The Latest Breaking News from Brian Setzer

“My hands just wouldn’t work. There was no way I could play the guitar. It was pretty scary”: Rockabilly icon Brian Setzer on his recovery from the autoimmune condition that stopped him playing guitar

The Stray Cats frontman says he is “98 per cent” recovered but is playing as good as he ever did

MusicRadar · Aug 20

“My hands just wouldn’t work... There was no way I could play the guitar”: You can’t keep a Stray Cat down – the triumphant return of Brian Setzer

With his autoimmune condition in remission, the Stray Cats frontman tells us he’s at 98%, but he sounds just as good as ever. He talks touring with Stevie Ray Vaughan and why he’s fallen for the Flying V

Guitar World · Aug 12

“I played a Gretsch and then played the Flying V, and I couldn’t tell the difference”: Brian Setzer on the unlikely Gibson guitar that’s most like his iconic Gretsch

Setzer says the Flying V is the only guitar that has ever come close to matching the tone and feel of his Gretsch hollowbody

Guitar World · Jul 23

“Dickey came to one of the shows. He whispers, ‘Hey, is that the guitar I loaned you?’ I said, ‘Yes, sir.’ He goes, ‘Good. Use it for as long as you want’”: Frank Hannon on how guitar instrumentals helped him grieve father-in-law Dickey Betts

How the Tesla guitarist wound up with the Allman Brothers legend’s Gibson prototype on permanent loan, and why it features alongside a Brian Setzer Gretsch on new solo album Reflections

Guitar World · Sep 26, 2025

“And I’m selling this why?!” Brian Setzer is re-opening his Reverb store – and it’s filled with stage-played vintage gems

Guitars from the late 1950s and 1960s feature as the rockabilly legend looks to find a new home for some of his gear

Guitar World · Sep 19, 2025

“I’m getting better day by day. The progress I’m making is excellent”: Brian Setzer says he’s recovering well after an autoimmune disease left him unable to play guitar

The Stray Cats’ rockabilly legend dreams of returning to the stage as soon as possible

Guitar World · Mar 20, 2025

“I played Brian Setzer’s personal guitars – the pickups give you more dynamic control. I thought, ‘I have to recreate this!’” How TV Jones revived That Great Gretsch Sound – despite being an underdog in the pickup world

One persona’s small-shop attitude and one-to-one service secured his company’s place in a challenging market, and helped revitalize the Gretsch brand

Guitar World · Mar 19, 2025

“There is no pain, but it feels like I am wearing a pair of gloves when I try to play”: Stray Cats rockabilly legend Brian Setzer has autoimmune disease and cannot play guitar

Setzer says he couldn’t even tie his shoelaces at first but is seeing signs of progress

MusicRadar · Feb 14, 2025

“I cannot play guitar. It feels like I am wearing a pair of gloves when I try”: Brian Setzer can’t play guitar due to autoimmune disease

The Stray Cats guitar icon says he first experienced hand cramps while on tour last year, but remains defiant despite the diagnosis

Guitar World · Feb 14, 2025

What are 6/9 chords? Meet 5 chord shapes that make perfect set closers – and murder mystery soundtracks

What are 6/9 chords? Well, it might sound complicated but they simply have the 6th and 9th of the parent scale, and their stacking of 4ths gives them a sound like no other

Guitar World · Sep 27, 2024