Jerry Cantrell

Jerry Cantrell is an American musician who started Alice in Chains and serves as its guitarist, co-vocalist and principal songwriter. Born in Tacoma, Washington, he grew up in Spanaway and first picked up a guitar in sixth grade. His band signed to Columbia Records in 1989 and became internationally famous during the early 1990s grunge movement, with Cantrell's guitar adding a heavy metal edge to its sound. He began singing lead on the 1992 EP Sap. Following Layne Staley's death in 2002, Cantrell handled lead vocals on Rainier Fog (2018), The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here (2013) and Black Gives Way to Blue (2009). His solo albums include Boggy Depot (1998), Degradation Trip Volumes 1 & 2 (2002), Brighten (2021) and I Want Blood (2024). He also contributed to The Cable Guy (1996) soundtrack and acted in the mockumentary films The Nona Tapes and AIC 23, and has earned nine Grammy nominations with Alice in Chains.