Layne Staley convinced Jerry Cantrell to sing in Alice in Chains

The band Alice in Chains is widely known for its incredible vocal performances from both Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell - but it almost never happened...

In the latest episode of “Icons”, Gibson TV sits down with one of the most iconic rock musicians of our generation, Jerry Cantrell to learn about his early years in Spanaway, Washington and the birth of the Seattle sound. The show takes a deep dive into his 30-plus year career in music as the guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter of Alice In Chains, and as a solo artist.

In this exclusive clip from ICONS, Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains reflects on how Layne Staley encouraged him to step out of his comfort zone and take the co-lead as a vocalist. During the recording of their first EP, Layne told Jerry, "These are your lyrics—they probably mean more to you than they do to me. You should sing some of these." and the rest as they say, is history!

Watch as Jerry Cantrell recounts, despite his initial reluctance, how he began to sing more of his own words, creating a dynamic vocal partnership with Layne that would become a signature of Alice in Chains’ sound. Over time, their voices complemented each other, sharing the weight and versatility of their music in a way that set the band apart from their peers.

Discover more about Jerry Cantrell’s journey as a guitarist, songwriter, and singer in the full ICONS episode on Gibson TV.

Learn about his growing up around music, his love for Willie Nelson, Elton John and Ace Frehley's Gibson Les Paula and how these artists were influential in his own songwriting for Alice in Chains and his solo projects. Watch as Jerry discusses his first guitars, the legacy of Alice in Chains, restarting the band and how it was Layne who convinced him to sing for Alice in Chains in the first place. We also get some insight into what it was like being in a band during the explosion of the Seattle Grunge scene in the late 80s as well as stories on how songs like 'Rooster' and 'Man in the Box' were written, and what really happened during the MTV Unplugged recording.


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