Jerry Horton was born in Dixon California in 1975. He is best known as the lead guitarist for alternative rock/ post grunge band Papa Roach.
Jerry Horton started playing the guitar aged 14 on a white Epiphone Stratocaster. His earliest musical influences were metal bands such as Metallica, Nine Inch Nails and Sepultura.
He joined Papa Roach in 1993 , as the bands first lead guitarist, shortly after the band was formed by high school friends, singer Jacoby Shaddix and drummer Dave Buckner after being introduced to them by an ex girlfriend. At this time, the band was called Moby Dick.
Jerry Horton worked as a roofer and sales clerk as well as playing with the band and after a year of intensive practice and local gigs, the band released their first EP “Potatoes for Christmas”.
A few line up changes followed plus the name of the band changed from Moby Dick to Papa Roach – after Jacoby Shaddix’s step grandfather Howard Roatch – known as Papa. The band toured and played extensively releasing a full-length album in 1997 “Old Friends from Young Years” and later EPS “Five Tracks Deep” in 1998 and “Let Em Know” in 1999. The band attracted the attention of Warner Brothers who did not sign them but passed them on to DreamWorks records who signed a contract with the band in 1999.
Using songs from the previous recordings, the band released their debut album in 2000 called Infest and since then has released five further albums with the most recent “Time for Annihilation” in 2010.
Papa Roach tour extensively and appeared at Ozz fest and on the same bill with metal bands such as Metallica, motley crue and Slip Knot. They have a wide fan base and have toured in UK USA and Japan.
Line-up changes and problems with Dave Bruckner’s substance abuse have disrupted the band but Jerry Horton is clean living, never drinking smoking or doing drugs. Jerry Horton has been nominated as Best guitarist at the California Music awards and endorses Schechter guitars. He has a signature Schechter, the C-1 Jerry Horton.