Musicians Famous Guitarists from Tennessee

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List of famous guitarists born who were born in Tennessee, listed alphabetically with photos when available. Many of these guitar players from Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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.

Examples of items on this list include Duane Allman and Carl Perkins.

This list answers the questions, "What guitar players are from Tennessee?" and "Who are famous Tennessee guitarists?"

1

Carl Smith Died at 83 (1927-2010) Carl Milton Smith was an American country music singer. Known as "Mister Country," Smith was the husband of June Carter and Goldie Hill, and the father of Carlene Carter. He was one of ...more

2

Chet Atkins Died at 77 (1924-2001) Chester Burton "Chet" Atkins was an American guitarist, occasional vocalist and record producer who, along with Owen Bradley, created the smoother country music style known as the ...more

3

Duane Allman Died at 25 (1946-1971) Howard Duane Allman was an American guitarist, session musician, co-founder and leader of the The Allman Brothers Band until his death in a motorcycle accident in 1971 at the age of 24. The ...more

4

Carl Perkins Died at 66 (1932-1998) Carl Lee Perkins was an American singer-songwriter who recorded most notably at Sun Records Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, beginning in 1954. His best-known song is "Blue Suede Shoes". ...more

5

Gary Talley age 71 Gary Talley is a celebrated guitarist, singer, songwriter and author. Gary Talley began his career as lead guitarist for the Grammy-nominated group "The Box Tops" who were famous for ...more

6

Waylon Payne age 46 Waylon Malloy Payne is an American country singer, songwriter, musician and actor. He is the son of the country singer Sammi Smith.

7

Ellen McIlwaine age 73 Ellen McIlwaine is an American singer-songwriter and musician best known for her career as a slide guitarist.

8

Randy Scruggs age 65 Randy Lynn Scruggs is a music producer, songwriter and guitarist. He had his first recording at the age of 13. He has won a Grammy Award and was twice named "Musician of the Year" at ...more

9

Arthur Gunter Died at 50 (1926-1976) Arthur Neal Gunter was an American blues guitarist and musician. He was best known for his song "Baby Let's Play House", which was later a hit single for Elvis Presley.

10

Norman Blake age 80 Norman Blake is an American instrumentalist, vocalist, and songwriter. In a career spanning more than 60 years Blake has played in a number of folk and country groups. He is considered one of ...more

11

Frank Stokes Died at 67 (1888-1955) Frank Stokes was an American blues musician, songster, and blackface minstrel, who is considered by many musicologists to be the father of the Memphis blues guitar style.

12

Bill Black Died at 39 (1926-1965) William Patton "Bill" Black, Jr. was an American musician and bandleader who is noted as one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. Black was the bassist in Elvis Presley's early trio ...more

13

Eric Gales age 44 Eric Gales is an American blues-rock guitarist, originally hailed as a child prodigy. As of 2011 Gales has recorded ten albums on major record labels, and has done session and tribute work. He ...more

14

Luther Dickinson age 45 Luther Andrews Dickinson is the lead guitarist and vocalist for the North Mississippi Allstars and for a time among the many lead guitarists for The Black Crowes. He hosts Guitar Xpress on the ...more

15

Harold Bradley age 92 Harold Bradley is an American country and pop guitarist.

16

Paul Worley age 68 Paul Worley is an American record producer and session guitarist, known primarily for his work in country music. Formerly a vice president at Sony BMG, he later joined the staff of Warner Bros. ...more

17

Bruce Bouillet age 53 Bruce "Einstein" Bouillet is a guitarist who played in the bands Racer X, The Scream, DC-10, and Epidemic.

18

Shawn Lane Died at 40 (1963-2003) Shawn Lane was an American musician who released two studio albums and collaborated with a variety of musicians including Ringo Starr, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon ...more

19

Abu Talib Died at 70 (1939-2009) Abu Talib was an African American blues and jazz guitarist, singer, and harmonica player.

20

Mark Warner Mark Warner is a musician from Nashville, Tennessee. Primarily a busy session guitarist, songwriter and producer who has contributed to many Rock and Pop music records. Warner has received ...more

21

Brownie McGhee Died at 81 (1915-1996) Walter Brown McGhee was a Piedmont blues singer and guitarist, best known for his collaborations with the harmonica player Sonny Terry.

22

Johnny Echols age 71 Johnny Echols is an American singer/songwriter and guitarist. He has played in bands with performers such as Little Richard, Billy Preston and Jimi Hendrix, and was the guitarist on many ...more

23

Luther Perkins Died at 40 (1928-1968) Luther Monroe Perkins was an American country music guitarist and a member of the Tennessee Three, the backup band for singer Johnny Cash. Perkins was an iconic figure in what would become known ...more

24

Luther Tucker Died at 57 (1936-1993) Luther Tucker was an American blues guitarist. While soft spoken and shy, Tucker made his presence known through his unique and clearly recognizable guitar style. Tucker helped to define the ...more

25

Doug Wamble age 46 Doug Wamble is a film score composer.

26

Eric Heatherly age 48 Eric Heatherly is an American country music artist. In 2000, he debuted with a cover of The Statler Brothers' "Flowers on the Wall", the first of three singles from his debut album ...more

27

Lester Flatt Died at 65 (1914-1979) Lester Raymond Flatt was a bluegrass guitarist and mandolinist, best known for his collaboration with banjo picker Earl Scruggs in the The Foggy Mountain Boys. Flatt's career spanned multiple ...more

28

Grady Martin Died at 72 (1929-2001) Thomas Grady Martin was an American session guitarist in country music and rockabilly. A member of The Nashville A-Team, he played guitar on hits such as Marty Robbins' "El Paso", ...more

29

Mississippi Fred McDowell Died at 68 (1904-1972) Fred McDowell known by his stage name; Mississippi Fred McDowell, was an American Hill country blues singer and guitar player.

30

Homesick James Died at 92 (1914-2006) Homesick James was an American blues musician known for his mastery of slide guitar. He recorded covers of "Stones In My Passway" and "Homesick". James worked with his ...more

31

Bashful Brother Oswald Died at 91 (1911-2002) Beecher Ray Kirby, better known as Bashful Brother Oswald, was an American country musician who popularized the use of the resonator guitar and Dobro. He played with Roy Acuff's Smoky Mountain ...more

32

Scotty Moore age 87 Winfield Scott "Scotty" Moore III is an American guitarist and recording engineer. He is best known for his backing of Elvis Presley in the first part of his career, between 1954 and ...more

33

Carl Bell age 51 Carl Bell is an American musician and producer. He founded the multi-Platinum selling hard rock band Fuel. Bell was the principal songwriter for the band and performed guitar and backing vocals ...more

34

John Henry Barbee Died at 59 (1905-1964) John Henry Barbee was an American blues singer and guitarist. He was born William George Tucker in Henning, Tennessee, United States, and changed his name with the commencement of his recording ...more

35

Joe Hill Louis Died at 36 (1921-1957) Joe Hill Louis, born Lester Hill, was an American singer, guitarist, harmonica player and one-man band. He is significant, along with fellow Memphis bluesman Doctor Ross, as one of only a small ...more

36

Lew Jetton age 59 Lew Jetton is an American blues guitarist and singer, who also spent many years as a meteorologist and local television personality. He was born in Humboldt and raised near Trenton, Tennessee.

37

Stick McGhee Died at 44 (1917-1961) Granville Henry McGhee, also known as Stick McGhee, was an African-American jump blues guitarist, singer and songwriter, best known for his blues song, "Drinkin' Wine, Spo-Dee-O-Dee".

38

Yank Rachell Died at 87 (1910-1997) James "Yank" Rachell was an American country blues musician, dubbed an "elder statesman of the blues."

39

Teenie Hodges Died at 69 (1945-2014) Mabon Lewis "Teenie" Hodges was an American musician known for his work as a rhythm and lead guitarist and songwriter on many of Al Green's soul hits, and those of other artists such ...more

40

Bill Gaither Bill Gaither sometimes known as "Little Bill" Gaither or Leroy's Buddy, was an American blues guitarist and singer.

41

Phil Leadbetter age 56 Phil Leadbetter is one of the leading players of the resonator guitar. In 1994, Phil received a Grammy Nomination for "Best Bluegrass Album" at the 37th Annual Grammy Awards for his ...more

42

Walter Haynes Died at 81 (1928-2009) Walter Haynes was an American steel guitarist and music producer who worked with such artists as Jimmy Dickens, Del Reeves, The Everly Brothers and Jeanne Pruett. He also co-wrote a number of ...more

1 Carl Smith Died at 83 (1927-2010) Carl Milton Smith was an American country music singer. Known as "Mister Country," Smith was the husband of June Carter and Goldie Hill, and the father of Carlene Carter. He was one of ...more

2 Chet Atkins Died at 77 (1924-2001) Chester Burton "Chet" Atkins was an American guitarist, occasional vocalist and record producer who, along with Owen Bradley, created the smoother country music style known as the ...more

3 Duane Allman Died at 25 (1946-1971) Howard Duane Allman was an American guitarist, session musician, co-founder and leader of the The Allman Brothers Band until his death in a motorcycle accident in 1971 at the age of 24. The ...more

4 Carl Perkins Died at 66 (1932-1998) Carl Lee Perkins was an American singer-songwriter who recorded most notably at Sun Records Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, beginning in 1954. His best-known song is "Blue Suede Shoes". ...more

5 Gary Talley age 71 Gary Talley is a celebrated guitarist, singer, songwriter and author. Gary Talley began his career as lead guitarist for the Grammy-nominated group "The Box Tops" who were famous for ...more

6 Waylon Payne age 46 Waylon Malloy Payne is an American country singer, songwriter, musician and actor. He is the son of the country singer Sammi Smith.

7 Ellen McIlwaine age 73 Ellen McIlwaine is an American singer-songwriter and musician best known for her career as a slide guitarist.

8 Randy Scruggs age 65 Randy Lynn Scruggs is a music producer, songwriter and guitarist. He had his first recording at the age of 13. He has won a Grammy Award and was twice named "Musician of the Year" at ...more

9 Arthur Gunter Died at 50 (1926-1976) Arthur Neal Gunter was an American blues guitarist and musician. He was best known for his song "Baby Let's Play House", which was later a hit single for Elvis Presley.

10 Norman Blake age 80 Norman Blake is an American instrumentalist, vocalist, and songwriter. In a career spanning more than 60 years Blake has played in a number of folk and country groups. He is considered one of ...more

11 Frank Stokes Died at 67 (1888-1955) Frank Stokes was an American blues musician, songster, and blackface minstrel, who is considered by many musicologists to be the father of the Memphis blues guitar style.

12 Bill Black Died at 39 (1926-1965) William Patton "Bill" Black, Jr. was an American musician and bandleader who is noted as one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. Black was the bassist in Elvis Presley's early trio ...more

13 Eric Gales age 44 Eric Gales is an American blues-rock guitarist, originally hailed as a child prodigy. As of 2011 Gales has recorded ten albums on major record labels, and has done session and tribute work. He ...more

14 Luther Dickinson age 45 Luther Andrews Dickinson is the lead guitarist and vocalist for the North Mississippi Allstars and for a time among the many lead guitarists for The Black Crowes. He hosts Guitar Xpress on the ...more

15 Harold Bradley age 92 Harold Bradley is an American country and pop guitarist.

16 Paul Worley age 68 Paul Worley is an American record producer and session guitarist, known primarily for his work in country music. Formerly a vice president at Sony BMG, he later joined the staff of Warner Bros. ...more

17 Bruce Bouillet age 53 Bruce "Einstein" Bouillet is a guitarist who played in the bands Racer X, The Scream, DC-10, and Epidemic.

18 Shawn Lane Died at 40 (1963-2003) Shawn Lane was an American musician who released two studio albums and collaborated with a variety of musicians including Ringo Starr, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon ...more

19 Abu Talib Died at 70 (1939-2009) Abu Talib was an African American blues and jazz guitarist, singer, and harmonica player.

20 Mark Warner Mark Warner is a musician from Nashville, Tennessee. Primarily a busy session guitarist, songwriter and producer who has contributed to many Rock and Pop music records. Warner has received ...more

21 Brownie McGhee Died at 81 (1915-1996) Walter Brown McGhee was a Piedmont blues singer and guitarist, best known for his collaborations with the harmonica player Sonny Terry.

22 Johnny Echols age 71 Johnny Echols is an American singer/songwriter and guitarist. He has played in bands with performers such as Little Richard, Billy Preston and Jimi Hendrix, and was the guitarist on many ...more

23 Luther Perkins Died at 40 (1928-1968) Luther Monroe Perkins was an American country music guitarist and a member of the Tennessee Three, the backup band for singer Johnny Cash. Perkins was an iconic figure in what would become known ...more

24 Luther Tucker Died at 57 (1936-1993) Luther Tucker was an American blues guitarist. While soft spoken and shy, Tucker made his presence known through his unique and clearly recognizable guitar style. Tucker helped to define the ...more

25 Doug Wamble age 46 Doug Wamble is a film score composer.

26 Eric Heatherly age 48 Eric Heatherly is an American country music artist. In 2000, he debuted with a cover of The Statler Brothers' "Flowers on the Wall", the first of three singles from his debut album ...more

27 Lester Flatt Died at 65 (1914-1979) Lester Raymond Flatt was a bluegrass guitarist and mandolinist, best known for his collaboration with banjo picker Earl Scruggs in the The Foggy Mountain Boys. Flatt's career spanned multiple ...more

28 Grady Martin Died at 72 (1929-2001) Thomas Grady Martin was an American session guitarist in country music and rockabilly. A member of The Nashville A-Team, he played guitar on hits such as Marty Robbins' "El Paso", ...more

29 Mississippi Fred McDowell Died at 68 (1904-1972) Fred McDowell known by his stage name; Mississippi Fred McDowell, was an American Hill country blues singer and guitar player.

30 Homesick James Died at 92 (1914-2006) Homesick James was an American blues musician known for his mastery of slide guitar. He recorded covers of "Stones In My Passway" and "Homesick". James worked with his ...more

31 Bashful Brother Oswald Died at 91 (1911-2002) Beecher Ray Kirby, better known as Bashful Brother Oswald, was an American country musician who popularized the use of the resonator guitar and Dobro. He played with Roy Acuff's Smoky Mountain ...more

32 Scotty Moore age 87 Winfield Scott "Scotty" Moore III is an American guitarist and recording engineer. He is best known for his backing of Elvis Presley in the first part of his career, between 1954 and ...more

33 Carl Bell age 51 Carl Bell is an American musician and producer. He founded the multi-Platinum selling hard rock band Fuel. Bell was the principal songwriter for the band and performed guitar and backing vocals ...more

34 John Henry Barbee Died at 59 (1905-1964) John Henry Barbee was an American blues singer and guitarist. He was born William George Tucker in Henning, Tennessee, United States, and changed his name with the commencement of his recording ...more

35 Joe Hill Louis Died at 36 (1921-1957) Joe Hill Louis, born Lester Hill, was an American singer, guitarist, harmonica player and one-man band. He is significant, along with fellow Memphis bluesman Doctor Ross, as one of only a small ...more

36 Lew Jetton age 59 Lew Jetton is an American blues guitarist and singer, who also spent many years as a meteorologist and local television personality. He was born in Humboldt and raised near Trenton, Tennessee.

37 Stick McGhee Died at 44 (1917-1961) Granville Henry McGhee, also known as Stick McGhee, was an African-American jump blues guitarist, singer and songwriter, best known for his blues song, "Drinkin' Wine, Spo-Dee-O-Dee".

38 Yank Rachell Died at 87 (1910-1997) James "Yank" Rachell was an American country blues musician, dubbed an "elder statesman of the blues."

39 Teenie Hodges Died at 69 (1945-2014) Mabon Lewis "Teenie" Hodges was an American musician known for his work as a rhythm and lead guitarist and songwriter on many of Al Green's soul hits, and those of other artists such ...more

40 Bill Gaither Bill Gaither sometimes known as "Little Bill" Gaither or Leroy's Buddy, was an American blues guitarist and singer.

41 Phil Leadbetter age 56 Phil Leadbetter is one of the leading players of the resonator guitar. In 1994, Phil received a Grammy Nomination for "Best Bluegrass Album" at the 37th Annual Grammy Awards for his ...more

42 Walter Haynes Died at 81 (1928-2009) Walter Haynes was an American steel guitarist and music producer who worked with such artists as Jimmy Dickens, Del Reeves, The Everly Brothers and Jeanne Pruett. He also co-wrote a number of ...more