Clarence White (1944–1973) was a groundbreaking American guitarist who transformed bluegrass and country rock. Born in Maine and raised in California, he rose to fame in the 1960s with the Kentucky Colonels, revolutionizing acoustic flatpicking with a powerful, melodic lead style inspired by Doc Watson. In the late 1960s, he became a top session musician, co-invented the B-Bender (StringBender) device for his Telecaster to mimic pedal steel bends, and joined The Byrds in 1968, shaping their influential country-rock sound. Tragically killed at age 29 by a drunk driver while loading equipment after a gig, White left a lasting legacy—inspiring flatpickers like Tony Rice and country-rock guitarists like Marty Stuart and Brad Paisley. He was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Association Hall of Fame.