Jerry Cantrell
Jerry Fulton Cantrell Jr. (born March 18, 1966) is an American musician, si… Read Full Bio ↴Jerry Fulton Cantrell Jr. (born March 18, 1966) is an American musician, singer-songwriter and guitarist best known as the founder, lead guitarist, co-lead vocalist and main songwriter of the rock band Alice in Chains. The band rose to international fame in the early 1990s during Seattle's grunge movement, and is known for its distinctive vocal style and the harmonized vocals between Cantrell and Layne Staley (and later Cantrell and William DuVall). Cantrell started to sing lead vocals on Alice in Chains' 1992 EP Sap. After Staley's death in 2002, Cantrell took the role of Alice in Chains' lead singer on most of the songs from the band's post-Staley albums, Black Gives Way to Blue (2009), The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here (2013) and Rainier Fog (2018), with DuVall harmonizing with him in the new songs and singing Staley's vocals in the old songs in live concerts.
He also has a solo career, having released the albums Boggy Depot in 1998 and Degradation Trip Volumes 1 & 2 in 2002. Cantrell has also collaborated and performed with Heart, Ozzy Osbourne, Metallica, Pantera, Circus of Power, Metal Church, Gov't Mule, Damageplan, Pearl Jam, The Cult, Stone Temple Pilots, Danzig, Glenn Hughes, Duff McKagan and Deftones, among others.
Cantrell was named "Riff Lord" by British hard rock/metal magazine Metal Hammer in 2006. Guitar World Magazine ranked Cantrell as the 38th out of "100 Greatest Heavy Metal Guitarists of All Time" in 2004, and the 37th "Greatest Guitar Player of All Time" in 2012. Guitar World also ranked Cantrell's solo in "Man In The Box" at No. 77 on its list of "100 Greatest Guitar Solos" in 2008.
He also contributed to the soundtrack of The Cable Guy (1996), John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) and Dark Nights: Metal (2018), and has made cameos in films such as Jerry Maguire (1996), Rock Slyde (2009) and Deadwood: The Movie. Cantrell also acted in the Alice in Chains mockumentaries The Nona Tapes (1995) and AIC 23 (2013).
Cantrell is a recovering addict and alcoholic and has been sober since 2003. He was awarded the 2012 Stevie Ray Vaughan Award from MusiCares, for his work helping other addicts with the recovery process. Cantrell said in his acceptance speech, "I crash landed here almost 9 years ago, in Los Angeles. Sean [Kinney] was at the door with my brother, so my choices were open the door and go to rehab or jump out the back window down a cliff into some black berry bushes. That’s the choice I took. Luckily they caught me because I couldn’t go anywhere, I was kind of stuck in a bush at the bottom of a cliff bleeding, and I ended up here. I didn’t intend to get here but I’m very grateful I am here, and it took a lot of people to help me get here. It's been an amazing day. It's overwhelming. I'm as imperfect as they come. I just don't get high today and wake up the next morning and try and do the same thing. A lot of people stand and get the fuck back up after falling. Some people don't get that chance. My band's been a harsh example of that – what happens when you don't deal with it." Cantrell and his Alice in Chains bandmates played a five-song set at the awards event and Cantrell stated, "We really miss Layne [Staley] and Mike [Starr], and we carry them with us in our hearts".
He also has a solo career, having released the albums Boggy Depot in 1998 and Degradation Trip Volumes 1 & 2 in 2002. Cantrell has also collaborated and performed with Heart, Ozzy Osbourne, Metallica, Pantera, Circus of Power, Metal Church, Gov't Mule, Damageplan, Pearl Jam, The Cult, Stone Temple Pilots, Danzig, Glenn Hughes, Duff McKagan and Deftones, among others.
Cantrell was named "Riff Lord" by British hard rock/metal magazine Metal Hammer in 2006. Guitar World Magazine ranked Cantrell as the 38th out of "100 Greatest Heavy Metal Guitarists of All Time" in 2004, and the 37th "Greatest Guitar Player of All Time" in 2012. Guitar World also ranked Cantrell's solo in "Man In The Box" at No. 77 on its list of "100 Greatest Guitar Solos" in 2008.
He also contributed to the soundtrack of The Cable Guy (1996), John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) and Dark Nights: Metal (2018), and has made cameos in films such as Jerry Maguire (1996), Rock Slyde (2009) and Deadwood: The Movie. Cantrell also acted in the Alice in Chains mockumentaries The Nona Tapes (1995) and AIC 23 (2013).
Cantrell is a recovering addict and alcoholic and has been sober since 2003. He was awarded the 2012 Stevie Ray Vaughan Award from MusiCares, for his work helping other addicts with the recovery process. Cantrell said in his acceptance speech, "I crash landed here almost 9 years ago, in Los Angeles. Sean [Kinney] was at the door with my brother, so my choices were open the door and go to rehab or jump out the back window down a cliff into some black berry bushes. That’s the choice I took. Luckily they caught me because I couldn’t go anywhere, I was kind of stuck in a bush at the bottom of a cliff bleeding, and I ended up here. I didn’t intend to get here but I’m very grateful I am here, and it took a lot of people to help me get here. It's been an amazing day. It's overwhelming. I'm as imperfect as they come. I just don't get high today and wake up the next morning and try and do the same thing. A lot of people stand and get the fuck back up after falling. Some people don't get that chance. My band's been a harsh example of that – what happens when you don't deal with it." Cantrell and his Alice in Chains bandmates played a five-song set at the awards event and Cantrell stated, "We really miss Layne [Staley] and Mike [Starr], and we carry them with us in our hearts".
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Jerry Cantrell Lyrics
10. She Was My Girl Copacetic, calm my frenetic, she's the shit y'all Highly-rat…
31/32 You were voted most likely to have your name go…
Angel Eyes Homely, thick in mind, never listen Worn, tired siren drawn …
Anger Rising Alabama trailer park they call home Boy standing at attenti…
Atone Hounded by a feeling that I've known Following everywhere I …
Bargain Basement Howard Hughes Don't deny I did you cold I broke your trust…
Between Going to California Try and find my head Gonna swim in the…
Black Hearts and Evil Done Too many heads broke, too many times Tired of the same…
Breaks My Back Through windows by my bed Miles away I rest my weary…
Brighten Solemn drifter You have your days And all these wonders Neve…
Castaway Daybreak, wind is blowing strong No escape, caught on a reef…
Chemical Tribe Should I live so long To see 'em dropping bombs Hope I…
Cold Piece Been awhile and you see his face So you can't ignore…
Cut You In I like to sit Do nothing at home I disappear, turn off…
Devil By His Side Clear on the road tonight Headlamps shine on the one-way sig…
Dickeye Once round outside and check the door Only thing he came…
Dismembered Watch my stitches come unsewn Another piece gone by the ways…
Dying Inside Long fat green, love what you do, so young must…
Feel the Void I can't feel my life Makes me want to cry…
Give It A Name Give it a name, get it out of your home Out…
Gone All dreams have died, along the way I coughed up the…
Had to Know Tonight I spilled myself on the floor Admired the way you…
Hellbound Going down a last act scene Curtain call begin bowing Self-a…
Hurt A Long Time His hands are clenched His knuckles white He got a gun And g…
Hurt Along Time His hands are clenched His knuckles white He got a gun An…
I've Seen All This World I Care To See I close my eyes and watch the darkness Withdraw to my…
Jesus Hands If you ever torch your bridges If you're ever past the…
Keep The Light On Haven't seen her, she hit the wall last night Bumped his…
Leave Me Alone Blame me, save a prayer for those Who haunt you there…
Locked On Everything you heard I did and maybe then some ok Does…
Mother Mother's spinning in her grave 'cause she can't save Mother…
My Song She won't tell me lies She want to see me smile,…
Nobody Breaks You Shedding violence, tended to withdraw Charming serpent, do t…
Owned I'm a whore, can't ignore this my lot Live in…
Pig Charmer Well I'm a pig charmer, lie in filth getting off I…
Prism of Doubt Wind up my key I'm running down There's want and need…
Pro False Idol Gave it all away, blood or song And there's nothing left,…
Psychotic Break I feel the fear take hold Reside in darkness, thrive…
S.O.S Didn't know what to say, nothing new to tell ya…
Satisfy I would like to know How you cage a bird aflight Feathers…
Setting Sun Cue the light, watch this show Till you find the one…
Settling Down Though you're always on my mind Found a sickness that was…
She Was My Girl Copacetic, calm my frenetic, she's the shit y'all Highly-rat…
Siddhartha Rolling over keys that dig in my side Try to…
Siren Song Cold night adrift in snow No matter where I go Seems I…
Solitude There's no out, downside up for good No light, reflection un…
Spiderbite Caine Caine What was your name? Damn glad to meet ya Never …
Thanks Anyway Happy new day, does it matter? Thinning go low, hight…
What It Takes It takes a mountain of faith River flowing pain It…
Duff787
on Dickeye
It's all about Layne. Jerry was pissed that he recorded with mad season. Born traitor. Layne and Jerry did lots of drugs together. Only thing he came here looking for. Injected concrete is a not so subtle reference to what dealers cut heroin with. Layne frequently shot up between his toes to hide track marks. Hide bloody feet.