Tony Banks (musician)

Tony Banks
Banks performing with Genesis in 2022
Background information
Birth nameAnthony George Banks
Born (1950-03-27) 27 March 1950 (age 74)
East Hoathly with Halland, England
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • songwriter
  • composer
InstrumentKeyboards
Years active1967–present
Labels
Websitegenesis-music.com

Anthony George Banks (born 27 March 1950) is an English musician primarily known as the keyboardist and founding member of the rock band Genesis. Banks is also a prolific solo artist, releasing six solo studio albums that range through progressive rock, pop, and classical music.

Banks co-founded Genesis in 1967 while studying at Charterhouse. He was their keyboardist and one of their principal songwriters and lyricists. He became a frequent user of the Hammond T-102 organ, Mellotron, ARP Pro Soloist and Yamaha CP-70 piano. In the band's earliest years Banks would play acoustic guitar for some of the mellow and pastoral songs.

In 2010, Banks was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Genesis.[1] In 2011, he was included on MusicRadar's list of the 27 greatest keyboard players of all time.[2] In 2015, he was named "Prog God" at the Progressive Music Awards.[3]

  1. ^ Graff, Gary. "Genesis Says Peter Gabriel Missing Rock Hall Induction Is No 'Snub'". Billboard. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  2. ^ Solida, Scot (27 July 2011). "The 27 greatest keyboard players of all time". MusicRadar. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
  3. ^ "Singer Steven Wilson crowned prog rock king". BBC News. 4 September 2015. Retrieved 8 September 2015.