Famous Guitarists from Tennessee
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?"Ranked by
- Dec. at 82 (1927-2010)
- Nationality: United States of America
- Birthplace: Union County, Tennessee, United States, with Territories, Maynardville
Carl Milton Smith (March 15, 1927 – January 16, 2010) was an American country music singer. Known as "Mister Country," Smith was the husband of June Carter (later June Carter Cash) and Goldie Hill, ...more - Dec. at 77 (1924-2001)
- Nationality: United States of America
- Birthplace: Luttrell, Tennessee, United States of America
Chester Burton Atkins (June 20, 1924 – June 30, 2001), known as "Mr. Guitar" and "The Country Gentleman", was an American musician, occasional vocalist, songwriter, and record producer, who along ...more - Dec. at 24 (1946-1971)
- Nationality: United States of America
- Birthplace: Nashville, Tennessee
- Guitars Played: Gibson Les Paul
Howard Duane Allman (November 20, 1946 – October 29, 1971) was an American guitarist, session musician, and founder and leader of the Allman Brothers Band. The Allman Brothers Band was formed in ...more - Dec. at 65 (1932-1998)
- Nationality: United States of America
- Birthplace: Tiptonville, Tennessee, United States of America
Carl Lee Perkins (April 9, 1932 – January 19, 1998) was an American singer-songwriter who recorded most notably at the Sun Studio, in Memphis, beginning in 1954. Amongst his best-known songs are ...more 
Age: 74- Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee
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 hits like "The ...more- Age: 50
- Nationality: United States of America
- Birthplace: Tennessee, Nashville, USA
Waylon Malloy Payne (born April 5, 1972) is an American country singer, songwriter, musician and actor. He is the son of the country singer Sammi Smith. - Age: 76
- Nationality: United States of America
- Birthplace: Nashville, Tennessee
Ellen McIlwaine (born October 1, 1945) is an American singer-songwriter and musician best known for her career as a solo singer, songwriter and slide guitarist. - Age: 68
- Nationality: United States of America
- Birthplace: Nashville, Tennessee
Randy Lynn Scruggs (August 3, 1953 – April 17, 2018) was a music producer, songwriter and guitarist. He had his first recording at the age of 13. He won four Grammy Awards and was twice named ...more - Dec. at 50 (1926-1976)
- Nationality: United States of America
- Birthplace: Nashville, Tennessee
Arthur Neal Gunter (May 23, 1926 – March 16, 1976) 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 ...more - Age: 84
- Nationality: United States of America
- Birthplace: Tennessee, Chattanooga, USA
Norman Blake (born March 10, 1938) is a traditional American stringed instrument artist and songwriter. - Dec. at 67 (1888-1955)
- Nationality: United States of America
- Birthplace: Whitehaven, Memphis, Tennessee
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. - Dec. at 39 (1926-1965)
- Nationality: United States of America
- Birthplace: Tennessee, USA, Memphis
- Guitars Played: Fender Precision Bass
William Patton Black Jr. (September 17, 1926 – October 21, 1965) was an American musician and bandleader who is noted as one of the pioneers of rock and roll. He was the bassist in Elvis Presley's ...more - Age: 47
- Nationality: United States of America
- Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee
Eric Gales (born October 29, 1974), also known as Raw Dawg, is an American blues-rock guitarist, originally hailed as a child prodigy. As of 2019 Gales has recorded eighteen albums for major record ...more - Age: 49
- Nationality: United States of America
- Birthplace: Tennessee, USA, Memphis
Luther Andrews Dickinson (born January 18, 1973 in Memphis, Tennessee) is the lead guitarist and vocalist for the North Mississippi Allstars and the son of record producer Jim Dickinson. He hosts ...more - Age: 96
- Nationality: United States of America
- Birthplace: Nashville, Tennessee
Harold Ray Bradley (January 2, 1926 – January 31, 2019) was an American guitarist and entrepreneur, who played on many country, rock and pop recordings and produced numerous TV variety shows and ...more - Age: 72
- Nationality: United States of America
- Birthplace: Nashville, Tennessee
Paul Worley (born February 16, 1950 in Nashville, Tennessee) is an American record producer and session guitarist, known primarily for his work in country music. Formerly a vice president at Sony ...more - Age: 57
- Nationality: United States of America
- Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee
Bruce Allan Bouillet (; born February 3, 1965, in Memphis, TN) is a guitarist who played in the bands Racer X, The Scream, DC-10, and Epidemic. - Dec. at 40 (1963-2003)
- Nationality: United States of America
- Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee
Shawn Lane (March 21, 1963 – September 26, 2003) was an American musician who released two studio albums and collaborated with a variety of musicians including Ringo Starr, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny ...more - Dec. at 70 (1939-2009)
- Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee
Abu Talib (born Fred Leroy Robinson and also known as Freddie or Freddy Robinson; February 24, 1939 – October 8, 2009) was an African-American blues and R&B guitarist. - Mark Warner is a song writer, studio musician and music producer from Nashville, Tennessee. Warner has received acknowledgement from the music industry for his songwriting contributions. In 2001 he ...more
- Dec. at 80 (1915-1996)
- Nationality: United States of America
- Birthplace: Tennessee, Knoxville, Great Smoky Mountains, United States of America, United States
Walter Brown "Brownie" McGhee (November 30, 1915 – February 16, 1996) was an African-American folk music and Piedmont blues singer and guitarist, best known for his collaboration with the harmonica ...more - Age: 75
- Nationality: United States of America
- Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee
John Echols (/ɛ́kəlz/, born February 21, 1947) is an American songwriter and guitarist, who was co-founder and the lead guitar player of the psychedelic rock band Love. - Dec. at 40 (1928-1968)
- Nationality: United States of America
- Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee
Luther Monroe Perkins (January 8, 1928 – August 5, 1968) was an American country music guitarist and a member of the Tennessee Three, the backup band for singer Johnny Cash. Perkins was an iconic ...more - Dec. at 57 (1936-1993)
- Nationality: United States of America
- Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee
For the publisher see The Genesee Farmer Luther Tucker (January 20, 1936 – June 18, 1993) was an American blues guitarist. While soft-spoken and shy, Tucker made his presence known through his ...more - Age: 49
- Nationality: United States of America
- Birthplace: Clarksville, Tennessee
Doug Wamble (born Samuel Douglas Wamble, October 22, 1972) is an American jazz guitarist and vocalist from Tennessee.
