List of famous guitarists born who were born in Illinois, listed alphabetically with photos when available. Many of these guitar players from Illinois are legends in the music world, each with their own innovative styles of play. If you play guitar, whether acoustic or electric, then these famous Illinois guitar players should be people you look up to. These are some of the best guitarists that have ever picked up the instrument, and whether they play rock, blues, metal or folk, these men and women are considered legends.
The list you're viewing is made up of many different items, like Eddie Vedder and Billy Corgan.
This list answers the questions, "What guitar players are from Illinois?" and "Who are famous Illinois guitarists?"
William Patrick Corgan Jr. (born March 17, 1967) is an American musician and songwriter, who is the lead singer, primary songwriter, guitarist, and sole permanent member of The Smashing ...more
Daniel Joseph Donegan (born August 1, 1968) is an American musician, who currently serves as the guitarist/keyboardist for heavy metal band Disturbed. Donegan began playing guitar as a teenager ...more
Daniel Gula is a musician in the Independent Rock band Redding. His style of guitar playing is known to be more pedal and effect oriented rather than complex guitar patterns. He currently lives ...more
Nils Hilmer Lofgren (born June 21, 1951) is an American rock musician, recording artist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Along with his work as a solo artist, he has been a member of ...more
Terry Alan Kath (January 31, 1946 – January 23, 1978) was an American musician and songwriter, best known as a founding member of the rock band Chicago. He played guitar and sang lead vocals on ...more
Paul Brandon Gilbert (born November 6, 1966) is an American hard rock and heavy metal guitarist. He is best known for being the co-founder of the band Mr. Big. He was also a member of Racer X, ...more
Eddie Vedder (born Edward Louis Severson III; December 23, 1964) is an American musician, multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter best known as the lead vocalist and one of three guitarists ...more
Gregory Arnold Tribbett Jr. (born November 7, 1968), is an American musician and songwriter who is the lead guitarist and backing vocalist of the heavy metal band Audiotopsy. He is also the lead ...more
Curtis Lee Mayfield (June 3, 1942 – December 26, 1999) was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer, and one of the most influential musicians behind soul and politically ...more
Alison Maria Krauss (born July 23, 1971) is an American bluegrass-country singer and musician. She entered the music industry at an early age, winning local contests by the age of 10 and ...more
Peter Lewis Kingston Wentz III (born June 5, 1979) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and record executive. He is best known for being the bassist, lyricist, and backing vocalist for ...more
Billy Zoom (born Tyson Kindell on February 20, 1948, in Savanna, Illinois) is an American guitarist, best known as one of the founders of the punk rock band X. He is an Orange, CA, resident and ...more
Carlos Johnson (born January 17, 1953) is an American blues guitarist and singer. He is left-handed, but plays a right-handed instrument upside-down like players such as Otis Rush, Albert King, ...more
James Yoshinobu Iha (井葉吉伸, Iha Yoshinobu) (born March 26, 1968) is an American rock musician. He is best known as a guitarist and co-founder of the alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins. ...more
Richard Bennett (born July 22, 1951) is an American guitarist and record producer. As a touring sideman, he performed with Neil Diamond for seventeen years and Mark Knopfler since 1994. As a ...more
Jay Walter Bennett (November 15, 1963 – May 24, 2009) was an American guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, engineer, producer, and singer-songwriter, best known as a member of the band Wilco from ...more
Thomas Richard Paxton (born October 31, 1937) is an American folk singer-songwriter who has had a music career spanning more than fifty years. In 2009, Paxton received a Grammy Lifetime ...more
Michael Bernard Bloomfield (July 28, 1943 – February 15, 1981) was an American guitarist and composer, born in Chicago, Illinois, who became one of the first popular music superstars of the ...more
Brendon Small (born February 15, 1975) is an American stand-up comedian, animator, actor, voice actor, writer, director, producer, singer and musician known for co-creating the animated series ...more
Patrick Martin Stumph (born April 27, 1984), known professionally as Patrick Vaughn Stump, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor and film composer. He is the lead ...more
Roger McGuinn (James Roger McGuinn, born James Joseph McGuinn III; July 13, 1942) is an American musician. He is best known for being the frontman of the Byrds. He was inducted into the Rock and ...more
