Chris Manning, Texas guitarist, songwriter, and session player. As an artist with a wide-variety of musical tastes, Chris' music remains difficult to categorize. Heavily influenced by rock heavy weights Jimi Hendrix, King's X, Deep Purple, Jimmy Page, Joe Satriani, Bruce Kulick, and George Lynch as well as ambient artist Craig Chaquico, Chris' style balances technique and melody. C4 is Chris's original rock band with influences as diverse as Alice in Chains, Led Zeppelin, Soundgarden, and King's X while performing the songs from the "Destination" & "Reach The Sky" albums.
To date, he has released four guitar-oriented instrumental CD's spanning multiple genres plus his latest album "Reach The Sky" featuring the vocal talents of Cris Hodges and is well received internationally. Chris was featured in Guitar Player magazine (Dec 2008), and shared stages with Drowning Pool, George Lynch and Lynch Mob, Michael Schenker, Dokken, Stephen Pearcy (Ratt), and Dangerous Toys. He is also a founding member of The Zeppelin Project, one of the top Zeppelin tributes in the southwest.
EPK
"Chris Manning is a talented guitarist with a unique style and approach." - Bruce Kulick (KISS, Grand Funk)
"Manning is a really talented guitarist. While “Reach The Sky” is based on classic melodic hard rock structures, there’s variation and some darkness in a couple of tracks making the album much more balanced. We find some Lynch Mob feeling here and there, and a places, more elaborated arrangements, even closer to King’s X." - 0DayRox
"Fans of Alice in Chains, Lynch Mob, KISS, and King’s X will love this album and its perfect blend of Manning’s influences." - metaldevastationradio.com
"This is a very personal and positive record with some of the most excellent musicianship you will ever hear." - im-musicmagazine.com
"Reach The Sky - A Sonic Odyssey Blurring Genres and Styles
This album isn't just your run-of-the-mill metal release – it's a journey through genre-blurring soundscapes that'll leave you dazed, amazed, and begging for more. Manning's songwriting prowess is on full display as he effortlessly weaves melodic rock and metal into cinematic tapestries of sound. Cris Hodges, the vocal virtuoso, adds his spellbinding voice to the mix, hitting those high notes with the precision of a marksman." - radiopapyjeff.com