James Alan Hetfield is an American musician. He is the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, co-founder, and a primary songwriter of heavy metal band Metallica. He is mainly known for his raspy voice and intricate rhythm playing, but occasionally performs lead guitar duties and solos both live and in studio.
Hetfield was born on August 3, 1963, in Downey, California, the son of Cynthia Bassett, a light opera singer, and Virgil Lee Hetfield, a truck driver. He has two older half-brothers from his mother’s first marriage and one younger sister. His parents divorced in 1976 when Hetfield was 13.
Hetfield and his family were Christian Scientists, a belief system that disapproved of medical treatment. His mother, Cynthia, died of cancer in 1980 when Hetfield was 16, a situation that became an inspiration for some of his lyrics later in his career. After his mother's death, he went to live with his older half-brother.
Hetfield’s musical journey began early. He started piano lessons at age nine, then moved on to his half-brother David’s drums before starting to play guitar at age 14. He attended Downey High School and later Brea Olinda High School. As a teenager, he was in bands called Leather Charm and Obsession. Aerosmith was a primary musical influence for him as a child, and he has stated they were the reason he wanted to play guitar. Other bands that influenced him were Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Thin Lizzy, Motörhead, and AC/DC.
Below is a collection of 20 rarely seen childhood photos of James Hetfield in the 1960s and 1970s:
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