Tone Timeline
Lee Ritenour — Tone Evolution
Lee Ritenour is one of Hollywood's most prolific session guitarists — his Stratocaster and ES-335 tones appear on thousands of pop and soul recordings from the 1970s onwards. As a solo artist he helped define smooth jazz guitar while maintaining jazz credentials that his sessions-only contemporaries sometimes lacked.
1971–1981: Session Peak / Captain Fingers
Ritenour was a studio call-sheet regular in Los Angeles through the 1970s — his clean Stratocaster or ES-335 tone appeared on Diana Ross, Steely Dan, Pink Floyd's The Wall (partial sessions), and hundreds of other records. Captain Fingers (1977) was his breakthrough solo album — jazz-fusion with pop hooks. Guitar Player magazine named him "#1 Studio Guitarist" multiple consecutive years.
Signal Chain
1981–present: Friendship / 6 String Theory
↑ Smooth jazz era prioritised clean, warm ES-335 tones — session chops applied to more melodically focused solo context.
Friendship (1978) with Dave Grusin began a long Elektra/Asylum smooth jazz period. Ritenour's recordings balance jazz authenticity with commercial accessibility. 6 String Theory (2010) was a tribute concept album featuring guest guitarists — B.B. King, Robert Cray, Mike Stern, and many others. He remains active as a recording and touring artist.
Signal Chain