Mark Thomas Tremonti (created April 18, 1974) is an American musician and singer songwriter, best known as the lead guitarist of the rock bands Creed and Alter Bridge. He’s a founding member of both groups, and has additionally collaborated with a number of other musicians over time.
Since his early years with Creed, Tremonti has received favorable acknowledgement as a guitarist and songwriter , and it has received numerous accolades, including one Grammy Award for Creed’s single “With Arms Wide Open.” He was likewise named “Guitarist of the Year” for three straight years by “Guitar World”, as well as in 2011 he was recorded in “Total Guitar” magazine as the fourth best heavy metal guitarist ever.
The group released their debut album My Own Prison in 1997 to powerful mainstream success, selling over six million copies. Four singles were released in the record: “My Own Prison,” “Torn,” “What’s This Life For,” and “One.” All those tunes reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, making Creed the first group to achieve such a feat with a debut record. My Own Prison was followed in 1999 by Human Clay, that was an instant success and accredited diamond and eleven times platinum by the RIAA. “Higher” spent a record breaking 17 weeks on the very top of the rock radio charts. Marshall left the group in 2000 due to increasing tension with Stapp and also to pursue other interests. He was briefly replaced by touring bassist Brett Hestla. It will function as the group’s only record without Marshall on bass; Tremonti managed the bass parts himself. The tour to support this record was overwhelmingly successful but finished with a well contentious concert in Chicago that ultimately resulted in the group’s break up. The group announced they had disbanded in 2004, citing tension between Stapp along with the other members, Tremonti specifically.
"The greatest guitar solo of all time" (Guitarist magazine 2011), "The fourth greatest heavy metal guitarist of all time" (Total Guitar, 2011)
Star Sign
Aries
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Quote
1
I like to make my guitar sound mean.
2
"They can `pop up' whatever the hell they want." (In reference to the media's talk and perceptions about his band)
3
All I do is relax and rent movies every night. Blackbuster get all my money.
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Fact
1
Helped Larry the Cable Guy perform the title song to the album "Lord, I Apologize" which was the last track on the CD.
2
He and his wife are expecting their first child (a boy to be named Austen) in May 2005.
3
He got his first guitar when he was 11, it was a Gibson knock-off called a TARA. He now has a Signature PRS Guitar with his name on the 12th fret.
4
His favorite band is Metallica. His favorite CD is "Master of Puppets" and he has said that he wishes he had written "The Call of the Ktulu" himself.
5
He loves to play Ping-Pong and usually plays before concerts. He also collects pinball machines.
6
His band Alter Bridge was named after an actual bridge located in Detroit. It separated a clean neighborhood from a drug-infested part of town and, according to Tremonti, symbolizes the unknown.
7
Tremonti means "Three Mounts" in Italian.
8
Now that Creed has ended, he plays lead guitar for Alter Bridge, which consists of all the members of Creed except with a different singer, that being Myles Kennedy, who formerly sung for the band Mayfield Four.
Mark was voted Best Rock Guitar for 3 years in a row in Guitar World Magazine.
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
Can't Hardly Wait
1998
writer: "Ode"
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2015
TV Series music - 1 episode
22 Jump Street
2014
writer: "Higher"
Neighbors
2014/I
writer: "Higher"
Metal Evolution
2011
TV Series documentary writer - 1 episode
Hollywood & Wine
2011
Video writer: "Ahavo Rabo Taco Salad"
WrestleMania XXVII
2011
TV Special writer: "Metalingus"
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
2010-2011
TV Series writer - 2 episodes
WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2011
2010
Video Game writer: "Metalingus"
American Idol
2010
TV Series writer - 1 episode
Guitar Hero: Van Halen
2009
Video Game writer: "Come To Life"
WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2010
2009
Video Game writer: "Metalingus"
Eastbound & Down
2009
TV Series writer - 1 episode
WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2009
2008
Video Game writer: "Metalingus"
WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2008
2007
Video Game short writer: "Metalingus" - as M. Tremonti
WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2007
2006
Video Game writer: "Metalingus" - as M. Tremonti
WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2006
2005
Video Game music: "Metalingus"
Creed: Greatest Hits
2004
Video writer: "My Own Prison" 1997, "What's this Life For" 1998, "Higher" 1999, "What If" 1999, "With Arms Wide Open" 2000, "Bullets" 2002, "My Sacrifice" 2001, "One Last Breath" 2002, "Don't Stop Dancing" 2002, "Torn" Live 1998, "Higher" Live 2000, "Weathered" Live 2002
Australian Idol
2004
TV Series writer - 2 episodes
Malaysian Idol
2004
TV Series writer - 1 episode
New Zealand Idol
2004
TV Series writer - 1 episode
Idol - Jakten på en superstjerne
2003
TV Series writer - 1 episode
Idols
2002
TV Series writer - 1 episode
The Skulls
2000
writer: "Higher"
Scream 3
2000
writer: "What If", "Is This the End" - as Tremonti