Eddie Lang, born Salvatore Massaro on October 25, 1902, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was an American musician renowned as the father of jazz guitar. He was among the first to give the guitar prominence as a solo instrument in jazz, transforming it from a rhythm section component to a leading melodic force. Lang began his musical journey with the violin before transitioning to banjo and eventually guitar, an instrument his father, an Italian-American instrument maker, taught him to play.

During the 1920s, Lang became a pivotal figure in jazz, performing with notable bands and orchestras, including the Paul Whiteman Orchestra. His collaborations with violinist Joe Venuti, with whom he formed one of the first great jazz guitar-violin duos, were particularly influential. Lang's innovative guitar solos, characterized by single-note lines and complex chord voicings, laid the groundwork for future generations of guitarists.

Lang also recorded with blues guitarist Lonnie Johnson under the pseudonym Blind Willie Dunn, a tribute to blues guitarist Blind Lemon Jefferson. His work extended to collaborations with artists such as Bing Crosby, with whom he shared a close friendship and professional relationship, often accompanying Crosby in recordings and performances.

Despite his significant contributions to jazz and popular music, Lang's career was tragically cut short when he died on March 26, 1933, in New York City at the age of 30, following complications from a tonsillectomy. His legacy as a pioneering jazz guitarist endures, influencing countless musicians and reshaping the role of the guitar in modern music.