When Sean Hurwitz (www.seanhurwitz.com) left his native Israel in April 2003 to chase his musical dreams in Los Angeles, he gave himself a generous timeline of 10 years to make it, and ended up achieving his goals way ahead of schedule.
After paying his dues, he networked and gigged with indie artists like crazy while working at
Guitar Center and for its corporate affiliate GC Pro. Within three and a half years, the multi-talented 36-year-old guitarist, producer and songwriter had scored his first signed artist touring gig with Anna Nalick. Since then, he's amassed a genre-expansive list of credits, adding his melodic soul and rhythmic muscle to studio dates and tours by Judith Hill, Jordy Towers (SomeKindaWonderful), Gin Blossoms, Chris Wallace, Ferras and many others.
While keeping guitar work for other artists the focus, Hurwitz achieved concurrent success writing, producing and recording hundreds of songs that have been licensed to TV, film and radio worldwide. His credits include "Jersey Shore," "American Pie Presents The Book of Love," "The Voice" and "Last Call with Carson Daly."
After several years recording and touring the globe with
Smash Mouth (since 2011), including shows in Iraq and Kuwait, Hurwitz joined forces with global Latin superstar
Enrique Iglesias in the summer of 2015. Playing electric and acoustic guitar along with some flamenco and classical nylon string guitar, the self-described "rock/funk/blues" driven musician has been on the road extensively, playing throughout Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East - including two dates in his native Israel.
Though his touring with
Smash Mouth helped introduce Hurwitz to global audiences, his career is now in official high-profile overdrive with Iglesias.
Born to American parents who still live in Israel, Hurwitz grew up equally enamored by Israeli artists Gidi Gov and Mashina, and mainstream rock legends Eric Clapton, Pink Floyd,
Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi) and Led Zeppelin. He started on piano at age 7 but switched to guitar after being hooked by Marty McFly's rocking out on the Gibson ES-345 in "Back to the Future." His father taught him his first chords, after which he was largely self- educated on guitar. He also had opportunities as a teenager to learn about producing successful live shows.
Hurwitz studied sound engineering in Tel Aviv, where he later secured a job with Shuli Oded, owner of the Musical Connection sound and lighting outfit. By 21, he was a popular audio engineer and stage tech, working with some of Israel's hottest artists such as Hadag Nachash, Berry Sacharof, Monica Sex, Knesiyat Hasechel, Hemi Rudner, Eran Zur and Yeremi Kaplan to name a few.
A terrorist attack at the Tel Aviv location for a popular chain venue he played many times in Jerusalem shocked him into the reality that if he was going to make it as a musician, the U.S. was his best option.
Moving to L.A., Hurwitz began pounding the pavement and got the perfect job for a guitarist looking to immerse himself in the industry and make connections. "I thought I would be working at
Guitar Center for six months, and three and a half years later, I was still going strong," he laughs. "I worked on the floor there for nine months and then was promoted to assistant to the store manager before working as logistics manager for GC Pro, which dealt with large companies needing mass quantities of equipment. I left the safety net when I realized I could make a living from the seven indie bands I was playing with on a regular basis. A year later I was touring with Anna, and everything started snowballing."
Hurwitz attributes his success as a musician to two basic personal attributes: strong work ethic and attention to detail. His early work in audio, lighting and recording studios helped lay the foundation for his career as a musician because he developed an affinity for learning quickly and rising to steep challenges.
He remembers when he got the first call from
Smash Mouth telling him they needed him to come with them to Iraq in a week. He had five days to learn 23 songs. He recalls that being the moment where his work ethic and attention to detail came to fruition. He eagerly embraced the next step of his journey.
"Every artist I play with, I hope to leave an indelible mark of a true professional," he says. "I come in and give it everything I've got. Everything I have studied about sound comes into play. I don't just listen to a part and imitate it; I bring in all my experience to take it to the next level. The other thing I'm known for is playing it the way those who hire me want it played. I do countless hours of research, and I do it well based on what they need from me. I always try to do what the artist wants.
"When I'm playing with Enrique, I don't have my sights set on being a recording artist, as if this incredible job is me just biding time. Instead, I look forward to waking up, getting on a plane to Ecuador and performing before 20,000 people in a beautiful arena with spotlights and cameras all around. Every time I'm up there, I realize that I'm living my dream."
Photo Credit: Miranda Costa
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