Chris Caffery

Christopher Caffery (born September 9, 1967)[1] is an American heavy metal guitarist, best known for his work as a member of Savatage and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

Raised in Mahwah, New Jersey, Caffery began playing guitar at age 11, but some of his earliest memories include performing the Beatles song Help!

Caffery's favorite bands growing up included the Beatles, Kiss, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Rush among others.

He has cited guitarists such as Ted Nugent, Rik Emmett, Ace Frehley, Randy Rhoads, Michael Schenker as influences throughout the years as well.

He was part of a band called "Blitzkrieg" in middle school and played a few shows, the first of which was at a bar in Ridgewood, New Jersey when Caffery was only 13.

Caffery graduated from Goshen Central High School in 1984 and went on to become a professional musician, teaching students during the day and playing shows in the night.

Caffery was in New York City one night, hanging around in a club in the middle of Times Square, when he met the lead singer of a band called Heaven named Allan Fryar.

The band was managed by David Krebs and a certain Paul O'Neill, who Caffery would maintain close ties for most of his career.

With outside pressure to finish their dreams of a band together Caffery regretfully quit Savatage at the end of the tour and formed Witchdoctor, with his brother Phil on drums, Hal Patino of King Diamond on bass, and future TSO West member Doug Kistner on keyboards.

Caffery called Jon, who invited him to Florida, and over "10 bottles of Jack Daniels",[3] their project Doctor Butcher was born.

The Iron Maiden tribute was recorded with Savatage drummer Jeff Plate and his "long time and newly re-acquainted best friend", TSO member, John West.

Savatage was stalled a bit in the recording of a follow-up to The Wake of Magellan, due to the tremendous success of the then "side project", Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

Caffery was left as the only guitarist in Savatage and Jon Oliva took up lead vocal duties for the first time in ten years.

Caffery's other ventures include personal and online guitar instruction, additional culinary adventures, book writing, painting/sketching, photography, musical production and public speaking.

Caffery with Savatage in 2015
Caffery playing with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra in 2007
Caffery (right) and Steve Unger performing with Metal Church in 2016