Genres Rock Associated acts Blue October Occupation(s) Guitarist Name C. Hudson | Instruments Vocals
Guitar Role Musician Labels Universal Records | |
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Born October 8, 1974 (age 49) ( 1974-10-08 ) Movies Blue October: Argue with a Tree Albums History for Sale, Sway, Argue with a Tree, Any Man in America, Ugly Side: An Acoustic | ||
Music group Blue October (Since 2001) | ||
Charles Britton "C.B." Hudson III (born October 8, 1974, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) is an American musician best known as being the lead guitarist of the rock band Blue October.
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Hudson grew up in Dallas and received his first guitar on his 10th birthday. He was influenced by MTV, was a fan of heavy metal and early on was influenced by guitarists Steve Vai, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Joe Satriani, and Eric Johnson. Later, Hudson explored the music of jazz guitarists such as Norman Brown and George Benson.
Hudson played lead guitar in the jazz band at Lake Highlands High School, and upon graduating, he attended Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, earning a degree in psychology in 1999. He then decided to continue his education and enrolled in the MBA program. In October 2000, Hudson was having lunch at the Kismet Café in San Marcos and met Justin Furstenfeld of Blue October. Hudson introduced himself and passed along his demo recording to Furstenfeld. Hudson auditioned for the band, and was invited to be lead guitarist. Hudson's first concert with Blue October was December 9, 2000, at Lion's Pavilion in San Marcos. At the end of the Fall 2000 semester, Hudson left grad school with nine hours remaining on his degree, and joined Blue October's Consent to Treatment tour.
Consent to Treatment did not sell as well as had been hoped, and in 2002 Blue October was dropped from Universal Records. The band decided to continue independently and toured through the end of 2002.
On Blue October's next album, History for Sale, Hudson's heavy metal influence is especially apparent in the song "Somebody" which Hudson co-wrote with Justin Furstenfeld and Blue Miller. In 2003, the band released the album on independent Dallas-based label Brando Records. With their new album, the band tried once more for a major-label deal. They showcased the new material in New York City, and it was the song "Somebody" that sealed a new contract with Universal.
For Blue October's album, Foiled, Hudson wrote the music for the popular song "18th Floor Balcony" and his jazz influence shines during live performances of "Everlasting Friend" which features a jazz guitar solo to close the song.
C.B. continues to write and record jazz-influenced instrumental solo material under his publishing name Reflxblue.
Hudson married former Houston Texans Cheerleader and choreographer, Elizabeth "Betsy" Rhett Young, in Austin, Texas January 16, 2010. They have a daughter, Ella James Hudson, who was born August 30, 2012. The couple's second child, Charles Britton Hudson IV was born September 29, 2016.
On December 14, 2010 it was announced that C.B. Hudson was leaving Blue October to build a recording studio in Austin, which was opened on March 16, 2013, under the name Orb Recording Studios in partnership with Matt Noveskey. Although he was no longer a member of the band, he contributed guitar to Blue October's 2011 single "The Chills" which appeared on their album Any Man in America. In 2013 C.B. rejoined Blue October for a three-show run in Texas. The band also tweeted photos from the studio recording sessions for their album Sway which pictured C.B. playing guitar. In April 2013 Blue October announced that C.B had officially rejoined the band. C.B. played with the band for the entire Sway tour from 2013 through 2015, and recorded the band's eighth studio album Home in 2015. However, Hudson again departed the band in early 2016 following a collarbone injury from an off-road motorcycle accident.