Keyboardist
Arlan Schierbaum started dabbling with the keyboards at the tender age of three. His parents quickly signed him up for piano lessons the very next year, and soon he was playing organ at the local church in his South East Los Angeles neighborhood. Growing up, Schierbaum was exposed to a lot of popular music and culture from the 60s and 70s, listening to Deep Purple, Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, and Jerry Lee Lewis, and watching television programs that featured music like Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, Hee Haw and The Lawrence Welk Show. This would all have a profound impact upon his career.
In his early teens, he played in country, rock and Christian rock bands in the Mojave Desert. Furthering his musical reach, Schierbaum studied music theory, voice, composition, electronic synthesis and recording engineering in college. At the same time, he continued gaining valuable experience and expanding into Broadway show tunes, contemporary jazz, Top 40, funk and R&B.
In the 90s, Schierbaum moved to Hollywood to kick-start a career as a professional musician. That decision helped him gain the respect and friendship of many musicians and industry professionals. A commitment to vintage keyboards and real instruments has earned him gigs with Mindi Abair, Joe Bonamasa, Billy Burke, Goldspot, John Hyatt, Richie Kotzen, Janiva Magness, Mandrill, the Pointer Sisters, Daniel Powter, Tiromachino, and many more.
The keyboardist appeared on Heaven & Earth’s two previous efforts, Heaven & Earth Featuring Stuart Smith and Windows to the World, so he’s no stranger to the possibilities. On Dig, Schierbaum and his Hammond are an essential ingredient of Heaven & Earth’s arsenal — a lethal counterpoint to Stuart Smith’s slicing guitar licks and the elegant lining behind Joe Retta’s vocals. Being part of a band like this suits his talents and ambitions.
