Vernon Neilly was born May 10th to George and Verna Neilly at Clark Air Base in the Philippine Islands. Soon after his family moved to their native home of Nassau, Bahamas. Vernon's mother an accomplished pianist, violinist, would be very instrumental in his early musical development. Vernon studied piano, and sang in his grandfather's church choir at the age of 6, at 10 he started playing around with guitars. His family moved to Hawaii at age 14 when Vernon started playing in his first real performing band. He studied music all through high school, and played in various bands that did clubs, and casuals. Vernon then moved to Miami where he attended his last 2 years of college, this move put him in the company of people who would eventually be legends in the music business, such as Jaco Pastorious, Pat Metheny, "Narada" Michael Walden, and many others who attended Miami. Vernon a communications major after completing his studies, got a job working at the 1 radio station in South Florida WEDR as an air personality. Vernon also started playing with a Miami based group called "Unit III" who had a regional hit single, this would prove to be the launching of his professional career as a musician/producer/artists, and now label owner of his own company, Boosweet Records, a very well known independent label based in Los Angeles, Ca.
At this point Vernon has recorded with, toured with, produced for some of the most legendary names in the music business such as the late blues legend "Johnny Guitar Watson", "Pee Wee Crayton", Charles "Merry Christmas" Brown, "Mary Wells", "The Dramatics", Motown hit producer "Norman Whitfield", rap star "Warren G", "Howard Hewitt", "Teena Marie", Cuba Gooding Sr. (Main Ingredient), and many more.
He produced and mastered the 18 artist compilation disc "United By Tone" in conjunction with the worlds leading guitar pickup manufacturer, "Seymour Duncan". This highly acclaimed limited edition disc features some of the most notable names in the guitar world such as, Slash, Jerry Horton(Papa Roach), Jennifer Batten(Jeff Beck, Michael Jackson), Gary Hoey, Jimmy Bruno, Seymour Duncan , and Vernon, who's track "Nassau Nights" is the first song on the disc.
Vernon has just taken his career to the stratosphere with the release of his CD effort "G-Fire", which garnered a prestigious jazz award called the "Smoothie Award". This award was given for having a top 20 most played jazz release at commercial radio 2003-2004. The success of "G-Fire"was so substantial that it has allowed Vernon to sign a multi-year national retail deal for his label Boosweet Records with Synergy Distribution. Vernon has followed up on the success of "G-Fire," with "G-Fire II" currently playing nationally/internationally on commercial, college, cable, satellite, and Internet radio. Now "G-Fire II" also recently won the distinguished "Smoothie Award" making Vernon a 2 time consecutive winner. Vernon and the "G-Fire II" CD has also joined the top artist in contemporary jazz genre such as Herbie Hancock, Gerald Albright, Mindi Abair, Everett Harp, by ranking in the Top 10 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Albums Retail Charts.
Extending his career to film, Vernon can also be seen on the big screen in three major film company releases, Universals "Along Came Polly", Warner Bros. "Starsky and Hutch", and a new major film release he just finished shooting recently to be released in early 2008 called "Walk Hard". He has also appeared in the UPN Network’s hit television sitcom "One On One".
Always wanting to give back, last year Vernon and his label "Boosweet Records" teamed up with Steve Vai and his label "Favored Nations" in a monster online giveaway contest called "Six String Extravaganza". Winners from this givaway won some great gear and merchandise such as a guitar, wah wah, stompboxes, t-shirts, hats, signature picks, CD's, and much more that were donated by both labels and sponsors of both Vernon and Steve that were involved.
Vernon is endorsed by some of the biggest music equipment manufacturers and music software companies in the world, such as Seymour Duncan, Morely, Digitech, Cakewalk, Meteoro Amps, Giannini Strings, Jim Dunlop, Levys Bags and Straps, Onerr, Xotic Effects, Nady Wireless, Sony Media Software, Antares Software. His signature electric guitars that he designed are 100% handmade by Tagima Guitars of Brazil, and his signature acoustic steel/nylon string guitars are handmade for him by Giannini Guitars of Brazil.
