Keith Howland

Who is Keith Howland?

Keith Howland is an American guitarist and singer. Since 1995, he has been the lead guitarist for the veteran pop-rock band, Chicago.

Howland started playing the guitar at the age of seven, and he played in a number of bands during his school years. He attended high school in Richmond, Virginia, and graduated from James Madison University in 1986 with a degree in communications. In 1987, Keith moved to Los Angeles and took a job with Andy Brauer Studio Rentals, which helped him to make invaluable contacts in the music industry. He also continued playing as much as possible, including a 1993 summer tour with Rick Springfield.

In 1995, Chicago was looking for a new lead guitarist to permanently substitute the departing Dawayne Bailey. Howland was a long-time fan of the band and of their co-founding guitarist, Terry Kath. Howland appeared uninvited at the auditions, and achieved a chance meeting with the band's bassist, Jason Scheff. He performed a last-minute audition, and was offered the job on the same day.

Howland has also pursued projects outside the band, including projects he has done with Chicago's drummer Tris Imboden. Their collaborative effort is known as The Howland/Imboden Project, and two albums have been released. The sound can be described as all-instrumental, jazz/rock/fusion. One album is a studio effort, and the other is a live recording.