Editing Jason Becker (section)

== Biography and career ==
=== Early years ===
Becker was born in Richmond Hospital on 23rd Street on July 22, 1969, and raised in Richmond, California, by his parents, Gary and Patricia (Heffley) Becker. His maternal grandfather was actor [[Wayne Heffley]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0373593/bio |website=IMDb.com |title=Biography for Wayne Heffley |access-date=December 21, 2013 |archive-date=March 27, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160327040431/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0373593/bio |url-status=live }}</ref> He was exposed to the guitar at an early age by both his father and his uncle who were guitar players. He absorbed all kinds of music from around the world and melded different aspects of each style into his playing. He cited [[Bob Dylan]], [[Eric Clapton]], [[Jimi Hendrix]] and [[Eddie Van Halen]] as early influences.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/jason-becker-may-issue-previously-unreleased-songs-written-with-david-lee-roth/ |title=Jason Becker may issue previously unreleased songs written with David Lee Roth |publisher=blabbermouth.net |date=2015-01-07 |access-date=2015-11-27 |archive-date=December 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208144218/http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/jason-becker-may-issue-previously-unreleased-songs-written-with-david-lee-roth/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Cacophony and solo career===
Becker started out playing alongside [[Marty Friedman (guitarist)|Marty Friedman]] in the Mike Varney-produced duo, [[Cacophony (band)|Cacophony]].<ref name="LarkinHR">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Virgin Encyclopedia of Heavy Rock]]|editor=[[Colin Larkin (writer)|Colin Larkin]]|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|date=1999|edition=First|isbn=0-7535-0257-7|page=53}}</ref> Together, they put out two albums, ''[[Speed Metal Symphony]]'' and ''[[Go Off!]]'' and toured Japan and the U.S.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-05-01 |title=Cacophony Guitar Duel: Jason Becker and Marty Friedman Shoot It Out in Japan |url=https://jasonbecker.com/cacophony-guitar-duel-jason-becker-and-marty-friedman-shoot-it-out-in-japan/ |access-date=2025-03-30 |website=Jason Becker |language=en-US}}</ref> While they never went mainstream in the U.S., they proved popular enough in Europe to sell out almost every performance.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://ww1.theguitarfiles.com/?sub1=85215f36-e57d-11eb-a09f-e8b4cc8214ce |access-date=July 15, 2021 |title=Archived copy |archive-date=July 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210715151002/http://ww1.theguitarfiles.com/?sub1=85215f36-e57d-11eb-a09f-e8b4cc8214ce |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1989 Becker joined [[David Lee Roth]]'s solo band, having released his first solo album titled ''[[Perpetual Burn]]'' in 1988, while Friedman joined [[Megadeth]] in 1990.<ref name="LarkinHR"/> He has since released the albums ''[[Perspective (Jason Becker album)|Perspective]]'', ''[[Collection (Jason Becker album)|Collection]]'' and ''[[Triumphant Hearts]]'', as well as two albums of demos, entitled ''[[The Raspberry Jams]]'' and ''[[The Blackberry Jams]]''.

===Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis diagnosis===
In 1989, Becker joined [[David Lee Roth]]'s solo band to work on his third album ''[[A Little Ain't Enough]]'', replacing [[Steve Vai]], who left the band to record and tour with [[Whitesnake]].<ref name="LarkinHR"/> While preparing for the album, Becker began to feel what he called a "lazy limp" in his left leg. He was soon diagnosed with [[amyotrophic lateral sclerosis]] (ALS; [[Lou Gehrig's disease]]) and was given three to five years to live. He finished the recording using lighter gauge guitar strings and other techniques, which made it easier for him to play with his weakening hands. Although he managed to finish the album, he did not join the supporting tour due to his inability to perform on stage; former [[Lizzy Borden (band)|Lizzy Borden]] guitarist [[Joe Holmes]] took Becker's place on tour.

His ALS gradually robbed him of his ability to play guitar, to walk, and eventually his ability to speak. He now communicates with his eyes via a system developed by his father. Due to the nature of the disease, he remains mentally sharp and, with the aid of a computer, continues [[Musical composition|composing]]. In the back of the ''Perspective'' CD case, Becker states "I have Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. It has crippled my body and speech, but not my mind." His medical condition has remained stable since 1997. In 2003, Becker posted on his website that he was feeling better and had gained some weight, while the folder for his 2008 album ''[[Collection (Jason Becker album)|Collection]]'' also mentions an upcoming book.

===''Perspective'' and ''Raspberry Jams''===
In 1996, Becker released an album called ''[[Perspective (Jason Becker album)|Perspective]]'', an instrumental album composed by him (with the exception of [[Bob Dylan]]'s song "[[Meet Me in the Morning]]"). The writing of the music had been started before ALS completely disabled his abilities. By using guitar, and, later, when he was unable to use both hands, a keyboard, he continued to compose while his disease worsened. However, when Becker could no longer even play the keyboard, his friend and music producer [[Mike Bemesderfer]]<ref>{{cite web|last=Gold|first=Jude|title=GuitarPlayer: Jason Becker|url=http://www.guitarplayer.com/article/jason-becker/9073|work=GuitarPlayer.com|access-date=October 2, 2013|archive-date=October 4, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004221906/http://www.guitarplayer.com/article/jason-becker/9073|url-status=live}}</ref> helped him with a music-composing computer program that reads movements of his head and eyes, enabling Becker to continue to compose after he lost control of the rest of his body.

Three years later, Becker released ''Raspberry Jams'' (1999) and ''Blackberry Jams'' (2003); the first contained various unreleased demo tracks, and the latter contained demo tracks and alternate versions of songs that were later reworked and published on other albums.

Two tribute albums to Jason Becker have been issued. Titled ''Warmth in the Wilderness I'' and ''Warmth in the Wilderness II,'' they feature guitarists such as [[Steve Vai]], [[Paul Gilbert]], [[Marty Friedman (guitarist)|Marty Friedman]], [[Joe Becker (musician)|Joe Becker]], [[Rusty Cooley]], and [[Mattias Eklundh]]. The album profits were sent to Becker to help him with his medical finances.

===''Collection''===
{{Main|Collection (Jason Becker album)}}
On November 4, 2008, [[Shrapnel Records]] released a new Becker album entitled ''Collection''. The album includes three new songs in addition to some older recordings (some previously unreleased) and features [[Marty Friedman (guitarist)|Marty Friedman]], [[Greg Howe]], [[Joe Satriani]], [[Michael Lee Firkins]], [[Steve Vai]], and [[Steve Hunter]].
<!--
'''Track listing:'''
# Rain
# River of Longing
# Images
# Opus Pocus
# Higher
# It's Showtime!
# Altitudes
# End of the Beginning
# River of Longing (Reprise)
# Meet Me in the Morning
# Air
# Electric Prayer for Peace
# Mandy's Throbbing Little Heart

'''Enhanced CD features:'''
# End of the Beginning Demos (5 Tracks)
# Go Off! Intro
# Noodling For Rob and Tony
-->

===''Boy Meets Guitar''===
On August 20, 2010, Becker declared that he was considering releasing an album of music he recorded when he was in his teenage years. He released this album, titled ''Boy Meets Guitar'', in 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jasonbeckerguitar.com/board/read.php?25,2300 |title=Becker confirming album project |publisher=Jasonbeckerguitar.com |access-date=2012-02-28 |archive-date=July 13, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713090626/http://jasonbeckerguitar.com/board/read.php?25,2300 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===''Triumphant Hearts''===
In October 2016, Becker launched a campaign to fund an album, which was initially estimated for release in July 2017. The campaign raised more than $100,000.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/1430340|title=Jason Becker's New Album|website=Indiegogo}}</ref> The album, ''[[Triumphant Hearts]]'', was released on December 7, 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://jasonbecker.com/|title=Jason Becker|website=Jason Becker|access-date=October 11, 2018|archive-date=October 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181006182039/http://www.jasonbecker.com/|url-status=live}}</ref>