Paul Andrew Waggoner is the lead guitarist of American

progressive metal Progressive metal (sometimes shortened to prog metal) is a broad fusion music genre melding heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified guitar-driven sound of the former with the more experimental, cerebral ...

band

Between the Buried and Me Between the Buried and Me, often abbreviated as BTBAM, is an American progressive metal band from Raleigh, North Carolina. Formed in 2000, the band consists of Tommy Giles Rogers Jr. (lead vocals, keyboards), Paul Waggoner (lead guitar, backing ...

. A fan of

progressive music Progressive music is music that attempts to expand existing stylistic boundaries associated with specific genres of music. The word comes from the basic concept of "progress", which refers to advancements through accumulation, and is often de ...

, he is heavily inspired by

John Petrucci John Peter Petrucci (born July 12, 1967) is an American guitarist, best known as a founding member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. He produced or co-produced (often with former member Mike Portnoy before he departed the band in 201 ...

Pat Metheny Patrick Bruce Metheny ( ; born August 12, 1954) is an American jazz guitarist and composer. He is the leader of the Pat Metheny Group and is also involved in duets, solo works, and other side projects. His style incorporates elements of progre ...

, Allan Holdsworth and

Steve Vai Steven Siro Vai (; born June 6, 1960) is an American guitarist, composer, songwriter, and producer. A three-time Grammy Award winner and fifteen-time nominee, Vai started his music career in 1978 at the age of eighteen as a transcriptionist f ...

, amongst others. He formerly played guitar in the metalcore bands, From Here On and Prayer for Cleansing. He had also played live guitar as needed for Lamb of God between 2010 and 2014.

Style

Waggoner's playing is heavily influenced by a wide variety of styles—in his work with Between the Buried and Me, he often combines elements of metal, progressive rock,

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

and bluegrass.

Personal life

Waggoner is

vegan Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal product—particularly in diet—and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. An individual who follows the diet or philosophy is known as a vegan. ...

and straight edge. Waggoner also owns and operates Nightflyer Roastworks (formerly Parliament Coffee Roasters), as well as Queen City Grounds, a small-batch specialty grade coffee roastery and cafe, respectively, based in Charlotte, NC. He is married with no children. He uses PRS and

Ibanez is a Japanese guitar brand owned by Hoshino Gakki. Based in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan, Hoshino Gakki were one of the first Japanese musical instrument companies to gain a significant foothold in import guitar sales in the United States and Europe, as ...

guitars. He has signature guitars with

, the PWM20, PWM10 and PWM100. He uses D'Addario strings.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Waggoner, Paul Living people Lead guitarists American heavy metal guitarists Progressive metal guitarists 1979 births Guitarists from North Carolina Between the Buried and Me members 21st-century American guitarists