Kirk Wells found a way to prosper, create musical career

Kirk Wells is an Isle aux Morts native who says music, more specifically, the playing of the guitar, is etched in his blood.

Pursuing a career through music is something Wells always wanted, although it wasn’t an easy road. Through trial and tribulation, he never let anything get in the way of his destiny.

“I grew up in a family of guitars,” said Wells. “I was around it all the time, I moved around a lot as a teen so I found a comfort in playing my music.”

Growing up he would play his relative’s instruments. When he was 14 he got his own guitar and found a love for rhythm guitar and began learning every solo you could imagine.

During his time in Fort

St. John, Wells jammed with friends, played multiple gigs and was releasing

YouTube videos of his guitar material. It wasn’t until after gaining traction in the community that Wells decided he could pursue a career in music.

“When I was going out to concerts all these other bands would ask me to play guitar with them or be on stage with them,” said Wells.

“They were just bands in the local area but people were seeing my ability. People would come up and be like, ‘Wells last night was sick!’ That's when I decided to invest in myself.”

He built his own studio to produce studio-quality music from his home. He then got a job in the forestry industry and things got rocky.

“I was like 19 and I had a job that was paying me way more than I needed,” said Wells. “I got wrapped up in the drinking and cocaine. I was spending crazy money.”

For nine years Wells battled with addiction. There were two moments he considers his bottom: selling 22 of his guitars and when he went to a Jiu-Jitsu class and couldn’t handle the physical activity.

“I didn’t have a guitar and I was a mess,” said Wells. “So, a friend of mine invited me to Jiu-Jitsu class. When I was there, I was like, ‘wow, I should not feel like this; especially at 22.’ That day I decided I was done. I quit everything cold turkey.”

Wells has now been sober for seven years and just welcomed his second child into the world.

But it was four years into his sobriety when things got interesting.

“I went to an audio summit in Orlando and Vegas,” said Wells.

“There are people from all over at these events. It’s really for networking so I met a couple of people there and one guy was looking for guitar stringers. I told him to send me the material and I would try to record over it and that’s when he introduced me to a band known as Glazia.”

Glazia is a metal band based out of Long Island, New York and frontman George Tedesco loved

Wells’ material and decided to make him a permanent member of the group.

To this day, Wells hasn’t met any members or been with the band in person. He records remotely.

“They don’t tour; they just want to put out quality albums,” said Wells. “They’ll send me a demo with their ideas and they let me have my creative output and add my solos, then I will send it back.”

Glazia has two albums and the second features Wells’ efforts.

With offers on the table for the band, Wells says there’s no current plan for him to go to Long Island.

“We plan to just market the music and if it grows from there, well then I would consider it.”

Wells is also pushing to create his first solo project in the coming year.

His message is: regardless of hardships, attaining your dream is possible if you believe in yourself.

“Everything I do, I try to stay true to myself; there is no need to copy what someone else does … and look at it as an investment in yourself.”