Monte Pittman

Monte Pittman is an American musician best known for being part of the thrash metal band Prong and for playing guitar for Madonna for more than 20 years, as well as for the band Ministry.

By the age of 13, he started playing the guitar. Later, he would study at the the Musonia School of Music, taking classes with with Delores Rhoads, mother of the famous guitarist Randy Roads.

In 1999, Pittman he moved to Los Angeles and started teaching guitar lessons. One of his students turned out to be the British film director Guy Ritchie, Madonna’s husband at the time. Eventually, she would take lessons from Pittman as well and invite him to be her guitar player. In an interview with Guitarhoo, he told the story:

I had just quit my job at Guitar Center to start teaching guitar lessons. There didn’t seem to be any guitar teachers people were happy with. I taught in Texas but didn’t expect I would be able to in California. Guy’s assistant at the time, Nathan Young, called the store asking for a guitar teacher. Someone gave him my number.Nathan called me saying he needed to get lessons for his boss. I drove to the address and there’s a very pregnant Madonna sitting in her yard hanging out with her daughter.

Monte Pittman plays for the Queen of Pop since 2001, having participated of seven of her world tours. His work with Prong dates back to 2000.