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The String Revolution – Redefining Guitar Music

GRAMMY®-winning guitar trio The String Revolution is redefining what guitar music can be. Blending rock, classical, jazz, world music, and cinematic influences, the group has built a distinctive sound around inventive arrangements, original compositions, and the chemistry of three very different guitarists.

The trio features Janet Robin, a former student of legendary guitarist Randy Rhoads who went on to tour and record with artists including Lindsey Buckingham, Meredith Brooks, and Air Supply. Robin was also named to Guitar Player Magazine’s “Top 50 Acoustic Guitarists” bonus list in 2017. Markus Illko is an award-winning Austrian composer, producer, and nylon-string guitarist whose cinematic sensibility and expansive musical background bring a distinctive voice to the group. Rober Luis, a Cuban-born guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, brings a rich rhythmic vocabulary, strong melodic instincts, and a wide-ranging musical background that adds another dimension to The String Revolution’s sound.

The String Revolution first gained attention with their debut EP Stringborn (2016) and follow-up album Red Drops (2019), produced by Matt Hyde (Rodrigo y Gabriela, Slipknot). Their reimagining of “Billie Jean” reached the Top 10 of Spotify’s LA Instrumental chart, and the group’s catalog has since surpassed 5 million streams. Known for putting their own stamp on iconic songs, the trio has reinvented classics including “Rocket Man” and “Englishman in New York,” while also creating original instrumental music that crosses genres and pushes the boundaries of the guitar trio format.

In 2022, The String Revolution teamed with Billy Idol guitarist Steve Stevens for an acoustic reinvention of the Ozzy Osbourne and Randy Rhoads classic “Crazy Train.” The following year, they collaborated with guitar virtuoso Tommy Emmanuel on a bold new instrumental arrangement of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues,” produced by John Carter Cash. The recording earned the group the 2024 GRAMMY® Award for Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella.

Their continuing exploration of iconic music led to a reimagining of Leonard Bernstein’s “America” from West Side Story, featuring Lakecia Benjamin on saxophone, Luis Conte on percussion, and Byron House on upright bass. Produced by John Carter Cash and Steve Schnur, the arrangement expands the trio’s signature guitar sound with jazz, Latin, orchestral, and cinematic elements.

Now The String Revolution takes that adventurous spirit even further with their new single “Bad Zombies,” arriving August 14 on Lakeshore Records and featuring acclaimed cellist Tina Guo. The track brings together the theme from the hugely popular Plants vs. Zombies video game and Billie Eilish’s global hit “bad guy.”

The connection between the two songs goes back years: Billie Eilish and FINNEAS played Plants vs. Zombies extensively growing up and were highly influenced by its theme music while writing “bad guy.” That connection inspired the concept behind “Bad Zombies,” with The String Revolution, Billie Eilish, and FINNEAS all contributing as arrangers. Rather than simply combining two recognizable songs, the track transforms them into an entirely new instrumental piece, incorporating intricate guitar work, cello, classical elements, and the trio’s signature sense of musical adventure.

With a GRAMMY® win, more than 5 million streams, and collaborations spanning rock, jazz, classical, and world music, The String Revolution continues to create music that is sophisticated, surprising, and unmistakably their own, proving that three guitars can open up an entire world of possibilities.