Richard Francis Vito is an American guitarist and singer. He was a member of Fleetwood Mac between 1987 and 1991, taking over as lead guitarist after Lindsey Buckingham left the group. He is best known for his blues and slide guitar style, whose influences include Elmore James, Robert Nighthawk, B.B. King, Chuck Berry, Alvino Rey, Les Paul, Django Reinhart, and Keith Richards.

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Richard Francis Vito (born October 13, 1949) is an American guitarist and singer. He was a member of Fleetwood Mac between 1987 and 1991, taking over as lead guitarist after Lindsey Buckingham left the group. He is best known for his blues and slide guitar style, whose influences include Elmore James, Robert Nighthawk, B.B. King, Chuck Berry, Alvino Rey, Les Paul, Django Reinhart, and Keith Richards.\n

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Career

Vito began his professional career in 1971 upon moving to Los Angeles and subsequently joining Delaney & Bonnie & Friends, also working with Todd Rundgren and Derek & The Dominos’ Bobby Whitlock. Vito has been a featured player on Bob Seger's albums since 1986. He played the slide guitar solo on the Bob Seger song (and Chevy truck TV commercial), \"Like a Rock\". He was a long-standing member of Bonnie Raitt's touring band in the 1980s and 1990s. Vito also recorded and/ or performed with John Mayall, Jackson Browne, Little Richard, Roger McGuinn, Boz Scaggs, Roy Orbison, Dobie Gray, John Fogerty, Stevie Nicks, Albert Collins, Dolly Parton, Maria Muldaur, Bob Seger, and many others. Vito has had ten solo CD releases and tours often in Europe and the US with his own band. He produced rockabilly singer Rosie Flores' CD, “Speed of Sound”. His CD/DVD production collaboration with Mick Fleetwood, Blue Again!, received a Grammy nomination in 2010. Vito is also the recipient of the W.C. Handy Blues Award. Mojo on My Side was released in Europe in 2014, and worldwide in 2015 on Delta Groove Records with two new tracks. His CD, “Soulshaker “was released on 5 April 2019; his 11th solo CD, “Cadillac Man”, was released March 22, 2024, and his latest, “Slidemaster,” an all slide guitar instrumental album, was released on April 3, 2026.\n

Vito performed with the Mick Fleetwood Blues Band internationally including at the Byron Bay Bluesfest over Easter 2016. He also participated in an all-star tribute to Fleetwood Mac founder Peter Green at the London Palladium in February 2020. Billed as \"Mick Fleetwood & Friends,\" the show highlighted Vito's guitar and vocals alongside of Billy Gibbons, Pete Townshend, David Gilmour, Jonny Lang, John Mayall, Christine McVie, Bill Wyman, Jeremy Spencer and more.\n

Fleetwood Mac

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In 1987, Lindsey Buckingham left Fleetwood Mac before the band began their Shake the Cage Tour. Mick Fleetwood then asked Rick Vito to join the group as the lead guitarist. Vito and Billy Burnette officially joined Fleetwood Mac in September 1987. He first appeared on the band's 1988 Greatest Hits album, which features Vito's playing on \"As Long as You Follow\" and \"No Questions Asked\", which were recorded specifically for the compilation. He then worked with the band on their Behind the Mask album, which was released in 1990. Vito left Fleetwood Mac in November 1991 to begin working on a solo career. Despite his departure from the group, Vito joined his former bandmates Christine McVie, Mick Fleetwood, Burnette, and John McVie to play the pre-game show of Super Bowl XXVII in January 1993.\n

Vito later joined the Mick Fleetwood Blues Band in 2008 as frontman, lead guitarist and co-producer. The band recorded a live album, Blue Again!, which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Blues Album in 2010. The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band was put on hold in 2017, although he did perform with Fleetwood, John Mayall, Christine McVie, Bill Wyman and others in 2020 for a performance honoring the music of Peter Green, a founding member of Fleetwood Mac.\n

Filmography

The Last Castle (2001) Red Team leader
Angel Eyes (2005) (songwriter: \"It's 2 A.M.\")
Firewall (2006) (songwriter and performer: \"She's So Crazy\")
Evil Bong (2006) (TV) singer

Discography

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1969 The Wright Brothers (an unreleased 4-song EP, recorded/produced by colleague Neil Kempfer-Stocker; Vito-lead guitar).

Fleetwood Mac

1988 Greatest Hits - guitars and backing vocals on two songs.
1990 Behind the Mask
1992 25 Years – The Chain
2002 The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac

The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band Featuring Rick Vito

2008 : Blue Again!
2016 : Live at the Belly Up Tavern

Solo albums

1992 King of Hearts
1998 Pink & Black
2000 Lucky Devils
2001 Crazy Cool
2003 Band Box Boogie
2005 Rattlesnake Shake
2006 Talk That Talk
2009 Lucky in Love: The Best of Rick Vito
2014 Mojo on My Side (European Version)
2015 Mojo on My Side (Worldwide Version)
2019 Soulshaker
2024 Cadillac Man
2026 Slidemaster

Guest performances

1972 Something/Anything? – Todd Rundgren
1972 Raw Velvet – Bobby Whitlock
1973 “They Love Me, They Love Me Not”- Genya Ravan
1973 \"All I See Is You\" - Rabindra Danks
1975 New Year, New Band, New Company – John Mayall
1975 Common Sense – John Prine
1975 Change – Spanky and Our Gang
1975 Notice to Appear – John Mayall
1975 Growing Pains – Jamie Owens
1976 A Banquet in Blues – John Mayall
1976 Prime Prine – John Prine
1976 Street Talk – Bob Crewe
1977 Playing to an Audience Of One – David Soul
1977 Thunderbyrd – Roger McGuinn
1978 Kissin' in the California Sun – Katy Moffatt
1978 Randy Richards – Randy Richards
1979 High and Outside – Steve Goodman
1979 Open Your Eyes – Maria Muldaur
1980 Blue Delicacies – Ronnie Barron
1980 No More Interviews – John Mayall
1982 Fast Times at Ridgemont High (Original Soundtrack) – Various/Jackson Browne
1982 Green Light – Bonnie Raitt
1982 The Perfect Stranger – Jesse Colin Young
1982 Revenge Will Come – Greg Copeland
1982 Walk On – Karen Brooks
1983 Lawyers in Love – Jackson Browne
1983 Tell Me the Truth – Timothy B Schmit
1984 Inside the Fire – Rita Coolidge
1985 One Heart at a Time – Don Francisco
1986 Like a Rock – Bob Seger
1986 Lives in the Balance – Jackson Browne
1987 A Very Special Christmas – Various/Bob Seger
1987 Rainbow – Dolly Parton
1989 Mystery Girl – Roy Orbison
1989 Rock Rhythm & Blues – Various/Christine McVie
1990 Gypsy Moon – Troy Newman
1990 Brent Bourgeois – Brent Bourgeois
1991 The Fire Inside – Bob Seger
1992 Born to Rock and Roll – Roger McGuinn
1992 Not Alone – Thomas Jefferson Kaye
1993 Great Days: A John Prine Anthology – John Prine
1994 Craig Shoemaker Meets the Lovemaster – Craig Shoemaker
1994 Greatest Hits – Bob Seger
1994 Peter Frampton – Peter Frampton
1994 Meet Me at Midnite – Maria Muldaur
1995 It's a Mystery – Bob Seger
1995 All Day Thumbsucker Revisited: The History of Blue Thumb Records – Various/John Mayall
1997 The Next Voice You Hear: The Best of Jackson Browne – Jackson Browne
1998 Southland of the Heart – Maria Muldaur
1998 Thinkin' About You – Rita Coolidge
1999 Extremely Cool – Chuck E. Weiss
1999 Steel Cowboys: Bikers' Choice, Vol. 1 – Various/Billy Burnette
1999 Lillith Fair Volume 3 – Bonnie Raitt
1999 The ABC Years – John Mayall
1999 Juke Rhythm – John \"Juke\" Logan
1999 Smooth Sailin' – Marty Grebb
2001 Nothing Personal – Delbert McClinton
2002 Forgive – Rebecca Lynn Howard
2002 Almeria Club – Hank Williams Jr.
2002 Fast Girl – The Tractors
2002 The Big Night – The Tractors
2002 Speed of Sound – Rosie Flores
2003 All Night Breakfast – Jonny Neel
2004 The Very Best of Jackson Browne – Jackson Browne
2009 Trading 8s – Carl Verheyen
2009 Man's Temptation – Kermit Lynch
2011 Steady Love – Maria Muldaur
2012 Donuts and Coffee – Kermit Lynch
2013 Memphis – Boz Scaggs
2014 Ride Out – Bob Seger
2015 Slide Guitar Summit – Arlen Roth
2017 Crazy Like Me - Billy Burnette
2018 Out of the Blues - Boz Scaggs (LP)
2018 Unchained Melodies - Roy Orbison
2020 All American Radio - Ned Evett
2020 Celebrate the Music of Peter Green
2021 These Strange Times - Mick Fleetwood
2024 Common Sense

- Gary Nicholson\n

2026 Jersey Town - Peter Karp

DVDs

1977 (rel. 2010) Rockpalast – Roger McGuinn's Thunderbyrd: West Coast Legends Vol. 4 DVD
1988 Fleetwood Mac: Tango in the Night Live DVD
2003 Rick Vito In Concert DVD
2003 Guitar Heroes In Concert DVD
2005 Rick Vito: Complete Slide Guitar DVD
2009 Mick Fleetwood Blues Band featuring Rick Vito: Blue Again! DVD
2021 “Celebrate The Music Of Peter Green” DVD

References

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External links

Official site
Rick Vito Bio
Rick Vito at IMDB
Rick Vito Interview at NAMM Oral History Collection (2021)

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Rick Vito

Broadcast History