Erja Lyytinen

Origin: Kuopio, Finland | Born: July 7, 1976

Role: Lead Vocalist, Slide & Electric Guitarist, Songwriter

Genres: Blues Rock, Modern Blues, Progressive Blues, Hard Rock

Biography

Erja Lyytinen is an internationally acclaimed Finnish blues-rock guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter, widely dubbed the "Queen of the Slide Guitar" by international music press. Born into a musical family in Kuopio, Finland, she began playing violin before switching to electric guitar at age 15 and going on to become the first woman to earn a master's degree in electric guitar from the prestigious Sibelius Academy in Helsinki (supplementing her studies at the Malmö Academy of Music and Musicians Institute in Los Angeles).

Known for blending traditional Delta and Chicago blues foundations with soaring modern rock dynamics, progressive time shifts, and fiery bottleneck slide phrasing, Lyytinen has earned numerous European and International Blues Awards—including European Guitarist of the Year at the European Blues Awards and multiple Finnish Blues Awards. Over her two-decade career, she has shared stages with guitar icons including Carlos Santana, Sonny Landreth, Jennifer Batten, and Joe Bonamassa.

Band & Touring Lineup

Erja Lyytinen – Lead Vocals, Electric & Slide Guitars
Tatu Back – Bass, Backing Vocals
Iiro Laitinen – Drums, Percussion
Harri Taittonen – Keyboards, Hammond Organ (frequent live & studio collaborator)
Miika Aukio – Keyboards (touring & session collaborator)

*Note: Earlier studio and touring lineups have included Davide Floreno (guitar), Juha Verona (bass), Rami Eskelinen (drums), and Kai Jokiaho (drums).