Zakk Wylde

Zachary Phillip Wylde (born Jeffrey Phillip Wielandt; January 14, 1967) is an American musician. He is best known as the lead guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne and as the founder, lead guitarist, lead singer, songwriter and producer of the heavy metal band Black Label Society.

Wylde's signature bulls-eye design appears on many of his guitars. He was also the lead guitarist and vocalist of Pride & Glory, who released one self-titled album in 1994 before disbanding. As a solo artist, he released the albums Book of Shadows and Book of Shadows II. Wylde joined the reunited Pantera in 2022 as a touring guitarist.

Zachary Phillip Wylde was born Jeffrey Phillip Wielandt in Bayonne, New Jersey, on January 14, 1967. He is of Irish descent. He grew up in Jackson, New Jersey, where he attended Jackson Memorial High School, graduating in 1985. At the age of 14, he worked at Silverton Music in Silverton, New Jersey. He cited Rocket Man by Elton John as the song that made him a music passionate. He started playing guitar at the age of eight, but did not become serious about it until his early teenage years. He has stated that he often played the guitar almost non-stop between coming home from school and leaving for school the next morning, then would be completely exhausted during school the next day. His earliest influences as a guitarist were Tony Iommi, Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix and later he expanded his tastes listening to Frank Marino, Randy Rhoads, Eddie Van Halen, Joe Pass, Alex Lifeson, Pat Martino, Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin, Paco de Lucía.

Wylde played locally with his first band Stone Henge, then later with local New Jersey band Zyris.

In 1987, Wylde auditioned for Ozzy Osbourne after listening to The Howard Stern Show and learning that Osbourne was looking for a new lead guitarist. Wylde was hired to replace Jake E. Lee, who was fired by Ozzy Osbourne manager Sharon Osbourne. He subsequently toured with Osbourne and played on No Rest for the Wicked (1988), No More Tears (1991), and Ozzmosis (1995) as a co-writer.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.