Doug Aldrich (born February 19, 1964 in Raleigh, North Carolina), is a Los Angeles-based hard rock guitarist, since 2002 a member of Whitesnake. He founded the band Burning Rain with Keith St. John in 1998 and has played previously with the bands Dio, Lion, Hurricane, House of Lords, and Bad Moon Rising. He has also released several solo albums. Doug was first introduced to the guitar at age 11 when his sister Jennifer introduced him to the playing of Jeff Beck. Doug's first guitar was a Les Paul model and came from Sears. Doug even auditioned for KISS. He did not get the gig but as a result of the audition he met Gene Simmons and he and Gene are friends to this day. Doug was also once a highly sought after guitar teacher, at one point he was teaching over 70 students a week.
Equipment edit:
Doug was previously endorsed by Jackson Guitars. He used their Dinky and Soloist superstrats as well as his own signature model which has bridge and neck position humbucking pickups were "Full-shred" pickups which Seymour Duncan specially wired. Presently, California-based Suhr Guitars offers Doug Aldrich signature humbucking pickups, which are also found on their superstrat-style 24-Fret Moderns. He plays various Gibson Les Pauls and Fender Stratocasters through Suhr/ Cameron hot-rodded Marshall JMPs and Vintage Modern amps. Doug sums up his philosophy of playing this way, "I'm not one of those guys that follows whatever is trendy. I'd rather do what I do best and do it to the best of my ability."
