Power Trio (music)

A power trio is a three-person rock and roll, hard rock, or heavy metal group, made up of an electric guitarist, an electric bassist, and a drummer. They leave out the rhythm guitarist or keyboard player on purpose.

As an Unbuilt Trope, the trio of singer Elvis Presley, guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black laid the groundwork for both the Power Trio and the concept of the rock band.

Wikipedia has a list of notable power trios.

Replace the bassist with an organist and you have an Organ Trio. Remove the bassist altogether and you have a Power Duo.


 * The Beastie Boys
 * Emerson, Lake & Palmer
 * Genesis when they were a trio between 1977 and 1998
 * The Jimi Hendrix Experience
 * Motörhead
 * Nirvana
 * The Police
 * R.E.M. after 1997
 * Rush
 * Thin Lizzy (usually)
 * ZZ Top