Strings of Influence: How Great Guitar Legends Continue to Shape New Artists

 Photo credit: Really Loud Rock Photography

EDITOR | GUITAR THRILLS MAGAZINE TAMPA, FL U.S.A.

Edward Schooley

Founded in 2021. GUITAR THRILLS MAGAZINE of Tampa, FL Guitar Thrills Magazine of Tampa, FL U.S.A. The GUITAR THRILLS MAGAZINE is excited to bring you some of the music industries finest talent. Including the world of entertainment. Our focus includes the long term goals and aspirations of artists of all sorts. We are an unbiased reporting platform. You are getting insight into the world of music. No, we are not your fathers website for music news. We have grown into our own, and rely upon decades of music experience and knowledge. Guitar Thrills Magazine is a hard act to follow.

From one generation to the next, great guitarists continue to shape the sound and direction of modern music by inspiring younger musicians to study, adapt, and eventually create voices of their own. Many legendary players such as Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughan did more than define their own eras—they established styles, techniques, and emotional approaches that continue to influence emerging artists around the world. Their recordings remain a foundation for aspiring guitarists, who often begin by learning classic solos and studying the phrasing, tone, and stage presence of these influential musicians before developing an identity of their own.

One modern example is Alex Kilroy, a Transylvanian-born guitarist whose musical journey reflects the lasting power of those earlier influences. Trained first in classical music, Kilroy later became deeply inspired by Stevie Ray Vaughan, whose expressive blues playing encouraged him to move toward electric guitar and blues-based songwriting. That inspiration led him to perform across Europe in tribute bands before eventually pursuing opportunities in the United States, where he worked persistently to build a career despite visa complications, financial pressure, and the challenge of entering a highly competitive music scene. His debut album Break My Chains demonstrates how a musician can honor tradition while still creating something personal and contemporary.

Like many successful artists, Kilroy’s rise was not immediate, even if it may appear sudden to new audiences discovering him today. Behind what can look like overnight success were years of preparation, setbacks, small performances, and determination. By continuing to perform, write, and refine his sound, he has steadily gained recognition and increased his popularity among blues and roots music listeners. His story reflects a pattern seen throughout music history: younger guitarists often begin by admiring great masters, but their true success comes when they transform those influences into a distinct voice that speaks to a new generation.

ABOUT ALEX KILROY

Alex Kilroy is a Transylvanian-born guitarist and singer-songwriter whose music reflects a long personal journey from Romania to Nashville, shaped by his deep admiration for American blues. As a child, he imagined a future beyond Romania, hanging an American flag above his bed and believing his life would eventually unfold in the United States. After early classical music training, he became deeply influenced by Stevie Ray Vaughan, which inspired him to shift toward guitar and blues performance. He later fronted a blues tribute band that toured festivals across Europe before moving toward an independent career in America, where he built opportunities through persistence, performing wedding gigs, contacting venues directly, and overcoming visa setbacks. His debut album Break My Chains captures that journey, blending blues roots with melodic modern influences, Southern rock textures, gospel energy, and autobiographical songwriting. Produced by Trace Sasser, mixed in Nashville, and mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, the album’s title track explores breaking free from inherited expectations while honoring the influence of his late father, whose advice to respect tradition while finding an individual voice remains central to Kilroy’s work.

From Transylvania to Tennessee — Alex Kilroy on Finding His Own Sound

For many musicians, inspiration begins with listening to the legends who came before them, but for Alex Kilroy, that inspiration became the foundation of an international journey shaped by determination, discipline, and a lifelong connection to blues music. Born in Transylvania and trained in classical music before discovering the powerful influence of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Kilroy developed a style that respects tradition while embracing personal storytelling. His path to the United States included years of performing across Europe, overcoming practical setbacks, and steadily building opportunities in America one stage at a time. With the release of his debut album Break My Chains, he now enters a new chapter—one that reflects both his musical roots and his own creative identity. In this interview, Kilroy discusses the artists who shaped him, the challenges behind his career, and what it means to finally share music that tells his own story

Interview with Alex Kilroy and Guitar Thrills Magazine

Guitar Thrills: Growing up in Transylvania, what first drew you emotionally to American blues music, and why did that sound resonate so strongly with you at such a young age?

Alex: Growing up, I spent a lot of time watching American movies with my parents and playing video games set in the United States. These experiences captivated me and made me feel like I was missing being in America, even though I had never been there. When I was around six years old, I told my mom that I was only visiting Romania and that my home was The United States. I even asked for an American flag to hang over my bed, and that‘s how my dream began. When I was 12, my father imported a car from Michigan that happened to have a DVD with Stevie Ray Vaughan’s live performance at Montreux in 1985. I remember pressing the play button and being hypnotized by Stevie’s guitar playing, energy, and presence. That moment is what made me fall in love with the blues. I was already in love with America, and falling in love with the blues sealed the deal.

Guitar Thrills: You have spoken about being deeply influenced by Stevie Ray Vaughan—what specific elements of his playing or attitude shaped your own guitar style the most?

Alex: When Stevie was playing, apart from his exceptional tone and remarkable technical prowess, I felt he was channeling something beyond the veil—something I couldn’t comprehend at the time but deeply resonated with. As I delved deeper into guitar playing, I realized that he was channeling the “present” moment, the “now”. He was in the “zone,” and that’s where the magic unfolds. I believe that’s what imbues music with its profound meaning and profoundly influenced my approach to guitar playing.

Guitar Thrills: How did your early classical training affect the way you now approach songwriting, phrasing, and discipline as a guitarist?

Alex: It doesn’t significantly influence me, or at least I don’t consciously think about it. However, I occasionally find myself using some passing chords I learned during my classical piano training. I do this when I want to embellish a bridge in one of my songs or create tension and resolution, as well as question and answer moments. In terms of discipline, that was the first thing I abandoned when I started playing guitar. No one taught me how to keep my hands correctly, how to sit while playing, or how hard I was allowed to play the strings. This allowed my natural self to emerge, and that liberating feeling is what made me fall in love with the instrument. I believe I’m better at creating my own discipline and adhering to it rather than following someone else’s.

Guitar Thrills: Before building your career in the United States, you performed extensively across Europe. What lessons from those early live performances still stay with you today?

Alex: What I cherish and keep alive to this day is the joy of playing and preparing for a show. As a child, when we toured as a Stevie Ray Vaughan Tribute Band, my best friend and bass player, Michael, and I had a ritual before each tour. We would change our strings, polish our guitars, and watch YouTube videos of the greats playing. We would visualize ourselves on the same stage as them. In the early years of touring, I learned to have fun playing and give every performance my all. That’s what I’ve been doing ever since.

Guitar Thrills: Your debut album Break My Chains feels deeply personal. Was there one song on the record that was especially difficult—or especially meaningful—to write?

Alex: The songs on this album draw inspiration from real-life events, personal experiences, encounters with people I’ve met along the way, and folklore stories I grew up hearing. Each song holds a special place in my heart, having been written during different stages of my life and reflecting my perspective at that time. A song is a snapshot of a specific moment in time, capturing a unique story and feeling, they are all meaningful to me. Among these songs, there’s a special one titled “All That Matters” that I dedicated to my daughter. It’s the first song I wrote for her, and it certainly won’t be the last.

Guitar Thrills: The title Break My Chains suggests freedom and transformation. What personal or relative “chains” were you trying to break when writing that title track?

Alex: My initial inspiration for the song came while I was driving from my Nashville home to perform on Broadway. Feeling burnt out, I had an urge to bypass the exit and continue driving until I ran out of gas, seeking an escape from my routine. As I began writing the song, I envisioned driving through a desert at night, the wind howling and the star so brilliant that the Milky Way was visible. This imagery served as a reminder of the vastness of the world beyond my everyday experiences. While working on the song, my fiancée, an exceptional artist named Sophia Medina, came into the studio and created the chorus. She introduced the phrase “Break My Chains,” and the song was born. As a writer, you enter a creative flow, allowing the song to unfold naturally. Eventually, you discover its deeper meaning. “Break My Chains” is about breaking free from habits, fears, and limitations, embracing your unique voice, and always seeking the magic in the world around us.

Guitar Thrills: You faced practical challenges such as visa delays, financial pressure, and starting over in a new country. During those difficult periods, what kept you moving forward?

Alex: As a child, dreaming of living in America, I made a promise to myself: when I finally arrived, I would never have a bad day. Despite facing challenging periods, I always remembered this promise, which helped me persevere through any situation and maintain a positive outlook. Music played a significant role in my journey, particularly an album I stumbled upon by chance. This album, “The Last Ship” by Sting, became a source of inspiration during my initial months in Nashville. Money was scarce, and there were no gigs in sight. However, the album’s lyrics resonated with me, and I found myself associating with the shipyard workers Sting was singing about. I can’t quite explain why, but Sting’s album fueled my determination to keep working hard and pushing forward. Just as a ship doesn’t get built overnight, neither does a musical career. Listening to Sting’s music also had a profound impact on my songwriting.

Guitar Thrills: Many listeners hear both traditional blues and modern influences in your sound. How do you balance honoring the artists who inspired you while still creating something that feels uniquely yours?

Alex: I grew up listening to legendary guitarists like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Buddy Guy, BB King, Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Eric Gales, Albert King, Freddy King, Joe Bonamassa, and John Mayer. My father had a strict rule: if you could play a song exactly like the record, you were allowed to make changes or create your own solos. This rule taught me a valuable lesson—it created a vocabulary for me that eventually evolved into my own style. My life experiences have provided me with the subject matter for my songs. When I play guitar, it’s a blend of all the guitar masters who inspire me. I have a strong appreciation for flavor and food, Marco Pierre White, has also influenced my music although he’s a chef. If you watch his videos and compare the food ingredients to music styles, chords, and melodies, you’ll realize that it’s the same art form. I take traditional ingredients and combine them with my own unique blend of flavors, which I’ve been developing over the years, I add my life experiences into the mix, and that’s how I create my sound. I like exploring, I love the blues, jazz, movie scores, classical music, Romanian folklore, Flamenco, Middle Eastern music and so on. When I write music, I like to blend various flavors, but I never stray too far from my roots, which for me is the blues.

Guitar Thrills: Your father’s advice about respecting tradition while finding your own voice seems central to your story. How does that guidance continue to influence your decisions today?

Alex: After touring as a Stevie Ray Vaughan tribute band for three years, my father encouraged me to explore my own musical identity by expanding my music library and listening to a diverse range of guitarists, songwriters, and music genres. He taught me the importance of self-criticism and honesty. This trait can be both a blessing and a curse, as my mind tends to be excessively critical, I found the balance after reading The Power Of Now by Eckhart Tolle.

Guitar Thrills: As your audience continues to grow, what do you hope listeners understand about you—not only as a guitarist, but as a songwriter and storyteller?

Alex: I find joy in sharing my perspective through my music. I believe that’s the essence of writing and creating—presenting your vision of the world to the world. Perhaps people will discover a subtle detail that eluded their attention due to their focus on other aspects of life, like painting a picture and being too close to the canvas. I’m telling the familiar tale of love and heartbreak, happiness and sadness, life and death, on and off, 1 and 0. This duality is inescapable, yet it can be questioned. So, question everything.

Concluding thoughts

In speaking with Alex Kilroy, it becomes clear that his journey is defined not only by musical talent, but by persistence, purpose, and a deep respect for the artists who inspired him. From early dreams in Transylvania to building a life and career in the United States, his story reflects the determination required to transform influence into identity. With Break My Chains, Kilroy presents more than a debut release—he introduces a body of work shaped by experience, personal loss, and creative growth. As his audience continues to expand, his music suggests that honoring tradition and forging a personal voice can exist side by side, allowing a new generation of guitarists and songwriters to carry the blues forward

A RECAP OF WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED

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