Jennifer Batten, world renowned guitarist, will share stories from her extraordinary music career, from early inspiration to performing on some of the world’s biggest stages. Inspired by seeing the Beatles at age 6, she pursued music through years of study before moving to Los Angeles to attend the Musicians Institute.
Jennifer will talk about auditioning for Michael Jackson and spending ten years touring globally with his band, as well as recording and touring with British guitar icon Jeff Beck. She will also share the realities of life as a professional musician, including the “in between” years, and how creativity and diversification can sustain a long career.
Later that same day, Jennifer Batten and Full Steam will take the stage as the headliner for the Wilsonville Summer Concert at Town Center Park. For more information, visit https://www.wilsonvilleconcerts.com/
The Rotary Club of Wilsonville meets weekly Thursdays at noon to carry out its purpose of providing service and fellowship to members and the Wilsonville community. Guests are welcome. Lunch is available off the menu; please arrive and order by 11:45 a.m. if you are ordering lunch. For more information, email president@wilsonvillerotary.com.
Official bio:
Jennifer Batten rose to prominence through the guitar underground, gaining recognition from guitar magazines for her innovative approach to electric guitar. She was selected from over 100 guitarists to join Michael Jackson’s touring band, where she spent ten years performing worldwide on the BAD, DANGEROUS, and HISTORY tours, including the Super Bowl XXVI halftime show.
Between tours, she released solo albums and was later invited to join British guitar icon Jeff Beck’s band, contributing to albums and international tours. Jennifer has also toured globally with her solo multimedia show, held a guitar residency with Cirque du Soleil’s Zumanity in Las Vegas, authored books and instructional videos, and led music workshops around the world. She is a recipient of the She Rocks Icon Award and has been inducted into Guitar Player Magazine’s Gallery of the Greats. She now balances international touring with performing locally in Portland with her band, Full Steam.
