Glenn Tipton, one half of heavy metal's most influential guitar partnership, was born on October 25, 1947, in Blackheath, England. He joined JUDAS PRIEST in May 1974, in time for the debut "Rocka Rolla," and went on to play on every studio album the band has ever released. Trading harmonies and duelling solos with K.K. Downing, Tipton perfected the twin-guitar blueprint that became the genre's gold standard, from the steel-plated riffing of "British Steel" to the merciless velocity of "Painkiller." His leads on "Beyond the Realms of Death," "Electric Eye" and "Painkiller" remain required study for generations of players. Diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2008, he kept the battle private for a decade, stepping back from full touring only in February 2018 — yet he still joins the band onstage for encores, guitar in hand, a quiet display of unbreakable heavy metal will.
