Success in the music industry sometimes seems unobtainable. To score lasting success in the music industry, one has to be equal parts lucky and talented, and there’s no real formula for longevity. But one thing that certainly helps is when the rock musician has a mentor. Frankly, one could argue that the main attribute in a long-lasting career isn’t talent itself. Rather, it’s guidance in order to capture and utilize that talent in the correct way.
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The music industry has seen a plethora of relationships between mentors and mentees. Some of them are incredibly notable, and some of them merely transpired behind the scenes. Regardless, the wisdom these relationships entailed was seemingly invaluable to the musicians in them. That being said, here are three of the most historic relationships between mentors and mentees in rock history.
Keith Richards and Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry is one of the founders of rock and roll. Hence, it is no surprise that the new guard once asked Chuck Berry for a bit of guidance. The new guard in this relationship was the one and only Keith Richards. Richards and Berry first met in 1969 when The Rolling Stones opened for Berry. Subsequently, Berry became Richards’ mentor and musical guiding light.
Iconically, Keith Richards called his mentor Chuck Berry “the granddaddy of us all” and “rock and roll in its purest essence” per Rolling Stone. What Berry and Richards shared in their relationship is, of course, private. Though, Berry’s influence surely helped make Richards’ career into what it is today.
Trent Reznor and David Bowie
David Bowie is so unique that it seems he may not have had relatable wisdom for anyone. However, that is not the case in the slightest, as Bowie bestowed his wisdom of rock and roll and life to his mentee, Trent Reznor. Reznor and Bowie reportedly first met in 1995 when Nine Inch Nails and Bowie collaborated on The Dissonance Tour. Following that tour, the two seemingly stayed in touch, and Bowie became Reznor’s confidant and musical consultant.
“Whether he knew it or not, how much he helped me in those dark times before I chose to get my sh— together,” Reznor said, regarding Bowie’s influence. “He penetrated through the layers of bullshit that I’d built around myself. I’m grateful for that.”
Lady Gaga and Elton John
In the 21st century, the most notable relationship of this nature is certainly between Lady Gaga and Elton John. Frankly, their mentor-mentee friendship is a match made in heaven, given their similar celebrity dispositions and on-stage personas. Regardless, John has helped Gaga immensely, and she has attested to that fact on several different occasions.
In 2020, Lady Gaga told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe that John had “been my mentor for a long time.”
“I mean, he’s always challenged me to keep my head above water,” Gaga continued. “And it’s something that I always appreciate, is that he knows when I’m down.”
Photo via ADRIAN SANCHEZ-GONZALEZ/AFP via Getty Images
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