Yngwie Malmsteen is a guitarist from Sweden. Malmsteen made headlines in the 80s when he was playing heavy metal. His neoclassical style set him apart from many guitarists, which enabled him to be unique.
Born as Yngwie Johan Malmsteen in 1963, he has become a recognized person for his talent as a guitarist. His talent has spanned over forty years, but he continues to make an impact on many upcoming guitarists and singers.
Johan was born into a musical family, which made it easier for him to start his career. At the age of ten, he formed his first band consisting of himself and a friend from school who played drums.
Since the age of ten, the spirit to sing only grew bigger and bigger. So how wealthy is the Swedish Guitarist?
Net Worth of Yngwie Malmsteen
The heavy metal guitarist has a net worth of $5 million. While many guitarists have higher net worths than Malmsteen, he is a true rock master on a technical level. For over 40 years, the Heas been able to release 22 albums.
Johan continues to play live music and release studio albums, which are the main sources of his wealth.
Early Life
Malmsteen was born on June 30, 1963, as Lars Johan Yngve Lannerback. He grew up with two siblings in a musical family where everyone was encouraged to embrace singing. At the age of ten, Malmsteen formed his band alongside a school friend and he began honing his skills.
When Yngwie was 12 years old, he adopted his mother’s surname Masten, and altered it slightly. As a teenager, he loved classical music and studied 19th composers like Niccolo Paganini and Bach.
Career and Fame
Malmsteen’s career began funnily. After he saw a report about the death of a famous guitarist and singer Jimi Hendrix on September 18, 1970, that is when his interest in being a guitarist aroused.
Hendrix’s images of smashing and burning his guitar in 1967 greatly influenced Yngwie and he wanted to have a similar career as Hendrix. After Mike Varney of Shrapnel Records heard a demo tape of Malmsteen, he chose to bring him into the US.
He began his career as a guitarist, joining bands like Steeler, and Alcatrazz. He performed with Alcatrazz on their live album Live Sentence in 1984 but went on to leave after he was fired on the spot for clashing with lead singer Graham Bonnet and fighting on the show.
Malmsteen’s first solo album came out in 1984. Originally, it was supposed to be an instrumentals side project but evolved into a full project. The album was nominated for Grammar for Best Rock Instrumental.
His unique style of playing guitar set him apart from other guitarists and it helped his career to grow. His debut album peaked at #60 on the album charts. He went on to release more albums, becoming a popular guitarist in Europe and Asia.
Personal Life
Malmsteen has been married to his wife April since 1999. The couple has a son named Antonio. Previously, the guitarist was married to Swedish singer Erika Norberg and Amber Dawn.
