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DelcoTimes.com .Entertainment.Essington woman is the model of rock ‘n roll
Published: Wednesday, August 12, 2009
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By Laura Wiseley, Times Correspondent
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Just a few short years ago, Courtney Cox was treating her Essington neighbors to the sounds of her self-taught guitar stylings from her Seneca Avenue garage.
Now Cox is entertaining fans onstage and off, rocking out with tribute band “The Iron Maidens” in L.A. and posing for Guitar World magazine as runner-up in its annual model search.
It’s been a busy year for the 21-year-old self-taught guitarist, who graduated from Interboro High School in 2006. In addition to performing onstage as “Adriana Smith,” a female version of Iron Maiden’s Adrian Smith, she’s one of Jackson Guitar’s featured artists and has been writing her own tunes with her musician boyfriend.
And to think, it all started in a garage in Essington.
“I come from a very musically inclined family,” Cox said. “My mom plays guitar, my dad plays drums, my brother Rick is a metal drummer, and my brother Matt played the trumpet.”
In the fourth grade, Cox joined the school band as a keyboardist. That summer, she taught herself to play clarinet, and the following summer, learned to play the flute.
“When I was 13, my brother introduced me to the music of Metallica, and it was their lead guitarist, Kirk Hammett, who influenced me into picking up the guitar and practicing day and night,” she said. “I played relentlessly until I taught myself to play with proficiency.”
Recognizing her daughter’s musical talents, Cox’s mother, Joanne, enrolled her at the Paul Green School of Rock in Philadelphia, where she got her first taste of performing onstage.
“After only a month in the program, I became a member of the School of Rock’s coveted All Stars,” Cox said. “I toured the country and played with such legendary rock stars as Jon Anderson from YES, Adrian Belew from King Crimson, George Lynch from Dokken, Perry Ferrell from Jane’s Addiction, and Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter.”
Cox left the School of Rock for a teaching gig at the Wilmington School of Rock. From there, it was off to Los Angeles, where she accepted an invitation to be a guest performer with the Iron Maidens, billed as the “World’s Only All-Female Tribute to Iron Maiden.” She was invited to join the band permanently immediately afterward.
“The Iron Maidens have performed worldwide, and we currently have shows booked throughout the U.S., South America, Puerto Rico, and the U.K.,” Cox said. “Hopefully, we will play the East Coast soon.”
Since 2006, Cox has also been one of Jackson Guitar’s featured artists and has her own page on its Web site, www.jacksonguitars.com. She plays their Adrian Smith signature San Dimas DK model guitar on stage, and has endorsements with a variety of other music companies, such as Peavey, Dunlop, GHS, Digitech and BBE.
She’s also trying to establish a modeling career, and was recently named first runner-up in the Guitar World Magazine Model Search. Her photo and biography are featured in the magazine’s 2010 Buyer’s Guide, which hit newsstands July 11.
Cox’s complete photo shoot can be viewed at www.guitarworld.com.
Cox is also working on her own music, collaborating with her boyfriend, John Kevill, the lead singer of thrash metal band “Warbringer.” She counts Glen Tipton, Alex Skolnick, Adrian Smith, Andy Laroque and Paul Gilbert among her musical influences.
To learn more about Courtney Cox and The Iron Maidens, visit www.theironmaidens.com.
DelcoTimes.com .Entertainment.Essington woman is the model of rock ‘n roll
Published: Wednesday, August 12, 2009
More Photos
Click thumbnails to enlarge
By Laura Wiseley, Times Correspondent
Click to enlarge
Just a few short years ago, Courtney Cox was treating her Essington neighbors to the sounds of her self-taught guitar stylings from her Seneca Avenue garage.
Now Cox is entertaining fans onstage and off, rocking out with tribute band “The Iron Maidens” in L.A. and posing for Guitar World magazine as runner-up in its annual model search.
It’s been a busy year for the 21-year-old self-taught guitarist, who graduated from Interboro High School in 2006. In addition to performing onstage as “Adriana Smith,” a female version of Iron Maiden’s Adrian Smith, she’s one of Jackson Guitar’s featured artists and has been writing her own tunes with her musician boyfriend.
And to think, it all started in a garage in Essington.
“I come from a very musically inclined family,” Cox said. “My mom plays guitar, my dad plays drums, my brother Rick is a metal drummer, and my brother Matt played the trumpet.”
In the fourth grade, Cox joined the school band as a keyboardist. That summer, she taught herself to play clarinet, and the following summer, learned to play the flute.
“When I was 13, my brother introduced me to the music of Metallica, and it was their lead guitarist, Kirk Hammett, who influenced me into picking up the guitar and practicing day and night,” she said. “I played relentlessly until I taught myself to play with proficiency.”
Recognizing her daughter’s musical talents, Cox’s mother, Joanne, enrolled her at the Paul Green School of Rock in Philadelphia, where she got her first taste of performing onstage.
“After only a month in the program, I became a member of the School of Rock’s coveted All Stars,” Cox said. “I toured the country and played with such legendary rock stars as Jon Anderson from YES, Adrian Belew from King Crimson, George Lynch from Dokken, Perry Ferrell from Jane’s Addiction, and Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter.”
Cox left the School of Rock for a teaching gig at the Wilmington School of Rock. From there, it was off to Los Angeles, where she accepted an invitation to be a guest performer with the Iron Maidens, billed as the “World’s Only All-Female Tribute to Iron Maiden.” She was invited to join the band permanently immediately afterward.
“The Iron Maidens have performed worldwide, and we currently have shows booked throughout the U.S., South America, Puerto Rico, and the U.K.,” Cox said. “Hopefully, we will play the East Coast soon.”
Since 2006, Cox has also been one of Jackson Guitar’s featured artists and has her own page on its Web site, www.jacksonguitars.com. She plays their Adrian Smith signature San Dimas DK model guitar on stage, and has endorsements with a variety of other music companies, such as Peavey, Dunlop, GHS, Digitech and BBE.
She’s also trying to establish a modeling career, and was recently named first runner-up in the Guitar World Magazine Model Search. Her photo and biography are featured in the magazine’s 2010 Buyer’s Guide, which hit newsstands July 11.
Cox’s complete photo shoot can be viewed at www.guitarworld.com.
Cox is also working on her own music, collaborating with her boyfriend, John Kevill, the lead singer of thrash metal band “Warbringer.” She counts Glen Tipton, Alex Skolnick, Adrian Smith, Andy Laroque and Paul Gilbert among her musical influences.
To learn more about Courtney Cox and The Iron Maidens, visit www.theironmaidens.com.
