Biography
Kyle “Spirit Hitcher” Daniels is a Native American recording artist living in St. Louis, Missouri. His psychedelic guitar-based rock style sounds like Stevie Ray Vaughan meets Jerry Garcia and is inspired by bands like Pink Floyd and Blind Melon. His songs are explorations in soulful guitar, live percussion, and original composition. Spirit Hitcher’s mission is to inspire healing and unity through music, education, and the arts.
Kyle has been based in St. Louis, Missouri for the past two decades working with studios and bands locally and regionally. During this time, he has written and produced a catalog of original works while gaining skills, experience, and education in music and technology.
Adopted by a loving family in Lafayette, Indiana, Kyle adored music and played instruments from a young age. As a teenage musician, he was often misunderstood and this led him to develop a unique set of values and a mind set geared towards imagination and creativity.
Kyle was involved in the same Lafayette culture that had inspired Axl Rose and Shannon Hoon. He went to Jefferson High School and at age fifteen recorded with Mike Kelsey (Blind Melon) at Kelsey’s playground. He attended jam sessions at the Rage Cage on the north side of Lafayette with the band Make Rage (Axl Rose) and was jamming in Lafayette for years.
Kyle now believes in healthy living, moderation and abstaining from alcohol. He has over 13 years without drinking and wants to help people improve their quality of life by paying forward the knowledge and insights he has gained. Kyle completed a rehab program at Malibu Ranch in Malibu, CA and later became an employee/tech at the same clinic helping people find sobriety.
While in Los Angeles, Kyle was fortunate to receive help from the Recording Academy in the Music Cares program. He lived in a sober M.A.P. house in Santa Monica with other like-minded musicians. Kyle attended weekly network and speaker meetings at the Hollywood Music Union. Through his association with Malibu Ranch, local NA/AA meetings and Music Cares, he was able to work with and learn from many accomplished industry professionals.
It was while he was living in California that Kyle realized his life purpose was as a songwriter and he wanted to focus on creating a music catalog. This shift in focus also coincided with a special opportunity to relocate to a peaceful place on Lake of the Ozarks that brought a much needed change of pace.
During this time Kyle got involved with the St. Louis music scene. Steve Ewing (The Urge) was his vocal coach and worked with him in stage and studio performances as producer and collaborator. He was also touring with New Orleans band Buddy Dees and the Cruisers across the region anywhere from Put-In-Bay, Ohio to New Orleans, Louisiana.
Kyle earned his Diploma in Recording Engineering and Producing at E.I. by Nelly in 2017, where he also gained Avid Pro Tools certification. This was his defining educational experience, opening him up to a world of inspiration and possibilities. Through E.I., Kyle learned from elite educators like Carl Nappa (Nelly, NSYNC), with whom he later earned commercial credits as Assistant Engineer with JAY E (Nelly) and Miss Robbie (Tina Turner).
Spirit Hitcher hopes to help people find common ground with one another and to make universal connections through music and the arts.
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