Line #16 Main/LeadSingerPlaysLeadGuitar


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6	[[caption-width-right:350:''[[Music/WildCherry Play that funky music, white boy.]]'']]
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11
12	->''"Who draws the crowd and plays so loud\
13	Baby it's the guitar man\
14	Who's gonna steal the show\
15	You know, baby, it's the guitar man"''
16	-->-- '''Music/{{Bread\|Band}}''', "The Guitar Man"
17
18	The lead singer is often seen as the most recognizable member of the band and sometimes the main songwriter. The lead guitarist, meanwhile, is usually the second most recognizable member, astonishing the audience with flashy licks and guitar solos. Either one of these roles often requires a great amount of talent, and as such, the two members will just focus on mastering their instrument of choice. If either member decides to momentarily dabble in the other's role, it will often be for accompaniment. For example: the lead singer will play simple rhythmic chords, and the lead guitarist can do basic backup vocals.
19
20	Then you have this person, someone who is excels at playing guitar licks, and singing lead vocals. Their ability to simultaneously master and play two different instruments at once shows this person is TheAce and can often cement their status as the face of the band. So much so that the other band members may feel [[OvershadowedByAwesome overshadowed by said talent]].
21
22	This is often the case with solo guitarists who wish to sing their own songs. As well as {{Rock Trio}}s with only one guitarist and said guitarist is the lead vocalist ([[VocalTagTeam or co-lead vocalist]]). It can also occur if the former lead singer quit the band or passed away and the lead guitarist has to StepUpToTheMicrophone.
23
24	Compare LeadBassist and LeadDrummer, where the bassist and drummer are the lead singers, respectively. Contrast FreeHandedPerformer, when the lead singer solely does vocals without any other instrument in hand.
25
26	Related to IAmTheBand.
27	----
28	[[foldercontrol]]
29
30	!!Real-Life Examples:
31
32	[[folder:Alternative Rock]]
33	* Zig-zagged with Music/AliceInChains. Main guitarist Jerry Cantrell, who is largely the only member to perform guitar, plays the lead parts in comparison to Layne Staley (the former lead vocalist) and William [=DuVall=]'s occasional, more rhythmic guitar inputs. Cantrell is predominantly the lead singer in the studio material featuring [=DuVall=], but the latter takes that role for current live performances of the work with Staley, on top of never playing guitar in it.
34	* Music/GooGooDolls: John Rzeznik, especially in the band's early years played PowerPop-inspired lead guitar and [[VocalTagTeam shared lead vocals]] with bassist Robby Takac. {{Downplayed\|Trope}} as the years went on. While his status as a lead singer increased, eventually supplanting Takac's role as a vocalist, his guitar playing shifted to more of a rhythmic one, especially as the band started using fewer guitars to fit their more pop-inspired new direction.
35	* Music/JimmyEatWorld's Jim Adkins is the band's lead singer and lead guitarist.
36	* Music/{{Muse}}: Matt Bellamy serves as the lead vocalist, lead guitarist, pianist and primary songwriter, as expected for a classic RockTrio setup.
37	* Music/{{Nirvana}} frontman Music/KurtCobain was definitely this in studio since he was the band's sole guitarist, but also played this role live, as he played the guitar solos and more melodic parts even when the band had another guitarist, [[Music/TheGerms Pat Smear]], on stage.
38	* Music/TheSmashingPumpkins: Lead singer/songwriter Billy Corgan is the lead guitarist, playing most of the solos and leaving fellow guitarist James Iha to rhythm guitar or more ornamental lead lines.
39	* Music/{{Weezer}}: Lead singer Rivers Cuomo plays the guitar solos, as well as the more melodic guitar parts during verses/choruses. This is in stark contrast to rhythm guitarist Brian Bell's more chordal contributions.
40	* Music/TheWhiteStripes: Lead singer Music/JackWhite is a multi-instrumentalist who played rhythm and lead guitar on all their songs.
41	* Music/{{XTC}}: During their initial lineup with Barry Andrews on keyboard, lead singer Andy Partridge played lead guitar as he was the only guitarist in the band. Once Andrews left the band and Dave Gregory joined, Andy often left the role of lead guitar to Dave but occasionally did still perform many lead guitar lines. This can be heard in the outro solo of "Books are Burning", which Andy and Dave both play.
42	[[/folder]]
43
44	[[folder:Blues]]
45	* This is very common amongst classic blues singers as the genre is essentially tied to the guitar. Examples include Music/BBKing, Albert King, and Freddie King.
46	* Music/GaryMoore is virtuoso blues guitarist and has an equally bluesy singing voice to go with it.
47	* Music/JohnMayer is famous both as a singer and as a skilled lead guitarist. He plays this role in his band, the John Mayer Trio.
48	* Music/ZZTop's Billy Gibbons plays lead guitar and often sings the band's songs.
49	* Music/StevieRayVaughan of Double Trouble was the band's frontman and lead guitarist. Much like Hendrix, he also filled the role of rhythm guitar while playing lead.
50	[[/folder]]
51
52	[[folder:Classic Rock]]
53	* Music/ChristopherCross: The singer-songwriter was skilled at guitar enough to substitute for a Music/DeepPurple concert when Ritchie Blackmore fell ill in 1970.
54	* Throughout his career, Music/EricClapton zigzags the lead singer part while keeping the role of lead guitarist constant. In Music/{{Cream}} he occasionally sang but mostly let [[LeadBassist Jack Bruce]] handle lead vocals. In Derek and the Dominos and his solo career, however, he plays both roles.
55	* Music/CreedenceClearwaterRevival: John Fogerty was the [[IAmTheBand lead singer, lead guitarist, and lead songwriter]]. He is the one who played every riff, lick, and solo in the band's catalogue.
56	* Mark Knopfler of Music/DireStraits plays many licks, fills, and solos throughout many songs, all while singing lead. He was also one of only two consistent members in the band, together with bassist and backing vocalist John Illsley.
57	* Steve Lukather of Music/{{Toto}} is the lead guitarist and part of the group's VocalTagTeam.
58	* Music/FleetwoodMac: Peter Green and Lindsey Buckingham from the Blues era and Pop era respectively. The former was the lead singer and lead guitarist, while the latter also played lead guitarist but [[VocalTagTeam shared lead vocals]] with Christine [=McVie=] and Music/StevieNicks.
59	* Music/TheGratefulDead: Lead guitarist Jerry Garcia is often the one who takes up lead vocals alongside rhythm guitarist Bob Weir.
60	* Music/GeorgeHarrison played both lead guitar and sang on his solo albums, and had a song or two per album where he did both while with Music/TheBeatles.
61	* Music/JimiHendrix of the Jimi Hendrix Experience had the daunting task of simultaneously being the lead guitarist, rhythm guitarist, and lead singer. Yet he pulled off all three of them flawlessly.
62	* Music/EricJohnson is a virtuoso who's mainly notable for his guitar skills but whenever his songs do include vocals, he sings them.
63	* Music/{{Phish}}: Similar to the Grateful Dead, Trey Anastasio plays {{improv}}ized lead guitar most of the time but whenever vocals enter the mix, he's the one singing lead.
64	* Music/{{Player}} is led by Peter Beckett, the lead guitarist and co-lead vocalist.
65	* Stephen Stills and Music/NeilYoung played both roles in Music/BuffaloSpringfield and Music/CrosbyStillsNashAndYoung. Constantly playing off each others' licks, solos, and vocals. They then continued to sing and play lead guitar for their retrospective solo careers.
66	* While Music/SteveWinwood is primarily a keyboardist and singer, he can also play lead guitar, as seen in his time with Music/{{Traffic\|Band}}.
67	* Pete Townshend: {{Downplayed\|Trope}} on both fronts in Music/TheWho. While he was the band's sole guitarist and played a couple of melodic lines, his guitar playing was better described as rhythmic and accompaniment, and he only sang occasionally, leaving most of the lead vocals to Roger Daltrey. PlayedStraight for his solo career.
68	[[/folder]]
69
70	[[folder:Country]]
71	* Singer Music/BradPaisley is also notable for his guitar chops. See his performance on the instrumental [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y-Ipi1dnng "Nervous Breakdown"]] as proof.
72	* Music/GlenCampbell had many hits where he sang and was also an in-demand session musician because of his guitar skills.
73	* Music/RoyClark was a highly renowned singer and guitar player. Able to master not just guitar, but banjo and fiddle, too.
74	* Music/KeithUrban is another example of a solo artist who plays his own lead guitar. He also plays the ganjo (a hybrid of a guitar and banjo) on many of his tracks.
75	[[/folder]]
76
77	[[folder:Hard Rock]]
78	* Music/BlueOysterCult: Lead guitarist Buck Dharma shared the role of lead vocals with Eric Bloom.
79	* Music/TheDarkness: Frontman Justin Hawkins is the one responsible for the faster and more "shredderific" guitar licks and solos, while his brother Dan plays rhythm guitar and more simple lead lines.
80	* Music/{{Halestorm}} frontwoman Lzzy Hale is both the lead singer and co-lead guitarist.
81	* Music/{{Mountain}}'s lead singer Leslie West is also the band's lead guitarist.
82	* After Uli Jon Roth left Music/{{Scorpions}} he was the lead guitarist and singer for his solo career and his band, Electric Sun. He also sang lead on a handful of Scorpions' songs.
83	* Music/{{Triumph}} is a hard rock trio led by Rik Emmett, who plays the role of lead singer, lead guitarist, and rhythm guitarist.
84	[[/folder]]
85
86	[[folder:Indie Rock]]
87	* Music/ArcticMonkeys: While the band's other guitarist, Jamie Cook, plays fills throughout several songs, lead singer Alex Turner more often than not plays the guitar solos.
88	[[/folder]]
89
90	[[folder:Jazz]]
91	* Music/GeorgeBenson is an acclaimed guitarist known for his sophisticated improvised leads but he can also sing if his songs require vocals. Best shown in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIF7wKJb2iU "Give Me the Night"]].
92	[[/folder]]
93
94	[[folder:Metal]]
95	* All three members of New Zealand thrash band Music/AlienWeaponry sing, with Lewis de Jong providing both lead vocals and lead guitar.
96	* Music/ChildrenOfBodom: Alex Laiho is the lead guitarist and lead singer.
97	* Chuck Schuldiner was the lead singer and lead guitarist of Music/{{Death}}, being responsible for all of the band's riffs and solos.
98	* Music/{{Mastodon}}: While [[VocalTagTeam all four members of are capable of singing]], it's lead guitarist Brent Hinds who does so predominantly, whereas rhythm guitarist Bill Kelliher usually only does backing vocals.
99	* Dave Mustaine is the lead singer and lead guitarist of Music/{{Megadeth}}; he played the latter role more in his time with Music/{{Metallica}}. Although, given how Megadeth's members have included shredders such as Chris Poland, Marty Friedman and Chris Broderick, Mustaine was more of a co-lead guitarist.
100	* Music/{{Opeth}} frontman Mikael Akerfeldt does the majority of the band's solos, though guitarist Fredrik Akesson plays a few solos here and there (as did his predecessor Peter Lindgren), and is considered a co-lead guitarist with Mikael.
101	[[/folder]]
102
103	[[folder:Pop]]
104	* Music/{{Orianthi}} of "According to You" fame is an Music/AvrilLavigne-style pop singer who also happens to be a Music/VanHalen-esque guitar shredder at the same time.
105	* Music/PanicAtTheDisco: After guitarist Ryan Ross left the band, frontman Brendon Urie took up the role of lead guitar in the studio and sometimes in live performances. Even when Ryan was in the band, Brendon usually played co-lead guitar, as seen in songs like [[https://youtu.be/uNEBEKBVkew "The Green Gentleman"]].
106	* Music/PaulMcCartney: In his time with Music/TheBeatles and Music/{{Wings\|Band}}, Paul usually just played the role of LeadBassist (Types A, B, and C), leaving the lead guitar to Music/GeorgeHarrison, [[Music/TheSmallFaces Jimmy McCulloch]], and [[Music/TheMoodyBlues Denny Laine]] respectively. But on his solo albums, Paul was the one who played lead guitar in the studio.
107	* Music/{{Prince}} is a [[IAmTheBand multi-instrumentalist]] who can play melodic lead guitar and sing, acting as the frontman and lead guitarist of both the Revolution and the New Power Generation in addition to the material credited solely under his own name (and his unpronounceable stage name in the '90s).
108	[[/folder]]
109
110	[[folder:Post-Punk/New Wave]]
111	* Music/FranzFerdinand: Alex Kapranos is the lead vocalist and lead guitarist.
112	* Music/TalkingHeads: Frontman Music/DavidByrne also did double-duty as guitarist in the band's early days. While the group recruited Jerry Harrison as their second guitarist shortly before recording [[Music/TalkingHeads77 their debut album]], Byrne still served as the more prominent of the two guitar players, only briefly stepping back to let guest musician Adrian Belew play lead guitar on ''Music/RemainInLight'' and its supporting tour. Byrne would additionally stay in the role of lead guitarist in his solo work.
113	* Music/{{Television}}: Tom Verlaine was the band's lead singer and shared the role of lead guitar with Richard Lloyd. The two played off each other's [[TechnicianVersusPerformer contrasting guitar styles]]. Their albums' liner notes credit every solo to its performer.
114	[[/folder]]
115
116	[[folder:Progressive Rock/Metal]]
117	* Music/{{Camel}} is led by guitarist and singer Andrew Latimer.
118	* Music/CoheedAndCambria: Lead singer Claudio Sanchez frequently plays dual lead guitar with Travis Stever.
119	* Music/{{Evergrey}} frontman Tom S. Englund plays lead guitar, sings lead, and is the principal songwriter on top of it.
120	* Music/TheMoodyBlues first had Denny Laine, then Justin Hayward. Laine went on to join Music/{{Wings}} while Hayward stuck with the Moodies well into 2000's, with about five or six solo albums under his belt.
121	* Music/PinkFloyd veered in and out of this. In the band's early years, they were fronted by guitarist, vocalist, and lead songwriter Music/SydBarrett. When his mental health declined, keyboardist Richard Wright took over briefly before David Gilmour, Barret's replacement as guitarist, sang the majority of songs from ''{{Music/More}}'' to ''Music/TheDarkSideOfTheMoon'', after which bassist Music/RogerWaters (who consequently became LeadBassist) became an increasingly prominent vocalist from Music/WishYouWereHere onward. After Waters' acrimonious departure in 1985, Gilmour became the band's sole frontman, bringing things full circle.
122	* Music/{{Styx}}: Tommy Shaw is the band's co-lead vocalist and lead guitarist.
123	* Music/FrankZappa was the frontman and lead guitarist of the Mothers of Invention, a band that he would continue working with throughout the '60s and '70s in between solo albums.
124	[[/folder]]
125
126	[[folder:Punk Rock]]
127	* Music/GreenDay: For much of the band's lifetime, frontman Billie Joe Armstrong was the band's sole full-term guitarist, and played all the guitar lines, although few were considerably melodic or guitar solos. Touring guitarist Jason White, who was briefly a full-term member in the 2012-2016 period, does comparatively rhythmic parts as additions to the band's live performances.
128	* Music/{{Minutemen}}: Lead vocalist D. Boon is acclaimed for his lead guitar talents.
129	[[/folder]]
130
131	[[folder:Rock & Roll]]
132	* Music/BillHaleyAndHisComets: Prior to hiring Franny Beecher as his full-time lead guitarist, Haley himself usually played lead guitar parts. This can be seen in [[https://youtu.be/gYIE5lkjXAo?t=133 their performance of the instrumental "Straight Jacket"]].
133	* Influential guitarist Music/ChuckBerry both sang and played the riffs and solos to his songs.
134	* Music/BuddyHolly of The Crickets was the band's frontman and lead guitarist.
135	[[/folder]]
136
137	!!Fictional Examples:
138	[[folder:Advertising]]
139	* Creator/ChuckECheese is the lead singer of his GarageBand, Munch's Make Believe Band, and since the "rockstar" reboot, is also the lead guitarist.
140	[[/folder]]
141
142	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
143	* ''Anime/AngelBeats'': Iwasawa is the leader of the band Girls Dead Monster, where she is the band's lead guitarist and vocalist.
144	* ''Anime/Macross7'': Nekki Basara is the lead vocalist and lead guitarist of his band, Fire Bomber.
145	[[/folder]]
146
147	[[folder:Comic Books]]
148	* ComicBook/JosieAndThePussycats: Josie is the band's frontwoman and also its lead guitarist.
149	[[/folder]]
150
151	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
152	* ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooDirectToVideoFilmSeries'': Appearing a several points throughout the film series after making their debut in the second film ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooAndTheWitchsGhost'' are the eco-goth girl rock band The Hex Girls - Thorn, Luna, and Dusk. Thorn is lead guitarist and vocalist, with Luna on keyboards and Dusk on drums and both being back-up vocalists.
153	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongebobSquarepantsMovie'': In the movie's climax, [=SpongeBob=] sings "Goofy Goober Rock" (a parody of Music/TwistedSister's "I Wanna Rock") and proceeds to absolutely shred a guitar solo, [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext while wearing a wizard outfit]].
154	[[/folder]]
155
156	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
157	* ''Film/BackToTheFuture1'': Marty [=McFly=] takes up vocal duties in Marvin Berry's band when the latter gets his arm busted. Marty sings "Johnny B. Goode" and then plays a mind-melting guitar solo afterwards.
158	* ''Film/ShockEmDead'': Lead guitarist Angel became the lead vocalist after Jonny died.
159	[[/folder]]
160
161	[[folder:Toys]]
162	* ''The Beatrix Girls'' - The Brayden doll is the lead singer who plays lead guitar.
163	* ''Toys/PollyPocket'': In the early 2000s productions, Polly is the lead singer and lead guitarist of her GarageBand, Polly and the Pockets.
164	[[/folder]]
165
166	[[folder:Web Animation]]
167	* ''WebAnimation/FiftyWaysToDieInMinecraft'': In the music video where Jake and the gang play the namesake parody song, Jake sings the lyrics while simultaneously playing the song's lead guitar parts.
168	* ''WebAnimation/MinilifeTV'': In "Snowball's Late Night Adventure", the lead singer of the Deadbeats, a skeleton rock/ska band that performs at the Burton Night Club, also plays guitar.
169	[[/folder]]
170
171	[[folder:Western Animation]]
172	* ''WesternAnimation/TheArchieShow'' took the main characters from ''ComicBook/{{Archie}} Comics'', and formed them into a bubblegum band, with Archie Andrews as the main vocalist and lead guitarist. Reggie Mantle accompanies as the bassist, Betty Cooper plays tambourines, Veronica Lodge is the keyboardist, and "Jughead" Jones handles the main percussion (i.e. the drum kit). This setup continues into the show's various spin-offs.
173	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Grojband}}'': Corey is the titular band's lead guitarist and vocalist.
174	* ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'': Luna Loud is both the lead singer and lead guitarist of her high school band, the Moon Goats.
175	* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'': Danny is the lead guitarist and lead singer of the glam rock band Love Händel.
176	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Vampirina}}'': The title character is the lead singer and lead guitarist of her band, the Ghoul Girls.
177	[[/folder]]

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