Guitarist Nuno Bettencourt was among the winners at this year’s Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, marking another major milestone in his celebrated international career.
He won the Grammy in the category of Best Rock Performance for his participation in ‘Changes (Live from Villa Park)’. The show took place in Birmingham, UK, in 2025, at the final concert of legendary British heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne.
Born in the Azores and raised in the United States, Bettencourt rose to global prominence as the lead guitarist of the Boston rock band Extreme. He often reflects an islander sensibility through emotion. One of the clearest traces is saudade, that quiet tension between longing and release that runs through much of his melodic writing. Winning the Grammy is a point of pride for the Azorean American community and the Portuguese diaspora
The President of the Government of the Azores, José Manuel Bolieiro, congratulated the Azorean guitarist, emphasizing that this award “honors talent of Azorean origin and projects the name of the Azores in a highly demanding international context.”
“Nuno Bettencourt also represents a family of artists who have contributed to our identity and to the affirmation of Azorean culture,” highlights the leader of the Azorean executive, who maintains that this recognition “is an incentive for the appreciation of artistic and cultural creation.”
The recognition underscores Bettencourt’s enduring influence as one of rock music’s most distinctive guitar voices and a creative force whose work continues to resonate across generations. Over the years, his work as a performer, songwriter, collaborator, and producer has made him a widely respected figure across the international music industry.
Nuno Duarte Gil Mendes Bettencourt was born on September 20, 1966, in Praia da Vitória, on Terceira Island, and raised in Massachusetts, where he began shaping his musical identity. With Extreme, formed in 1985, he helped create enduring hits such as “More Than Words,” an acoustic classic that became a global anthem. His style, combining flashy technical precision with melodic finesse, funk-rock rhythm work, and high-energy live performance, has influenced generations of guitarists.
He also earned widespread critical acclaim for his virtuosic technique, melodic sensibility, and genre-blending style, helping define the band’s sound while building a reputation as one of the most dynamic guitarists of his era.
Beyond Extreme, Bettencourt has collaborated with major artists across genres, including Rihanna, Steve Vai, and Brian May. As a prolific producer and songwriter, he has contributed both onstage and behind the scenes, earning admiration well beyond hard rock. His latest Grammy recognition further cements his status as one of the most influential and respected guitarists of his generation, and as a global artist proudly rooted in the Azores.
Carolina Matos/Editor
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