Guitar Summit Featuring Mark Lettieri

Lettieri has released seven albums as a leader: Knows (2011), Futurefun (2013), Spark and Echo (2016), Deep: The Baritone Sessions (2019), Things of that Nature (2019), Deep: The Baritone Sessions, Vol. 2 (2021) and Fly Through It (EP, 2022). Deep: The Baritone Sessions, Vol. 2 earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album, giving Lettieri his first nomination as a solo artist. He tours this material internationally with his quartet, the Mark Lettieri Group.

Playing in the vibrant Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex gospel and R&B scene led Lettieri to join Snarky Puppy in 2008, and he remains active with the band as a writer, arranger, session player and touring member. His work with the group has resulted in five Grammy Awards: Best R&B Performance for "Something" feat. Lalah Hathaway in 2014 and Best Contemporary Instrumental Album (Sylva in 2016, Culcha Vulcha in 2017, Live at the Royal Albert Hall in 2021 and Empire Central in 2023). 

In 2018, Lettieri helped form The Fearless Flyers, with Cory Wong, Nate Smith and Joe Dart. The Vulfpeck-adjacent quartet has four releases to date: The Fearless Flyers (2018), The Fearless Flyers II (2019), Tailwinds (2020), Live at Madison Square Garden (2021) and The Fearless Flyers III (2022). The band is a regular presence on the jazz and jam-band festival scene.

As a sideman, Lettieri has performed and/or recorded with a myriad of artists, including Erykah Badu, David Crosby, Kirk Franklin, The Jacksons, Fred Hammond, Tori Kelly, 50 Cent, Ledisi, Tamela Mann, Lecrae, Lupe Fiasco, Keyshia Cole, Xzibit, Anthony Evans, Phillip Phillips, Nelly, Chrisette Michele, Myron Butler and even alongside comedians Dave Chappelle and Harry Shearer.

In addition to his recording and performing career, Lettieri is involved with the development and demonstration of various musical equipment with a number of brands. In recent years, he has teamed up with Paul Reed Smith Guitars to create his signature model Fiore electric guitar, the MeLody overdrive pedal with J. Rockett Audio Designs and the NewWave chorus pedal with Jackson Audio. Lettieri has also collaborated with Apple, Inc. to create a package of downloadable guitar loops for the digital audio workstations Logic Pro and Garageband.

As an instructor, Lettieri has released online guitar instructional courses through outlets such as JamPlay, Brett Papa, Guitareo and Soundslice, as well as print lessons available from Premier Guitar Magazine. 

Lettieri was born in the San Francisco Bay Area and landed in Texas via Texas Christian University (TCU), where he matriculated in advertising and public relations, competed in track and field and began dipping his toes in the local music scene. A passionate guitarist since middle school, he began his music career upon graduating from TCU. An avid lover of food, travel and doing his best to keep an active lifestyle, he resides with his wife, daughter, three cats and a hamster.