35 Facts About Zakk Wylde

Zachary Phillip Wylde was born on Jeffrey Phillip Wielandt; January 14,1967 and is an American musician.

Zakk Wylde is best known as the lead guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne and as the founder, lead guitarist, lead singer, songwriter and producer of the heavy metal band Black Label Society.

Zakk Wylde joined the reunited Pantera in 2022 as a touring guitarist.

Zachary Phillip Zakk Wylde was born Jeffrey Phillip Wielandt in Bayonne, New Jersey, on January 14,1967.

Zakk Wylde started playing guitar at the age of eight, but did not become serious about it until his early teenage years.

Zakk Wylde grew up in Jackson, New Jersey, where he attended Jackson Memorial High School, graduating in 1985.

Zakk Wylde has stated that he often played the guitar almost non-stop between coming home from school and leaving for school the next morning, then would be completely exhausted during school the next day.

Zakk Wylde played locally with his first band Stone Henge, then later with local New Jersey band Zyris.

In 1987, Zakk Wylde auditioned for Ozzy Osbourne after listening to The Howard Stern Show and learning that Osbourne was looking for a new lead guitarist.

Zakk Wylde subsequently toured with Osbourne and played on No Rest for the Wicked, No More Tears, and Ozzmosis as a co-writer.

Zakk Wylde was replaced by little-known guitarist Joe Holmes in 1995 until Zakk Wylde's return in 2001.

Zakk Wylde rejoined Ozzy Osbourne's band for a select number of dates during Osbourne's 2017 summer tour, and then performed on the No More Tours II tour before the remaining shows were postponed and eventually canceled.

On October 19,2024, Zakk Wylde performed on stage at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse during the 2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony for Osbourne, playing Mama, I'm Coming Home and No More Tears.

Scrambling, Zakk Wylde quickly managed to find a replacement in his long-time friend, John DeServio, who grew up with Zakk Wylde in New Jersey.

Zakk Wylde wrote the second installment of Book of Shadows in between stints on the road, which was released 20 years after the first album on April 16,2016.

Zakk Wylde has since released 11 studio albums, 3 live albums, and 6 compilation albums with Black Label Society.

Black Label Society headlined the second stage at the 2006 Ozzfest, with Zakk Wylde playing double duty with Ozzy Osbourne on certain dates.

On July 14,2022, it was announced that Zakk Wylde had joined the reunited band Pantera to tour as a fill-in for original guitarist Dimebag Darrell who died in 2004.

Zakk Wylde was a close friend of fellow guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott and dedicated the song "In This River" to Abbott after he was murdered onstage in 2004.

Zakk Wylde is a Catholic who has described himself as a "Soldier of Christ".

Zakk Wylde promotes 'Death Wish Coffee' via his Instagram page, as they have used his name in marketing their line "Odinforce Blend".

Zakk Wylde gravitated toward a particular Les Paul guitar, a bullseye-painted 1981 Gibson Les Paul Custom purchased from one of the owners of Metaltronix Amplification.

Metaltronix was building a one-off live rig for Zakk Wylde that was designed around one of the owner's guitars, a creamy white Les Paul Custom with EMG pickups, which would later become known as "The Grail".

Originally intended to look like the spiral from the Alfred Hitchcock movie Vertigo, it returned from a paint shop painted incorrectly and Zakk Wylde liked the result.

Zakk Wylde lost the guitar in 2000 after it fell from the back of a truck transporting equipment as he was travelling between gigs in Texas.

Zakk Wylde contacted Wylde's former webmaster Randy Canis to arrange its return to Wylde.

Grateful, Zakk Wylde gave the fan his signature model in exchange.

Zakk Wylde has a custom Dean Splittail with a mud splatter bulls-eye graphic, as well as a signature Splittail shaped Gibson model called the "ZV".

Zakk Wylde has been known to use Marshall Valvestate combo amplifiers.

Zakk Wylde has an extensive relationship with Marshall Amplification due to his love for their amplifiers, both solid state and tube-driven.

Live, Zakk Wylde exclusively uses Marshall JCM 800's with twin 4 X 12 Cabinets loaded with EVM12L 300W Black Label Speakers.

At the 2015 NAMM Show, Zakk Wylde announced his new company called Zakk Wylde Audio and provided a preview of his new line of custom guitars and amplifiers.

In January 2006, Zakk Wylde was recognized at the Hollywood Rock Walk of Fame for his successful career as a musician and his contribution to the music industry.

In 2010, Zakk Wylde accepted the Metal Hammer Golden God Award.

Zakk Wylde has made guest performances on tracks by other artists:.