Tony Banks

Who is Tony Banks?

Anthony George "Tony" Banks is a British musician and multi-instrumentalist, primarily known for being the keyboardist and a founding member of the progressive rock group Genesis. He is one of only two members who have been with Genesis throughout its entire history.

Banks was one of the main composers of Genesis's music, and made major lyrical contributions to the band's songs. As the band's keyboardist he used a variety of instruments, including the ARP Pro Soloist synthesiser, the Mellotron, the Yamaha CP-70, and the Hammond T-102 organ. In the band's earliest years Banks would play acoustic guitar for some of the mellow and pastoral songs.

Outside Genesis, Banks has pursued a solo career, which has included film scoring, pop songs and orchestral music. In 2006, the first Tony Banks biography, Man of Spells by journalist Mario Giammetti, was published in Italy. In 2010, Banks was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Banks is ranked number 11 on MusicRadar's greatest keyboard players of all time.