Famous Black Guitarists

Chuck Berry was an American singer-songwriter. Referred to as the Father of Rock and Roll, Berry is credited with pioneering rock and roll music. He is also credited with influencing the attitude with which the rock music lifestyle is usually associated. Also revered for his guitaring skills, Berry is often included in lists like the Greatest Artists of All Time.

Singer and guitarist Robert Johnson is remembered as a Delta blues legend. Lack of proper documentation of his early life led to various legends surrounding him, such as one that claimed he had made a deal with the Devil to excel in music. He also inspired an award-winning biography. 

Tom Morello is an American musician, rapper, singer, actor, songwriter, and political activist. Morello is best known for his association with Rage Against the Machine, which he co-founded with Zack de la Rocha. Renowned for his creative and unique guitar playing style, Tom Morello was ranked among the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time by Rolling Stone magazine.

Bobby Womack began his career with his family band The Valentinos, after gaining a record deal with The Soul Stirrers singer Sam Cooke. He later began a solo career and became famous for tracks such as Lookin’ for a Love. He also contributed to the soundtrack of Across 110th Street.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe was an American recording artist, guitarist, and singer-songwriter. Characterized by a mixture of electric guitar and spiritual lyrics, Tharpe's music played an influential role in the development of rock and roll. Her music influenced several rock-and-roll musicians like Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Chuck Berry. She is often referred to as the Godmother of rock and roll.

Koffee is a Jamaican singer, songwriter, deejay, rapper, and guitarist. She is best known for her 2019 extended play Rapture, which earned her the prestigious Grammy Award, making her the only woman and youngest person to receive the award under the Best Reggae Album category.

Milton Nascimento is a Brazilian singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Over the course of his illustrious career, Nascimento has received five Grammy Awards. In 1997, he won the award under the Best World Music Album category.

Singer-songwriter and guitarist Jonathan Butler is known for his blend of R&B, jazz fusion, and worship music. He first soared to international fame with his Billboard-charting and Grammy-nominated hit Lies. Apartheid has been a main theme of many of his tracks. He won a Sarie Award as a teenager.

Brownie McGhee was an American blues singer, songwriter and musician who developed an interest in guitar at the age of six and learned to play the piano at eight. Impressed by itinerant blues musicians, he later dropped out of school to perform at carnivals and minstrel shows, eventually forming a long-lasting partnership with Sonny Terry,  in-between publishing several solo albums, including Brownie's Blues.