Named after famed Dutch guitarist Eddy Christiani, the honor is awarded to a guitarist who has earned his merit in the international pop circuit and who has, just like Christiani, given an invaluable contribution to the development of the electric guitar. Previous honorees include Leendert Haaksma (2006), Dany Lademacher (2007), Adrian Vandenberg (2008),
Jan Akkerman (2009) and Steve Lukather (2010).
May will receive the honor when he attends the Award ceremony in the Arsenaaltheater in Vlissingen, in the Dutch province of Zeeland, on April 23.
The jury report of chairman of the jury, and music journalist, Jean-Paul Heck says: “Brian May is one of the most influential guitarists of the last 40 years. May has influenced thousands of guitar players all over the world and many current superstars started out playing guitar because of him. May’s guitar play has an amazing recognizability. Within five seconds, you can hear that it is him. The tone, the timing, it is all equally unique. Aside from that, he is also an unbelievably talented song writer. Together with Jimmy Page and Eddie Van Halen, May belongs to the most influential guitarists of his generation."
Brian May and Queen have held the limelight for 40 years and continue to do so. Their 40th anniversary in 2011 is cause for an enormous celebration. This spring their first five albums will be re-released with a new look; other albums will follow later in the year. In addition, the FREE exhibition in London called 'Stormtroopers in Stillettos' is up and running, and a Hollywood film about the life of Freddie Mercury is planned, while the musical "We Will Rock You" continues to enthral people around the world.
Tickets for the Eddy Christiani Awards ceremony go on sale March 8; ticket details – in Dutch – can be viewed here.
Queen Queen – Sheer Heart Attack
See also:
Queen exhibition opens in London
Major Queen exhibition opens this weekend in London
Queen: Deep Cuts Vol. 1 (1973-76) due next month
Queen: first 5 albums to be reissued in March
Queen to celebrate 40th Anniversary in 2011
