Myles Kennedy bought one of Walter Becker’s guitars – and it ended up inspiring Alter Bridge’s longest-ever song

Walter Becker and Myles Kennedy
(Image credit: Chiaki Nozu/WireImage / Frank Micelotta/ImageDirect via Getty)

When Myles Kennedy and Mark Tremonti teamed up to release Alter Bridge’s most recent album, Pawns & Kings, earlier this year, it brought with it an array of characteristically infectious electric guitar riffs – the heaviest of which, it was recently revealed, were actually written by Kennedy.

One of the standout riffs for which Kennedy was responsible can be heard on Fable of the Silent Son – which, at eight minutes 22 seconds, is officially the band’s longest song, and was inspired by a baritone guitar once owned by a late jazz rock legend.

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Matt Owen
Senior Staff Writer, GuitarWorld.com

Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.