Monte Pittman

While the life of a sideman is sure to generate a pretty varied résumé, few have as odd a pedigree as Monte Pittman. Hailing from Longview, Texas, the guitarist, singer, and songwriter got his start playing in bands around his native state before moving to Los Angeles in 1999, where he took a job as a guitar teacher. The job would turn out to be a boon for Pittman, who took on a nice couple, director Guy Ritchie and international pop star Madonna, as students. Pittman was invited to join Madonna's band while she was touring for Ray of Light, and he become a constant fixture. Around the same time, Pittman joined groove metal band Prong, playing guitar and eventually helping to produce albums for the band. In 2009, Pittman released his first solo album, The Deepest Dark, which featured the singer/songwriter dipping his toes into solo waters with an acoustic album. The following year he would head out on tour with Adam Lambert, whom he had previously played with before Lambert appreaared on American Idol, as a guitarist and music director. A second solo effort, this time a post-grunge album titled Pain, Love & Destiny, arrived in 2011, and was followed by a third, more heavy metal-leaning effort, The Power of Three, in 2014.