Nuno Bettencourt is one of those incredible guitarists that is just far enough off the beaten path that even most guitar fans don’t recognize him. Most famous for his tenure with the Boston based band Extreme (and perhaps further for one of the most cheesy acoustic hits in history: More Than Words) Nuno is a serious new school shredder and quite deservedly appears as November’s “Guitar Great.” I have to admit, I was stealing his licks all over the place in high school. If you play guitar at any level above average, this is a guy that you want to tune into.

Nuno Duarte Gil Mendes Bettencourt (now that’s a name!) was born in Portugal, circa 1966. Very early in his childhood the family picked up and moved to Hudson, Massachusetts, where he dreamed of becoming an actor or sports athlete. His brother Luis started teaching him guitar in high school; however, it wasn’t until young Nuno started teaching himself, ditching his sports dreams (and high school) to practice upwards of 7 hours per day that his skills really accelerated.

He joined the band Extreme in 1985 and the band was subsequently signed to A&M records, releasing their first self-titled album in 1989. Their follow up album, Pornograffitti, was the one that really gained traction in the rock-pop world with the aforementioned single More Than Words. That single was so damn popular at the time that my high school band even covered it! Funny that the band and Nuno became ridiculously famous for what (still) is a cheesy acoustic love song, when in reality the band was much more metal inspired and ferocious. Also on that album was a super cool guitar solo track, titled Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee. In actuality, it’s not that hard of a track to play–set the delay for a slapback at 200ms and play 16th notes–but it was really creative and different from what many other players were showcasing at the time. Although his guitar work and solos are over the top to some (likely haters who can’t cut it), his incredible skills always shine through on every composition. Nuno’s technique is very solid, and he plays up to speed with a really aggressive picking style. He was voted “Best New Talent” and “Most Valuable Player” by Guitar World magazine in 1991.

The band released two more albums in the following years to limited success and the band eventually broke up in 1996 with Nuno deciding to go solo. Unfortunately, his solo works (although highly skilled and creative) didn’t receive much commercial success and Nuno’s brand name kind of drifted off into obscurity. He briefly appeared in a band with Perry Farrell called Satellite Party, but ended up leaving because of disagreements in the direction of the live shows. He did a guitar spot for Janet Jackson’s Black Cat in 1990 (which was a number one hit, incidentally). He later formed the band Population 1, which toured extensively in Asia and then went on to create the band Drama Gods, which may or may not be still looking for record company backing to release their initial album.

I recently caught up with Nuno at the Generation Axe concert in Denver, where he was showcased with other guitar greats: Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen, Tosin Abasi and Zakk Wylde. I can tell you–the guy can still shred. He was the first one out of the gate and he came correct, with signature blazing technical skills and original, creative metal phrasing. All in all he was a nice addition to the concert (and one of the few that can hang with the other guys, who are freakin’ incredible). Of course, he pulled out his Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee composition for all to watch in awe.

Although Nuno might not be at the top of most guitar player’s lists, he is really an incredible player, both technically and creatively. He also has a great mind for composition and arrangement, the two of which are showcased on his many productions, both as a solo player and in ensembles. I would urge my fellow guitarists to check this guy out–whether you love him or hate him, it is likely that you’ll find a few licks that you may want to borrow every now and then!