Kerry Marx

Kerry Alan Marx is an American guitarist and studio musician who has served as music director of the Grand Ole Opry's Opry Band since 2018. He is best known for his work with that organization, where he has been staff guitarist since 2000. He has been described as being among "Nashville's most in-demand musicians", and has played with many high-profile musicians including Johnny Cash, Taylor Swift, John Legend, James Taylor, and Steven Tyler. He was guitarist for the CD "Songs From The Neighborhood," which received a Grammy award, the album Many Moods of Moses which received a Grammy nomination, and for the 2 time multi-platinum self-titled album by musical group Blackhawk.

Marx was also a member of The Johnny Cash Show band, and toured extensively with Don McLean. In June 2023, Marx was inducted into the South Carolina Entertainment & Music Hall of Fame.

Biography Early life, education, and career Born in Aiken, South Carolina, a 1971 article noted that he was a "stand-in bass guitarist" for Wax Bean, the winning band in an Aiken Battle of the Bands. He then went on to concentrate in jazz guitar while attending North Texas State University in Denton, TX. Marx related the frustrations of working as a session musician during that time, noting that session producers often did not convey their thoughts about whether the session had gone well. On one song recorded by both Mark Chesnutt and Chad Mullins, Marx "came up with a guitar line that the publisher said he wasn't crazy about", but that Marx then heard on the records, "played by a steel instead of a guitar"—an experience that Marx said "reassures me about my song sense and session sense". Olivia Newton-John (2012–2018), Johnny Mathis (2016–2024). A 1986 review of a Ronnie Milsap benefit concert in Durham, North Carolina noted that despite the country tones of the show, "other aspects of the performance more closely resembled a rock concert, such as Kerry Marx's soaring lead guitar solo". Marx's association with Johnny Cash began in 1989 when Cash's longtime guitarist Bob Wooton took a leave of absence from performing. Marx left Cash's band in 1992 to pursue other projects.

Concurrently with his work on the Opry Band, Marx has performed and composed for major networks, most notably for the Lionel Richie Special (2012), Hannah Montana, American Music Awards (2005–2017), Billboard Music Awards (20012–2022), Academy of Country Music Awards (2003–2022), CMA Christmas (2012–2019), Country Music Association (CMA) Awards (2011–2021, 1992 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, and the 1985 Grammy Awards. In 2020, he performed on a Christmas project for sisters Kandy Isley and Kim Johnson. In February 2021, Marx was one of four members of the Opry house band brought into Daywind Studios in Hendersonville, Tennessee, as an electric guitarist on the Darin & Brooke Aldridge song, "Grand Ole Circle".

Beginning in 2023, Marx has also been a member of The Tennessee Four, a group formed to celebrate the legacy of Johnny Cash. The ensemble features Cash's grandson, Thomas Gabriel, along with veteran musicians who performed with Cash during his career, including Marx on guitar, Paul Leim on drums, and Dave Roe on bass. Marx also featured on several songs for the 2024 album, Songwriter, containing previously unreleased Johnny Cash recordings.

In March 2023, Marx was inducted into the South Carolina Entertainment & Music Hall of Fame for his music career, In March 2024, Marx performed in a career retrospective with then 89-year-old Johnny Mathis, and later that month was announced as the featured entertainer for the 2024 South Carolina Entertainment & Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. In May 2025, Marx performed with then 90-year-old trumpeter Herb Alpert.

, Marx played Schenk guitars, handcrafted by Silverdale, Washington, engineer and guitar maker Rod Schenk. Over the course of his career, Marx came up with four points to convey to musicians trying to succeed in the industry: be realistic in self-assessing your ability; avoid taking jobs that take time away from your career; be pleasant and friendly; and "Don't go away!" 1995, Standing On The Edge, Johnny Berry, electric guitar 1997, Christmas Time, Eddy Arnold, electric guitar 1997, Many Moods of Moses, Beenie Man, guitar 1997, Butterfly Kisses, Jeff Carson, guitar 2000, Greatest Hits, Blackhawk, electric guitar 2002, American IV: The Man Comes Around, Johnny Cash, acoustic guitar 2003, O Mickey, Where Art Thou, Disney, acoustic guitar 2003, Comfort of Her Wings, Charley Pride, main personnel, electric guitar 2007, The Great Lost Performance, Johnny Cash, main personnel, guitar 2008, How Great Thou Art: Gospel Favorites from the Grand Ole Opry, acoustic guitar, main personnel 2008, Best of BJ Thomas, BJ Thomas, acoustic guitar, electric guitar 2009, Then Sings My Soul, Ronnie Milsap, acoustic guitar 2011, Choices, Charley Pride, electric guitar 2013, Sending You A Little Christmas, Johnny Mathis (with Natalie Cole, Susan Boyle, Jim Brickman), electric guitar, acoustic guitar

Television

Guitarist and composer