4 Legendary Left-Handed Musicians That Still Inspire Millions

Left-handed musicians, despite facing a few roadblocks when it comes to learning their instruments, are often some of the most talented musicians and multi-instrumentalists in the world. Jimi Hendrix is just one super-famous example who made shredding on the guitar with his left hand look like the easiest thing in the world. However, there are a ton of other musicians out there who are left-handed, and they are still inspiring millions of people today. Let’s take a look, shall we? One of these musicians actually surprised me.

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Tony Iommi

Black Sabbath’s famed guitarist has always played the guitar left-handed. He also defied the odds by overcoming a disability that could have negatively affected his ability to play. In a tragic metal-cutting incident, Iommi lost the tips of his middle and ring fingers on his right hand. Rather than let himself get depressed and give up on the guitar altogether, he was inspired by famous guitarist Django Reinhardt and decided to simply adapt his playing style. Now, he’s known as one of the greatest and most distinct left-handed guitarists of his generation.

Kurt Cobain

Even fans of Kurt Cobain wouldn’t say he was a top-tier guitarist. If he were here today, he’d certainly agree. But he was still a solid musician who happened to be left-handed. His style of playing was quite unique, and his riffs and solos alike were quite memorable. He opted to play the guitar left-handed throughout his career, despite being forced as a child to write right-handed.

Phil Collins

Maybe I just need to have my thumb on the pulse of Phil Collins’ music more often, but I actually had no idea that this famous Genesis drummer and solo rock star was left-handed. He’s a wildly talented drummer who made explosive drum solos and glittering fills look easy. 

Paul McCartney

This entry on our list of left-handed musicians is probably the most famous. The famed bassist of The Beatles might be best known for his work in the biggest band of the 20th century, but he has also mastered quite a few other instruments throughout his solo career. And he did it all while left-handed. He famously played his Hofner bass upside down to accommodate his left-handedness.

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