IN A CAREER that spans more than 50 years, Lee Ritenour has played on tracks recorded by some of music’s biggest names. Aretha Franklin, Joe Henderson, Quincy Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, B.B. King, David “Fathead” Newman, George Benson, Pink Floyd — those are just some of the artists Ritenour has worked with. Along the way, he launched his own solo career in 1976 with the album First Course, performed as a member of Barry White’s Love Unlimited Orchestra, and recorded three chart-topping albums with the smooth-jazz group Fourplay. He’s also become known for playing a red dot-neck Gibson ES-335 that he’s used throughout his career.
“EVERYTHING WAS THERE: ABOUT 40 TO 50 AMPS, MAYBE A HUNDRED GUITARS, MUSIC FROM SINCE I WAS 12 YEARS OLD” Growing up in L.A. in the…
