Will Knaak

William Carter Knaak (born September 23, 1984 in Austin, Texas, United States) is an American guitarist and singer-songwriter who has served as a sideman in several bands, released his own albums as a solo artist and frontman, and was the lead guitarist in the alternative rock band Blue October from 2018 to 2022. He is currently the lead guitarist in Parker McCollum's band.
Knaak was born and raised in Austin, Texas. His father played piano and fronted his own band Mad Knaak and the Revolution, and also briefly played keyboard in The 13th Floor Elevators. His grandmother played violin, and his uncle was a guitar player. When Will was eleven, his mother died in a house fire. Upon losing their home, Will and his father and brother moved into an apartment in a different neighborhood away from his friends. Mourning the loss of his mother, Will isolated himself in his room and played guitar f…