Mastodon’s Brent Hinds died August 20, 2025

Brent Hinds (January 16, 1974 – August 20, 2025) Early Life & Musical Roots William Brent Hinds was born on January 16, 1974, in Helena, Alabama. Growing up in the South meant he was surrounded by a unique mix of country, gospel, and rock traditions. Unlike many heavy metal musicians who first cut their teeth on hard rock records, Hinds began with the banjo. The banjo would leave a permanent imprint on his approach to guitar, as he developed a hybrid-picking style that merged fingerpicking and flatpicking techniques. This banjo-informed technique became one of his defining trademarks. As a child,…
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