“Learning how to be a good second guitar player is essential”: Veteran producer Dann Huff on the unsung art of session guitar

Dann Huff performs onstage during the Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum Concert and Induction Ceremony at The Fisher Center for the Performing Arts on April 28, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Aside from being a veteran producer for a roster as diverse as Megadeth, Keith Urban, and Faith Hill, Dann Huff has racked up credits as an in-demand session guitarist, and his chops can be heard on records by Michael Jackson, Whitesnake, Whitney Houston, and George Benson.

The biggest lesson he’s learned from his sessioning days? There’s zero shame in not being the producer’s first pick for a solo – as long as you land the job.