Chris Burney

Chris Burney was born in Wichita Falls, Texas. He met Jaret Reddick in high school in 1986. During the 1980s, Burney and Reddick were influenced by heavy metal bands such as Quiet Riot, RATT, and Mötley Crüe, alongside punk rock artists like the Ramones and Green Day. Burney’s family owned “The Refuge,” a coffeehouse in Wichita Falls with a music stage, where he performed with his first band, the Persecuted. He later joined Reddick’s band coolfork! which evolved into Bowling for Soup.

Burney co-founded Bowling for Soup on June 4, 1994, in Wichita Falls, Texas, serving as the lead guitarist and providing backing vocals. The band later relocated to Denton, Texas, in 1996. Throughout his tenure, Bowling for Soup signed with Jive Records in the late 1990s and released several albums that gained commercial recognition, including “Drunk Enough to Dance” (2002) and “A Hangover You Don’t Deserve” (2004). Burney was an integral part of the band’s tours, music videos, and general creative output for over 30 years.

In 2024, after experiencing medical concerns that led him to return home from the Firenze Rocks Festival, Chris Burney announced his official retirement from Bowling for Soup on January 22, 2025. His retirement was due to medical developments and the cumulative effect of constant touring over three decades. The band confirmed they would not replace him, continuing as a three-piece, acknowledging his legendary status within the group.