Blackbird

Alter Bridge, 2007. Solo by Mark Tremonti & Myles Kennedy.

Guitarist's 2011 poll winner. A two-guitar duel in a tribute song.

The solo section is a relay between both guitarists, and it marked the first time Myles Kennedy's lead playing featured on an Alter Bridge record. Mark Tremonti pushed for the arrangement to show off his bandmate. Kennedy goes first with a melodic passage that follows the chord changes and focuses on phrasing, then Tremonti takes over with a more aggressive, fast-picked lead that drives back toward the final chorus. The contrast between two distinct personalities gives this long tribute song its emotional lift, and it made the track a modern favourite among guitarists. Listen for the handoff between the two players; the character of the lead changes instantly from singing to attacking.

Blackbird by Alter Bridge is ranked #62 in our consensus of 79 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Mark Tremonti & Myles Kennedy and the song was released in 2007. It appears on 8 lists, placing as high as #1 (Guitarist / MusicRadar).

The story of Blackbird

"Blackbird" is the near-eight-minute title track of Alter Bridge's second album. Mark Tremonti began it with a fingerpicked verse part, played with his thumb and two fingers, that he felt had a sad, classical quality. The band then spent months trying to make the arrangement work; Myles Kennedy later said they beat their heads against the wall before it finally clicked.

The breakthrough came when the two guitarists split up at the rehearsal space to work separately and Kennedy returned with the chorus. Kennedy has also said the chorus idea arrived amid the noise of a dance troupe rehearsing next door. For the bridge, each had a separate musical part, and they found the two worked when stacked on top of each other.

Kennedy wrote the lyric for Mark Morse, an old friend who had sold him his first guitar and was dying. He wanted the song to wish his friend peace and freedom from suffering, and Morse passed away within days of the song being finished. Recorded between February and May 2007 at Blackbird Studio in Nashville with producer Michael "Elvis" Baskette, it was, in Kennedy's words, the band's most collaborative song up to that point, and it remained their longest until "Fable of the Silent Son" 15 years later.

The solo

The solo section is a relay between both guitarists, and it marked the first time Myles Kennedy's lead playing featured on an Alter Bridge record. Tremonti pushed for the arrangement to show off his bandmate's guitar skills. Kennedy goes first with a melodic passage that follows the chord changes and focuses on phrasing, before Tremonti takes over with a more aggressive, fast-picked lead that drives the song back toward its final chorus. According to MusicRadar, Tremonti used his PRS signature guitar through a Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifier for rhythms and a Bogner Ecstasy for leads, while Kennedy played a PRS McCarty he nicknamed "The Mule" through a Diezel Herbert and a Mesa/Boogie Mark IV. The contrast between Kennedy's lyrical lines and Tremonti's attack is a large part of why fans rate the section so highly.

Legacy

In February 2011 readers of Guitarist magazine voted the "Blackbird" solos the greatest guitar solo of all time, beating celebrated work by Slash, Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix and David Gilmour by a wide margin, a result that sparked plenty of debate. Critics praised the song as the album's centrepiece, Consequence included it among its best post-grunge songs in 2024, and Planet Rock listeners voted it the eighth-greatest rock song in 2026. Kennedy calls it one of his proudest achievements as a writer.

Top 10 facts about Blackbird

Guitarist magazine readers voted the "Blackbird" solos the greatest guitar solo of all time in February 2011.
Wikipedia
The lyric was written for Mark Morse, the friend who sold Myles Kennedy his first guitar; he died within days of the song being completed.
MusicRadar
Tremonti wrote the fingerpicked verse riff using his thumb and two fingers.
MusicRadar
Kennedy wrote the chorus after the two guitarists split into separate rooms at their rehearsal space.
MusicRadar
The chorus idea came while a dance group was rehearsing nearby, creating what Kennedy called inspired chaos.
Wikipedia
The bridge was created by layering a part Kennedy had written on top of one of Tremonti's.
MusicRadar
The album marked the first time Kennedy played guitar on an Alter Bridge record.
MusicRadar
Tremonti recorded his leads through a Bogner Ecstasy, while Kennedy used a PRS McCarty nicknamed "The Mule".
MusicRadar
It remained Alter Bridge's longest song until "Fable of the Silent Son" 15 years later.
Wikipedia
Planet Rock listeners voted it the eighth-greatest rock song of all time in 2026.
Wikipedia

Live versions

Live from Amsterdam (2009) Kennedy opens with the guitar part of the Beatles song "Blackbird" before the band launches in.
Alter Bridge: Live at Wembley (2011) Recorded 29 November 2011 at Wembley Arena, again prefaced by the Beatles intro.
Live at the Royal Albert Hall (with The Parallax Orchestra) (2017) A 9:16 orchestral version closing the set, recorded 2-3 October 2017.

In our lists

See Them Live — #16
Deep Cuts — #29
One and Only — #5
The Greatest Solo of Every Year — #64
The Modern Canon: Best Since 1990 — #13
The 25 Greatest Hard Rock Guitar Solos — #7
The 2000s — #1
Best of the 21st Century — #7
Twin Guitars & Harmonies — #5
Epic-Length Solos — #14

Sources

What guitar was used on the Blackbird solo?

A prs through a Mesa/Boogie amp, according to widely reported accounts.

Where does Blackbird rank among the greatest guitar solos?

#62 in the GreatestSolos consensus of 79 published lists; it appears on 8 of them.

Who plays the solos in Blackbird by Alter Bridge?

Myles Kennedy plays the first solo and Mark Tremonti the second.

What is Alter Bridge's Blackbird about?

It was written for Kennedy's friend Mark Morse, who was dying, wishing him peace from his suffering.

Is Blackbird the greatest guitar solo of all time?

Guitarist magazine readers voted it No. 1 in a 2011 poll, ahead of solos by Slash, Page, Hendrix and Gilmour.

What album is Blackbird on?

It is the title track of Alter Bridge's second album, Blackbird, released in October 2007.

What gear did Tremonti use on Blackbird?

His PRS signature guitar, with a Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifier for rhythm and a Bogner Ecstasy for leads.