Wayne Perkins

American guitarist, session musician, singer, songwriter and producer.
Born September 6, 1951, in Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
Died March 16, 2026.

He started playing live at fifteen and left school a year later. In 1968 he found steady work as a session guitarist at Quin Ivy’s studio in Muscle Shoals, and moved on to Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, where he became part of the circle of session players known as the Swampers, recording with artists including Joe Cocker, Leon Russell, Jimmy Cliff, Bobby Womack, Steve Winwood and Jim Capaldi. During this period Ronnie Van Zant invited him to join Lynyrd Skynyrd, an offer he turned down. In 1972 he co-founded the trio Smith Perkins Smith, who were signed to Island Records and toured Europe and the United Kingdom, supporting Free and Uriah Heep. Through Island he was brought in by Chris Blackwell to overdub lead guitar on Bob Marley & The Wailers’ Catch A Fire, contributing to Concrete Jungle, Stir It Up and Baby We’ve Got A Date. In 1975 Eric Clapton recommended him to The Rolling Stones as a possible replacement for Mick Taylor, and he flew to Munich for the sessions that became Black And Blue, playing on Hand Of Fate, Memory Motel and Fool To Cry. His solo on Worried About You, recorded at the same sessions, was not released until Tattoo You in 1981. The position eventually went to Ronnie Wood. He also played bass in Lonnie Mack’s band and later founded Problem Child.

Perkins is best known as a session guitarist, notably with Bob Marley and The Wailers (Catch A Fire), (Black and Blue), and Joni Mitchell (Court and Spark). Other credits include the Alabama State Troupers, Ben Atkins, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Michael Bolton, Angela Bofill, Everly Brothers, Louise Miranda, the Oak Ridge Boys, and Billy Ray Cyrus.