Derek Sherinian
A keyboard warlord who brought thunderous, guitar-shaming riffs and prog-metal virtuosity to the rock and metal mainstream.
Born 1966 (age 60)·American keyboardist·Birthday: August 25·Generation X
Biography
Derek Sherinian didn't just play keyboards; he weaponized them. Emerging from the Los Angeles session scene, he cut his teeth on the road with Alice Cooper and Billy Idol, learning the art of rock spectacle. His technical prowess found its ultimate proving ground when he joined Dream Theater, where for five albums he pushed the band's symphonic ambitions and locked into rhythmic battles with drummer Mike Portnoy. After his departure, he didn't fade; he doubled down, founding the futuristic instrumental outfit Planet X and becoming a sought-after mercenary for hard rock royalty. His solo albums are sonic playgrounds, notorious for assembling jaw-dropping lineups of guitar heroes—from Slash to Malmsteen to Vai—whom he often matches note for note with his Hammond organ and synth textures. Sherinian redefined the keyboardist's role in heavy music, trading tinkling arpeggios for churning, percussive riffs that command the front of the mix.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Derek was born in 1966, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Derek Was Born
The biggest hits of 1966
#1 Movie
The Bible: In the Beginning
Best Picture
A Man for All Seasons
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Derek's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1966Born
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1971Started school
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1979Became a teenager
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Could drive
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1984Could vote
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Turned 21
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1996Turned 30
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 40
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 50
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 60
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the keyboardist for Dream Theater during a pivotal period, contributing to albums including 'Falling into Infinity' and 'Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory'.
- Founded the pioneering progressive metal/fusion band Planet X with drummer Virgil Donati.
- Was a founding member of the supergroup Black Country Communion with Glenn Hughes, Joe Bonamassa, and Jason Bonham.
- Has released a series of influential solo albums featuring a 'who's who' of rock and metal guitar virtuosos.
Did You Know?
He was originally hired by Billy Idol not just as a keyboardist, but also to help the rock star get back into shape as a personal trainer.
He is known for his distinctive 'wall' of keyboard amps on stage, often stacked as high as a guitarist's speaker cabinets.
He briefly attended the Berklee College of Music on a scholarship.
He played on Alice Cooper's 1991 album 'Hey Stoopid' and toured extensively with him.
“I approach the keyboard like a guitar player. I want to be in the front line, trading solos.”
