Bandleader
A bandleader is the leader of a group of musicians. Bandleaders often lead large groups that play genres like big band, jazz, blues, rhythm and blues and rock and roll. The bandleader directs the other musicians in the group. Bandleaders often perform in their groups as well. Sometimes bands are named after their bandleaders.
American bandleaders
- Harold B. Bachman
- Count Basie – piano
- Terence Blanchard – trumpet
- Will Bradley – trombone
- James Brown – singer
- Les Brown – saxophone
- Dave Brubeck – piano
- George Clinton – keyboard, vocals
- John Coltrane – saxophone
- Patrick “Patsy” Conway – cornet
- Miles Davis – trumpet
- Jimmy Dorsey – saxophone
- Tommy Dorsey – trombone
- Duke Ellington – piano
- Edwin Franko Goldman
- Benny Goodman – clarinet
- Bill Haley – guitar, singer
- Lionel Hampton – vibraphone, percussion
- Albert Austin Harding
- Emmylou Harris – guitar, singer
- Isaac Hayes – singer
- Jimi Hendrix – guitar, singer
- Woody Herman – clarinet
- Buddy Holly – guitar, singer
- Elmore James – guitar, singer
- BB King – guitar, singer
- Charlie Kunz – piano
- Geddy Lee – vocals, bass
- Jimmie Lunceford – saxophone
- Dave Matthews – guitar, singer
- John Mayer – guitar, singer
- Pat Metheny – guitar
- Glenn Miller – trombone
- Charles Mingus – bass
- Rickey Minor – bass
- Dustin Moore – bass
- Buck Owens – guitar
- Gloria Parker – marimba
- George Paxton – tenor saxophone
- Mike Portnoy – drums
- Arthur Pryor – trombone
- Buddy Rich – drum kit
- Little Richard – piano, singer
- Omar Rodriguez-Lopez – guitar
- B.A. Rolfe – trumpet
- Paul Shaffer – keyboards
- Artie Shaw – clarinet
- Lew Soloff – trumpet, flugelhorn
- John Philip Sousa – wind instruments
- Bruce Springsteen – guitar, singer
- Lew Tabackin – tenor saxophone, flute
- Derek Trucks – guitar
- Ernest Tubb – singer-songwriter
- Ike Turner – guitar, piano
- Rebekah Vangorde – flute
- Muddy Waters – guitar, singer
- Lawrence Welk – accordion
- Barry White – singer
- Maurice White – percussion
- Paul Whiteman – violin
- Anna Mae Winburn – singer
- Frank Zappa – guitar, singer