Darren Michael Boyd has toured and recorded with a variety of artists, such as Black Ju-Ju, Creeping Beauty, and Famous Underground (featuring Juno award-winning vocalist Nicholas Walsh). He was invited multiple occasions to privately audition for platinum-selling artist Fefe Dobson, and asked to write songs for Alice Cooper’s daughter Calico Cooper, and long time bassist Chuck Garric’s band Beasto Blanco.
Darren received a scholarship to Guitar Workshop Plus in Toronto, with some of the best players in the business as instructors (Paul Gilbert/Billy Sheehan/Sue Foley). He has shared the stage with such acts as One-Eyed Doll, Wednesday 13, Yngwie Malmsteen, Stryper, Harem Scarem, Beasto Blanco, and Lee Aaron. In the spring of 2019 he joined the Mississippi Mudds Theatre Group to play guitar for a sold out run of Queen’s We Will Rock You. The Mississippi Mudds won the Ottawa Faces Magazine award for Favorite Theatre Group for that year.
After a life-altering car accident, the Ottawa and Toronto-based musician created his debut album, “Lifting The Curse,” as a therapy for the physical and psychological complications that followed the accident. Painstakingly writing, recording and producing the 9-track album himself, Boyd only called upon outside help for one track, “Was It Something I Said,” which features drums by Emily Dolan Davies (The Darkness, Kim Wilde.) Mastering was done by Harry Hess at H-Bomb Mastering (Barenaked Ladies, Danko Jones, Monster Truck.)
In the winter of 2019 he was given an honorable mention by ASCAP for his first instrumental release “This Song Won’t Get Played On the Radio.” Darren is a multi- award-winning and nominated artist.
He won Best North American Music Video in the Toronto Independent Film Festival for his self-produced video for Arachnochakra, from his multi-award nominated sophomore release Wonders of the Invisible world.
He was also voted Best Guitar Teacher, in the Ottawa Valley/North Grenville Readers Choice Awards.
In 2021, Boyd released his 3rd solo album Last Seen in Canada, followed by a long-awaited return to the stage.
Darren just returned from Nashville as a nominee for the JMAs at The Grand Ole Opry in time for a few local shows, and the release of his new album Thought & Scares. The music video for the first single. Misty Mundae, was released on November 10th.
-Official bio
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