Jesse Willard “Pete” Carr was a guitarist and session musician foundational to the American recording scene from the 1960s onward.
Born in Daytona Beach, Carr began playing guitar at the age of 13. He was inspired by the talented British Invaders such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. After learning the instrument and listening to other artists, he became heavily invested in instrumental music. He looked towards contemporary artists such as James Burton, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Duane Allman, and Chet Atkins for inspiration.
After meeting Gregg and Duane Allman at a local Daytona Beach show, they became friends and created the band Hour Glass. With Hour Glass, the three recorded their album Power of Love at the acclaimed FAME studios. Once done, he stayed at FAME to work in the rhythm section and as a sound engineer. During his tenure, he collaborated with artists such as Bob Seger, Boz Scaggs, Paul Simon, Willie Nelson, Paul Anka, and Art Garfunkel.
Outside of his session work, Carr also worked with Lenny LeBlanc to write their major hit “Falling.” He toured with Lynyrd Skynyrd during their 1977 Street Survivors Tour as well as with Simon and Garfunkel on their 1981 Reunion World Tour.
While he was not the first name listed on charts, Pete Carr is heard on a myriad of tracks across multiple decades. His guitar spoke across genres and influenced guitarists with his mastery of technique and tone.