Galen grew up in Lubbock, TX - the home of Buddy Holly. He started playing guitar when he was 11 or 12 and played in working cover bands ever since high school. After a couple of semesters of recording classes at college, he landed a gig with a local sound company and has been on the road ever since... mostly taking care of band gear and teching guitars. He's worked for Nashville acts for the most part: Vince Gill, Reba McEntire, Clint Black, but has fallen in with the speedy guitar player set over the last few years, working for Joe, Steve Vai, and Dream Theater, as well as looking after Joe's G3 tours. In 2000, he started production managing on the Engines of Creation tour and when Joe called to see if he was available for the Strange Beautiful Music tour, he asked if he'd mind also playing some rhythm guitar on some songs in the show. He's of course happy to oblige!

When not wearing one of his tour job hats, he enjoys spending time with his lovely wife, Ronda; kids, Jon (who'll be Matt's bass tech on the SBM tour) and Nicole; chihuahuas, Ben and Jerry Garcia; and cats, Tut and Mimi.