This is a list of music prodigies, young children (at or under age 12) who displayed a talent in music deemed to make them competitive with skilled adult musicians. The list is sorted by genre and instrument.
In the tables for the classical genre, the oldest entries are Henry Purcell (born 1659) and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (born 1756) while the youngest are Alma Deutscher and Sreya Jayadeep (both born 2005).
John Burgess began playing at the age of four before turning professional at the age of sixteen. He was known as the 'King Of The Highland Pipers'.
Country and bluegrass
LeAnn Rimes: Won two Grammys at the age of fourteen for Best New Artist and Best Female Country Vocal Performance becoming the youngest recipient of a Grammy Award.
Billy Gilman: Had a hit single and a platinum album at age eleven; was nominated for a Grammy Award against adult competition at age twelve
Hunter Hayes: a cajun accordionist that began his musical career at age four, making appearances at local performances and on national television.
Alison Krauss: Won local competitions at age ten and was named the most promising Midwestern fiddler at age twelve
Brenda Lee: Debuted at age ten
Doug Sahm: Played with Hank Williams at age eleven; released an album by age fourteen; later helped form the rock band Sir Douglas Quintet and the Tejano music related Texas Tornados
Ricky Skaggs: Mandolin virtuoso; performed with Flatt and Scruggs at age seven
Chris Thile: Cofounded Nickel Creek at age eight
Earl Scruggs: Banjo virtuoso; created the unique and distinctive three finger roll, a defining component of the bluegrass sound, by age ten. Known as Scruggs style banjo.
Folk and world music
Areti Ketime: Debuted at age six; performed at the 2004 Summer Olympics at age fourteen
Adán Sánchez: Released first album at age eleven
Joe Bonamassa: Became proficient at Guitar at age 11, opened for B.B. King at age 13.
Ray Goren: Piano at 3, songwriting at 5, picked up a guitar at 9, opened for B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Leon Russell at age 12.
Nathan Cavaleri Played with Mark Knopfler at age 9, proficient Blues Guitarist by age 10, played with B.B. King at age 13.
Kenny Wayne Shepherd: Began at age seven; performed onstage with professionals at age thirteen
Quinn Sullivan: Began playing guitar at age 3; has performed onstage with B.B. King and Buddy Guy
Derek Trucks: Began playing with The Allman Brothers Band at age 11
Reggie Sears: Began playing guitar seriously at age 11, by age 12 he played with Solomon Burke, Hubert Sumlin and Guitar Shorty, released his debut CD at 14 years old and headlined his first tour by age 15.
Tallan Noble Latz: Has been performing professionally since age of 6 and has shared the stage with many music legends including Les Paul, Jackson Browne, Hubert Sumlin, Joe Bonamassa to name just a few.
Jazz and jazz-fusion
Joey Alexander: At the age of six he could play Theolonious Monk by ear on the piano. At age 12, he was nominated for The 58th Grammy Award in best improvised Jazz solo and best Jazz instrumental album categories.
Shelly Berg: Entered the Cleveland Institute of Music at age six; was a professional musician at age thirteen
Andy Bey: He played at clubs at 5, By age 12 he performed at the Apollo Theater with Louis Jordan and had his first recording.
Bix Biederbecke: Self-taught piano and cornet player, learning the first at a particularly young age (playing with his hands overhead while standing). Article written about him in Davenport (Iowa) newspaper at age 7, and went on to great fame before dying probably of alcoholism at age 28.
Francesco Cafiso: He worked with Franco D'Andrea at age 11 or 12.
Terri Lyne Carrington: Awarded a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music at age eleven
Dennis Chambers: began playing drums at age three, was professional at 9, was an 'in demand' drummer on the NYC music scene at the age of 14, and was a member of Parliament-Funkadelic at the age of 18.
Cyrus Chestnut: Entered the Peabody Institute at age nine
Cy Coleman: Played in Carnegie Hall at age seven
Eldar Djangirov: "Discovered" at age nine; became the youngest musician to appear on Piano Jazz at age twelve; released his first CD at age fourteen
Taylor Eigsti: Opened for David Benoit at age eight and played with Dave Brubeck at age twelve
Herbie Hancock: Performed on piano with the Chicago symphony at age eleven; began playing jazz later in college
Biréli Lagrène: Won a Gypsy music festival in Strasbourg at age eight and performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival at thirteen.
Lucciano Pizzichini: Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 2000, Lucciano emigrated with his parents at 11 months. Learned on a one-string guitar at age 2, began reading notes and playing simple folk songs and classical pieces by Carcassi at age 3. By age 4, he was formally reading notation and playing classical guitar pieces. By age 6, Lucciano completed the first guitar method book from the Berklee School of Music, and various classical guitar techniques. Received publicity in Florida while playing many classic rock songs professionally with his father, Adrian Pizzichini, By age 7, Lucciano was playing intricate pieces by Joe Pass and Pat Martino. At age 8, was the youngest musician to be endorsed by Gibson Guitars.
Buddy Rich: Began playing drums at 18 months old; was a bandleader by age eleven
Sugar Chile Robinson: A pianist in the jazz subgenre of boogie-woogie, he had his first public performance at the age of 3; he retired from active performing at age 13.
Hilton Ruiz: Performed at Carnegie Recital Hall at age eight; played in an accordion symphony at age nine
Tony Royster Jr: Began playing drums at the age of 3. He is known for winning the Guitar Center National Drum-Off competition Hollywood in 1995 (at the age of 11). He frequently tours with rapper Jay Z as part of his live band.
Consuelo Velázquez: Began playing at age four; performed piano concerto at age six; wrote Bésame Mucho at age sixteen
Mary Lou Williams: Taught herself piano before age five; played professionally by age thirteen
Keith Jarrett: Pianist
Tony Williams: Drummer, performed professionally at age 13, released debut at age 18, performed with Miles Davis at age 17, was a key pioneer in jazz-fusion at age 23.
R&B, soul, and funk
Michael Jackson: Joined his older siblings in the Jackson 5 at age five; his dancing, singing and performing abilities soon surpassed his older siblings, made his professional recording debut at the age of 9; scored his first number one hit as member of the Jackson 5 at age 11 and his first number one single as a soloist at 13.
Booker T. Jones: Keyboardist for Booker T and the M.G's was proficient at organ, piano, oboe, saxophone, and trombone by the age of 10. He began playing as a professional session musician at 16.
Gladys Knight: Began performing at age four; won on the Original Amateur Hour at age seven; toured at age eight
Stevie Wonder: Skilled at multiple instruments early; signed to Motown at age eleven; first U.S. number-one hit at age thirteen.
Bernie Worrell: Originally classically trained; wrote a concerto at age eight.
Victor Wooten: Bela Fleck's bassist, started playing funk-bass at 3.
Sugar Chile Robinson: Won talent contests as singer and pianist from age 3, performed and recorded as a child with Lionel Hampton, Count Basie and others
Billy Preston: Began singing and playing organ in church at the age of 3, played organ for gospel musicians Mahalia Jackson and James Cleveland before he was 10, sang with Nat King Cole on his nationally televised show at 11, appeared in a movie playing a young W.C. Handy in the loosely made biopic, St. Louis Blues at 12, joined Little Richard's group at the age of 15, played on Sam Cooke's album, Night Beat, and released his first major label album at the age of 16.
Aretha Franklin: Began singing and playing piano and organ in church at age 4, became a soloist at age 10, released her first album at age 14.
Frankie Lymon: Became lead singer of The Teenagers when he was 12; his first hit single was released when he was 13; became the world's first black teenaged pop star.
Ethan Bortnick
Dido: Entered the Guildhall School of Music and Drama at age six.
Marvin Hamlisch: Became the youngest student ever accepted by the Juilliard School of Music at age seven.
Cleopatra Stratan: Had a hit single at the age of 3; Youngest artist to win an MTV award
Alternative and rock
Tori Amos: Attended the Peabody Institute at age five and was expelled from it at 11.
Björk: Began classical study at age five; released an album at age eleven
Alanis Morissette: Released her first song at age ten, which later became an unsuccessful single; became a protege of a local folk musician; had her own record and record producing company at an early age
Wolfgang Van Halen: Son of Van Halen guitarist Eddie Van Halen, Wolfgang began playing on-stage with the band at age 13, and was a full member of Van Halen at age 15. He plays guitar, electric bass, drums, and keyboard.
Steve Winwood: Played organ in the "The Ron Atkinson Band" at age eight; was backing blues legends by age thirteen on United Kingdom tours; became the keyboardist for The Spencer Davis Group at age fifteen
Charly Garcia: Played piano at age of three, gifted. He has absolute pitch.
Vangelis: Was composing at age of four.
Jason Becker: Gifted electric guitarist afflicted with ALS
Jordan Rudess: entered the Juilliard School of Music Pre-College Division for classical piano training at age nine. He currently plays keyboards, continuum, and synthesizers in the progressive metal band Dream Theater.
Yuto Miyazawa: The then 8-year-old child prodigy was named "The Youngest Professional Guitarist" by Guinness Book of World Records in August, 2008.
Jason Hartless: Drummer that toured and worked with bands such as Mötley Crüe, Godsmack, Ted Nugent, Mountain (band), all from the ages of 10–18 years old.
Danny Sveinson: Born 1991, a Canadian guitarist, The Rock and Roll Kid, released his debut album in early 2004.
Ustad Zakir Hussain: A tabla maestro who was touring by the age of twelve.
Chandrakant Sardeshmukh: A sitar maestro who performed at the age of six and declared child prodigy by world famous Ravi Shankar.
U. Srinivas: A mandolin player of Carnatic music, started performing at the age of nine.
