# Vocalist who are lead guitarists **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 17, 2010, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocalist-who-are-lead-guitarists/532764 "2010-03-17T16:39:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocalist-who-are-lead-guitarists/532764/1 "2010-03-17T16:39:40Z")
I was thinking about Dire Straits the other day and realized something odd- Mark Knopfler was both the singer and the lead guitarist. This seems unusual to me; except for three-piece bands I can’t think of any other notable group in which the lead singer also played lead guitar (that is, full-time, so excluding artists like Prince who often doesn’t even have a guitar in his songs). Nearly always it seems that the lead vocalist plays rhythm guitar (see Metallica), or even bass (Cream). Even Dave Mustaine, who _was_ a lead guitarist in Metallica, became a rhythm guitarist when he formed Megadeth. Am I overlooking someone? Lots of someones? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocalist-who-are-lead-guitarists/532764/2 "2010-03-17T16:43:34Z")
Jimi Stevie Ray Robert Cray Johnny Lang Pete Townsend, sometimes ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocalist-who-are-lead-guitarists/532764/3 "2010-03-17T16:47:04Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I was thinking about Dire Straits the other day and realized something odd- Mark Knopfler was both the singer and the lead guitarist. This seems unusual to me; except for three-piece bands I can’t think of any other notable group in which the lead singer also played lead guitar (that is, full-time, so excluding artists like Prince who often doesn’t even have a guitar in his songs). > > Nearly always it seems that the lead vocalist plays rhythm guitar (see Metallica), or even bass (Cream). Even Dave Mustaine, who _was_ a lead guitarist in Metallica, became a rhythm guitarist when he formed Megadeth. > > Am I overlooking someone? Lots of someones? Jerry Garcia, who sang half of the Grateful Dead’s lead vocals, and all the vocals in his own solo group, the Jerry Garcia Band… Pete Townshend also sings a fair amount of the Who’s material, in addition to his guitar playing. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocalist-who-are-lead-guitarists/532764/4 "2010-03-17T16:47:16Z")
Eric Clapton Chuck Berry John Mayer Junior Brown I used to do both when I was gigging. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocalist-who-are-lead-guitarists/532764/5 "2010-03-17T16:47:50Z")
Todd Rundgren (he shares lead duty with Jesse Gress onstage). ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocalist-who-are-lead-guitarists/532764/6 "2010-03-17T16:57:59Z")
Just off the top of my head: Peter Green w/ Fleetwood Mac Peter Frampton Lindsey Buckingham Alvin Lee w/ Ten Years After I’m sure others will come to me ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocalist-who-are-lead-guitarists/532764/7 "2010-03-17T16:58:44Z")
> [@](#): > > Really Not All That Bright Vocalist who are lead guitaristsI can’t think of any other notable group in which the lead singer also played lead guitar Er… David Gilmour out of wossname, Pink something? Frank Zappa Paul Weller (post Jam) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocalist-who-are-lead-guitarists/532764/8 "2010-03-17T17:00:56Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Even Dave Mustaine, who _was_ a lead guitarist in Metallica, became a rhythm guitarist when he formed Megadeth. > > Am I overlooking someone? Lots of someones? Did George Harrison keep playing lead guitar when singing lead vocals? ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocalist-who-are-lead-guitarists/532764/9 "2010-03-17T17:01:54Z")
Glenn Tillbrook of Squeeze. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocalist-who-are-lead-guitarists/532764/10 "2010-03-17T17:07:22Z")
Ted Nugent B.B. King George Throrogood ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocalist-who-are-lead-guitarists/532764/11 "2010-03-17T17:07:51Z")
Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocalist-who-are-lead-guitarists/532764/12 "2010-03-17T17:13:28Z")
Bob Mould D. Boon ---
**Author:** ![Mllz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Mllz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mllz)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocalist-who-are-lead-guitarists/532764/13 "2010-03-17T17:14:27Z")
Jim James: My Morning Jacket ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocalist-who-are-lead-guitarists/532764/14 "2010-03-17T17:16:41Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > Bob Mould I was going to cite Mould, but both Husker Du and Sugar were three-piece bands. I dunno how many band members he has for his solo work, though. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocalist-who-are-lead-guitarists/532764/15 "2010-03-17T17:48:54Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra Was going to post him. 🙂 Just to note that they were a four-member band (guitar, bass, keyboards, drums), plus a string section of various sizes for most of their run. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocalist-who-are-lead-guitarists/532764/16 "2010-03-17T17:59:55Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > I was going to cite Mould, but both Husker Du and Sugar were three-piece bands. I dunno how many band members he has for his solo work, though. Generally 4, though one is a keyboard player, so it’s still just 1 guitar. ---
**Author:** ![Clawdio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d07c76/32.png) [@Clawdio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clawdio)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocalist-who-are-lead-guitarists/532764/17 "2010-03-17T18:02:05Z")
Claudio Sanchez of Coheed & Cambria kind of shares lead duties with guitarist Travis Stever. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocalist-who-are-lead-guitarists/532764/18 "2010-03-17T18:03:38Z")
Bruce Springsteen when he chooses to play lead vs. Nils or Steve Van Zandt… ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocalist-who-are-lead-guitarists/532764/19 "2010-03-17T18:05:20Z")
Pink Floyd – Syd Barrett, then David Gilmour Be Bop Deluxe – Bill Nelson Mothers of Invention – Frank Zappa (whether he was the lead singer is debatable; I would say he was the lead singer in the later incarnations) Neil Young & Crazy Horse Emerson, Lake & Palmer ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocalist-who-are-lead-guitarists/532764/20 "2010-03-17T18:12:50Z")
Well, if bands with only 1 guitarist don’t count, I’ll go with Mick Jones from The Clash (though he only sang lead rarely). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocalist-who-are-lead-guitarists/532764.md?page=2)