Lance Lopez

Lance Lopez is an American blues rock and Texas blues singer, guitarist, and songwriter. Lopez has been influenced by Jimi Hendrix, B.B. King, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Jeff Beck has described Lopez as "a very exciting and intense blues guitarist". Lopez has spoken over the years about being mentored by both Billy Gibbons and Johnny Winter. Lopez was aged 16 at the time he met Gibbons, and they have remained friends throughout.

He was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, United States. At the age of 12, he moved to Dallas, Texas, to live with his mother, and then on to New Orleans, Louisiana, two years later, to reside with his father. By the age of 14, Lopez was playing guitar in the local bars and clubs in the French Quarter, New Orleans, already a professional musician. His time in high school was split between New Orleans and Florida, after his father moved again. All this time, however, Lopez continued to play in local clubs on evenings and at the weekend. The family returned to Dallas when Lopez was 17 years old. He was recruited by Johnnie Taylor, and Lopez toured in his band around the Chitlin Circuit for six months. At the age of 18, Lopez was hired by Lucky Peterson with whom he toured the world for three years. During this time Lopez established a friendship with the drummer Buddy Miles, and he became the guitarist for a couple of brief spells for the Buddy Miles Express. Miles mentored Lopez, leading to Miles co-producing Lopez's debut album, First Things First (1998), along with Jay Newland.