singer and drummer helped keep everything on track when I was recording my treehouse album with him. He is a good friend and tremendous human being. All of that together has helped me enormously".

"After listening to Adrian’s stories about the Graceland album, I’m thrilled to actually be coming here to play my new songs on my glass guitars!"

7. Behind the Scenes of Strange Kind of Freedom

The official video for ‘Strange Kind of Freedom’ offers a glimpse of your creative genius. Could you take us behind the scenes? What inspired the song, and how did the collaboration with Pete Griffin and Shane Gaalaas come together?

"The song is set in prison, but is really about how odd it is to be free in your mind and soul once you’ve achieved it. To be free of the desire to acquire material possessions, to truly love, to let go."

"Pete and Shane were crucial in getting the groove and sound right on the recording, and having them as co-producers of the album was an amazing experience. We recorded it at Shane’s studio in Simi Valley, CA."

8. Touring South Africa

This is your first tour in South Africa. What excites you most about performing for South African audiences, and what can they expect from your shows?

"South Africa’s vibrance and incredible history have always stood out to me on the world stage, whether through music and film or it’s long complicated journey as a nation. What excites me most is to play my songs to the hearts and spirits of this incredible country and to also rock out and have a little fun!!"

9. Glass Guitars and Innovation

The Morningstar Glass Guitar is central to your sound. Could you explain how this unique instrument enhances your creative process and live performances?

"The Morningstar has a two October range, and is made of solid glass. This gives the sound a clarity you’ve never heard before. It is like playing music on a lightsaber!"

10. Connection Through Music

In a recent statement, you emphasized the importance of connecting with audiences and sharing raw emotions. How do you translate such deep sentiments through your fretless guitar techniques and live shows?

"The key is stepping back from your ego and just let the song do the talking. I also try and explain a bit about each song before I play it onstage to give some context. I make myself available to the music each night, full stop."

11. A Visionary Career

From performing for Sting and John McLaughlin to jamming with local South African musicians on this tour, your career has spanned unique milestones. What’s been your most memorable moment as a musician so far?

"Meeting Sting, John McLaughlin, and Dominic Miller was amazing. Joe Satriani. Adrian Belew. My heroes are all amazing human beings and I humbly aspire to that. As to musical moments, last night I played Strange Kind of Freedom in its entirety for a sold-out audience in Boise, Idaho, with many friends, fans, and family in attendance. It gave me the feeling of momentum for this South African tour. I owe it all to my parents who loves music and art."

12. South African Collaborations

You mentioned working with a South African backing band during your Johannesburg shows. How do you adapt your music to collaborate with new musicians, and what do you hope to gain from this cultural exchange?

"The world has caught up to itself, and you find excellent musicians everywhere you go ready to embrace new songs. I have a strong thread of Indian Raga in my style, so I hope to jam with all types of players while I’m here, so we both leave enriched by the energy. Humans are like batteries man, we really soak up the juice when the voltage is hot! Drumming legend Roy Schoombie has put together a cracking band for me."

13. Balancing Precision and Emotion

Your music is known for its technical brilliance and emotional resonance. How do you balance these two elements when composing or performing?

"The key is to let your heart keep control of the mic. Technical brilliance is a light best shown on fantastic art."

14. The Future of Guitar Music

As someone who constantly pushes boundaries, where do you see the future of guitar music heading, and how do you hope to contribute to its evolution?

"I’m just trying to push the envelope, make new sounds, and make musical instrument grade glass a reality! I love working with Jim Dunlop Slides, MXR pedals, Brian May Guitars, and Vox Amps making to make things sound awesome."

15. Legacy and Aspirations

What legacy do you hope to leave as a pioneer of fretless guitar music, and what’s next for Ned Evett after this tour?

"I have 12 solo albums which everybody can enjoy, and I hope to record many more."

"After returning home I’m gearing up for the biggest tour of my life in Europe next summer."

Ned Evett, the Nashville-born fretless guitar virtuoso, is about to bring his groundbreaking artistry to South African audiences for the first time. Known for pioneering the all-glass fretless guitar and captivating listeners worldwide with his innovative techniques, Evett’s music fuses technical brilliance with raw emotion. With his latest album, STRANGE KIND OF FREEDOM, and an impressive tour line-up, fans are in for an unforgettable experience.

1. The Fretless Guitar and Beyond

You’ve been hailed as "the world’s first fretless guitar rockstar." What drew you to the fretless guitar, and how has it shaped your musical identity?

"Well, I was made aware of Fretless guitar as a kid after seeing Adrian Belew play one on television.

I was so inspired by that I made my own Fretless guitar cobbled together from a guitar I’d smashed on stage. It has shaped my identity through having to play chords and write songs specifically for Fretless guitar, plus the advances such as glass fingerboards and the thousands of gigs I’ve performed on it around the world."

2. Crafting Strange Kind of Freedom

Your new album, STRANGE KIND OF FREEDOM, is a sonic exploration of emotion and technique. Could you share your creative process for this record and the role the Morningstar Glass Guitar played in bringing your vision to life?

"I wrote this album after teaching Fretless guitar at Joe Satriani’s G4 experience in Las Vegas in 2023. I came up a bunch of cool Fretless riffs during the camp and used those to write songs around for this album. I had just gotten the Morningstar guitar a couple of weeks early which was super inspiring. I wrote nearly 25 songs with Cherian Jubilee, and we chose ten for the album."

3. A Tribute to Jeff Beck

In your rendition of ‘Nadia’, you pay tribute to Jeff Beck using your glass fretless guitar. What inspired this tribute, and how did you approach bringing your unique sound to a piece written by Nitin Sawhney?

"Jeff was always a hero of mine because he played Fingerstyle electric, which is how I play mostly. Plus he’s Jeff Beck! Nadia is a beautiful song, and I wanted to pay tribute to the song and Jeff’s otherworldly playing."

4. Connecting Precision and Emotion

Your performance of ‘Nadia’ showcases both technical mastery and deep emotional expression. How do you balance these elements in your playing, particularly on such a tribute piece?

"I start with the chords and melody, how they interrelate, this sparks emotions which I try to capture as I’m recording.

My video of Nadia is the third take of the song, tracked directly into ProTools".

5. Collaboration with Icons

Having collaborated with legends like Joe Satriani, Adrian Belew, and John Fogerty, what’s the most profound lesson you’ve taken from working with such iconic figures?

They would much rather you be you, rather than try to copy them. Also, write great songs.

6. Inspiration from Adrian Belew

You’ve mentioned Adrian Belew as a major influence and a connection to South Africa through his work on Paul Simon’s Graceland. How has his mentorship shaped your artistry, and what does it mean to now be performing in South Africa?

"Adrian was great in terms of not laboring things in the studio take after take. His amazing prowess as a singer and drummer helped keep everything on track when I was recording my treehouse album with him. He is a good friend and tremendous human being. All of that together has helped me enormously".

"After listening to Adrian’s stories about the Graceland album, I’m thrilled to actually be coming here to play my new songs on my glass guitars!"

7. Behind the Scenes of Strange Kind of Freedom

The official video for ‘Strange Kind of Freedom’ offers a glimpse of your creative genius. Could you take us behind the scenes? What inspired the song, and how did the collaboration with Pete Griffin and Shane Gaalaas come together?

"The song is set in prison, but is really about how odd it is to be free in your mind and soul once you’ve achieved it. To be free of the desire to acquire material possessions, to truly love, to let go."

"Pete and Shane were crucial in getting the groove and sound right on the recording, and having them as co-producers of the album was an amazing experience. We recorded it at Shane’s studio in Simi Valley, CA."

8. Touring South Africa

This is your first tour in South Africa. What excites you most about performing for South African audiences, and what can they expect from your shows?

"South Africa’s vibrance and incredible history have always stood out to me on the world stage, whether through music and film or it’s long complicated journey as a nation. What excites me most is to play my songs to the hearts and spirits of this incredible country and to also rock out and have a little fun!!"

9. Glass Guitars and Innovation

The Morningstar Glass Guitar is central to your sound. Could you explain how this unique instrument enhances your creative process and live performances?

"The Morningstar has a two October range, and is made of solid glass. This gives the sound a clarity you’ve never heard before. It is like playing music on a lightsaber!"

10. Connection Through Music

In a recent statement, you emphasized the importance of connecting with audiences and sharing raw emotions. How do you translate such deep sentiments through your fretless guitar techniques and live shows?

"The key is stepping back from your ego and just let the song do the talking. I also try and explain a bit about each song before I play it onstage to give some context. I make myself available to the music each night, full stop."

11. A Visionary Career

From performing for Sting and John McLaughlin to jamming with local South African musicians on this tour, your career has spanned unique milestones. What’s been your most memorable moment as a musician so far?

"Meeting Sting, John McLaughlin, and Dominic Miller was amazing. Joe Satriani. Adrian Belew. My heroes are all amazing human beings and I humbly aspire to that. As to musical moments, last night I played Strange Kind of Freedom in its entirety for a sold-out audience in Boise, Idaho, with many friends, fans, and family in attendance. It gave me the feeling of momentum for this South African tour. I owe it all to my parents who loves music and art."

12. South African Collaborations

You mentioned working with a South African backing band during your Johannesburg shows. How do you adapt your music to collaborate with new musicians, and what do you hope to gain from this cultural exchange?

"The world has caught up to itself, and you find excellent musicians everywhere you go ready to embrace new songs. I have a strong thread of Indian Raga in my style, so I hope to jam with all types of players while I’m here, so we both leave enriched by the energy. Humans are like batteries man, we really soak up the juice when the voltage is hot! Drumming legend Roy Schoombie has put together a cracking band for me."

13. Balancing Precision and Emotion

Your music is known for its technical brilliance and emotional resonance. How do you balance these two elements when composing or performing?

"The key is to let your heart keep control of the mic. Technical brilliance is a light best shown on fantastic art."

14. The Future of Guitar Music

As someone who constantly pushes boundaries, where do you see the future of guitar music heading, and how do you hope to contribute to its evolution?

"I’m just trying to push the envelope, make new sounds, and make musical instrument grade glass a reality! I love working with Jim Dunlop Slides, MXR pedals, Brian May Guitars, and Vox Amps making to make things sound awesome."

15. Legacy and Aspirations

What legacy do you hope to leave as a pioneer of fretless guitar music, and what’s next for Ned Evett after this tour?

"I have 12 solo albums which everybody can enjoy, and I hope to record many more."

"After returning home I’m gearing up for the biggest tour of my life in Europe next summer."

Thank you, Ned, for taking the time to share your insights and experiences with us. We truly appreciate your openness and are excited to witness your groundbreaking fretless guitar artistry live. We look forward to your arrival in South Africa and can't wait to see you on tour, bringing your unique sound and passion to audiences here. Safe travels and best of luck with the rest of your tour!

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