Justus West may not be a household name just yet, but you’ve probably heard at least a handful of the songs he’s featured on.
To say that he’s hardworking is an understatement – the electric guitar virtuoso has proven his chops on records by Mac Miller, John Legend, Ariana Grande, and Alicia Keys, to name a mere few, not to mention being touted as one of John Mayer’s favorite guitarists.
And last year, the prolific session guitarist also sneaked in on one of, if not the most, high-profile releases of 2024, Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter.
“My mother started it all for me. Charmelle is an amazing songwriter and singer,” he tells PRS Guitars as he reflects on his roots.
“When I was around seven years old, I watched her write a song from start to finish on her old beat up acoustic and that’s when I first became curious about guitar. I taught myself that song by ear from memory and the rest is history.
“Nowadays, I am more excited about the sonic exploration of guitar. We all have the same notes – I’m known to play a lot of them at times, but now it’s like, how special can I make one singular note sound?”
West’s work ethic and artistic ethos extend to his collaborations – and, in a rarity for the industry, he doesn’t shy away from being vocal about the unfiltered realities of being a session player in 2025
“One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is how powerful belief in self is when paired with consistent hard work,” he asserts. “If you show up even on the hard days and put the work in, you see progress, then when an amazing opportunity comes your way, you feel prepared and qualified.”
And in a recent Guitar World conversation, he added, “My mindset is always: I make music for free, but when a person wants to monetize it, then we have to have a business conversation.
“I used a mixture of asking around, looking at what my own skills are, asking people what they feel rates for me would be. I used all that information to create a fair rate. But definitely stand up for what you’re worth. You let people steal from you once, twice, three times, they’ll always do it!”
West recently called out the labels for not paying session musicians on time, and why accolades don't matter when working artists are struggling to pay rent.
