(1963-08-03) August 3, 1963 (age 60) Downey, California, U.S.
Genres
Heavy metal
thrash metal
hard rock
Occupation(s)
Musician
songwriter
Instrument(s)
Guitar
vocals
Years active
1978–present
Member of
Metallica
Formerly of
Spastik Children
Leather Charm
Spouse(s)
Francesca Tomasi
(m. 1997; div. 2022)
Musical artist
James Alan Hetfield (born August 3, 1963) is an American musician. He is the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, co-founder, and a primary songwriter of heavy metal band Metallica. He is mainly known for his intricate rhythm playing, but occasionally performs lead guitar duties and solos both live and in studio. Hetfield co-founded Metallica in October 1981 after answering an advertisement by drummer Lars Ulrich in the Los Angeles newspaper The Recycler. Metallica has won nine Grammy Awards and released 11 studio albums, three live albums, four extended plays, and 24 singles. Hetfield is often regarded as one of the greatest heavy metal rhythm guitar players of all time.[1]
In 2009, Hetfield was ranked at No. 8 in Joel McIver's book The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists[2] and No. 24 by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Metal Vocalists of All Time.[3] In Guitar World's poll, Hetfield was placed as the 19th greatest guitarist of all time,[4] as well as being placed second (along with Metallica lead guitarist Kirk Hammett) in The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists poll of the same magazine.[5]Rolling Stone placed him along with bandmate Kirk Hammett as the 23rd greatest guitarist of all time.[6]
^"Best Rhythm Guitarists". The Top Tens. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
^"'I'm Over My Metallica Demons,' Says Dave Mustaine". Claasic Rock. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011.
^"AmIAnnoying.com – Hit Parader's Top 100 Heavy Metal Vocalists of All Time". amiannoying.com. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
^October 2012, Guitar World Staff 10. "Readers Poll Results: The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". guitarworld. Retrieved June 30, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^Blabbermouth (January 23, 2004). "GUITAR WORLD's 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Guitarists Of All Time". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
^"The 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". Rolling Stone. October 13, 2023. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
James Alan Hetfield (born August 3, 1963) is an American musician. He is the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, co-founder, and a primary songwriter of...
The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist and guitarist JamesHetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most...
thrash metal band Exodus in 1979. In 2003, Hammett, along with bandmate JamesHetfield, was ranked 23rd on Rolling Stone's list of Greatest Guitarists of All...
progress on the album had been "glacial", while vocalist/guitarist JamesHetfield said in March that "It's either touring or writing, so COVID chose for...
performance in Glendale, Arizona was cut short by two songs due to JamesHetfield suffering from vocal issues, and the band's following performance on...
singer and rhythm guitarist JamesHetfield wrote the song (credited to Hetfield/Ulrich) in 1990 while on tour, when Hetfield "was bumming out about being...
drummer and co-founder of American heavy metal band Metallica. Along with JamesHetfield, Ulrich has songwriting credits on almost all of the band's songs, and...
on March 27, 1982, at the Los Angeles club Whisky a Go Go. Personnel JamesHetfield – lead vocals Lars Ulrich – drums Dave Mustaine – guitar, backing vocals...
Tony Iommi (of Black Sabbath), Ian Hunter, David Bowie, Mick Ronson, JamesHetfield (of Metallica), George Michael, Seal, Paul Young, Annie Lennox, Lisa...
attendance were JamesHetfield and Lars Ulrich, both members of Metallica, which had formed the previous year. Upon hearing, as Hetfield described it, "this...
October 1981 to December 1982. Having previously played with guitarist JamesHetfield in the garage band Leather Charm, McGovney was a member of Metallica...
this was deliberate on the part of Lars Ulrich and JamesHetfield, although both Ulrich and Hetfield claim they were also disappointed with the production...
guitar tuning on most songs and long guitar solos from Kirk Hammett and JamesHetfield. It also includes the band's first instrumental piece, "Suicide & Redemption"...
guitarist. In his own words, Mustaine remembers his first meeting with JamesHetfield and Ulrich: "I was in the room warming up and I walked out and asked...
1991. The music was written by Kirk Hammett, JamesHetfield and Lars Ulrich. Vocalist and guitarist Hetfield wrote the lyrics, which deal with the concept...
writing new material in mid-1985. Lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist JamesHetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich were the main songwriters on the album, already...
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