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Eric Peterson
Photo: BiblioteKarin, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons9

Eric Peterson

American guitarist (born 1964)

Eric Stanley Peterson (born May 14, 1964) is an American musician, best known as the rhythm guitarist of the thrash metal band Testament and the only remaining original member left in the band, which first started in 1983 under the name Legacy. He and lead vocalist Chuck Billy are the only members to appear on all of the band's studio albums.2

From Wikipedia’s article on Eric Peterson (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Born May 14, 1964.1

About

Peterson also has a side project black metal band called Dragonlord, in which he plays guitar and also sings. In Testament, Peterson was originally a rhythm guitarist while Alex Skolnick handled all lead work. More recently though, Peterson plays leads along with Skolnick.

From Wikipedia’s article on Eric Peterson, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.2

Companies

Career

Occupation: author, composer, songwriter, musician, guitarist.3

Testament

In 1983, Peterson co-founded the band Legacy (which late changed its name to Testament) alongside his cousin Derrick Ramirez. They eventually hired drummer Louie Clemente, vocalist Steve "Zetro" Souza and bassist Greg Christian, and began playing shows with bands like Exodus, Slayer, Anthrax, Lȧȧz Rockit, and Death Angel, among others. Their debut album Legacy was released in 1987, since then Peterson has remained the bands only original member and has recorded 14 albums the most recent being Para Bellum (2025).

Dragonlord

In 2001, Peterson formed a side project called Dragonlord alongside Testament bandmate Steve Di Giorgio and Steve Smyth of Nevermore. Peterson's started the band due to having an interest in darker music, and not being able to do that with Testament. The group have released three albums with the most recent being Dominion in 2018.

From Wikipedia’s article on Eric Peterson (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Personal life

  • BornMay 14, 1964, Alameda4
  • CitizenshipUnited States5

Peterson was formerly married to his wife Rebecca, with whom they had one child together. He also has a daughter from another relationship. He resides in Northern California.

During Testaments 2004, European Tour he fell down a flight of stairs resulting in a fracture that put him in the hospital in Vienna, Austria for 12 days. He spent the rest of the Summer in physical therapy and by October of that year he was able to drive again.

From Wikipedia’s article on Eric Peterson (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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