Photo: Vtpeters / CC BY 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Derek Sherinian is one of those musicians who quietly ends up on more landmark records than you'd ever expect. I've always been fascinated by how someone who grew up in sun-soaked Laguna Beach ended up becoming one of the most technically ferocious keyboardists in prog and hard rock. His years with Dream Theater — from 1994 to 1999 — cemented his reputation, and the way he held his own alongside John Petrucci and Mike Portnoy says everything about his chops. But what impresses me most is what he built after: Planet X pushed fusion into genuinely alien territory, Black Country Communion brought classic-rock swagger with serious muscle, and Sons of Apollo put him back in a room full of virtuosos where he more than belonged. A Berklee-trained guy who never sounds academic — just heavy, inventive, and completely locked in.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Derek Sherinian
- Name (Japanese)
- デレク・シェリニアン
- Reading
- でれく・しぇりにあん
- Born
- August 25, 1966 (age 59)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Virgo / Horse
- Origin
- Laguna Beach, California, United States
- Occupation
- musician / composer / pianist / record producer / guitarist
2. Background
- High school
- Soquel High School
- University
- Berklee College of Music
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Derek Sherinian born?
Born August 25, 1966 (age 59).
Where is Derek Sherinian from?
Derek Sherinian is from Laguna Beach, California, United States.
What does Derek Sherinian do?
Derek Sherinian works as musician, composer, pianist, record producer, guitarist.
Musician — see all → · Composer — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.