Marco Mendoza

Marco Mendoza was born on May 3, 1963, in San Diego, California, and grew up in Tijuana, Mexico, in a musical family where his grandmother taught piano. He started out on guitar before switching to bass, turning professional in 1989 with his debut on Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward's solo album. Stints with Blue Murder and John Sykes followed, before he joined the reformed Thin Lizzy lineup in 1994 — the collaboration that brought him international recognition. He appeared on Whitesnake's live album *Live… in the Still of the Night* and Thin Lizzy's *One Night Only*. Further notable collaborations include Ted Nugent, Neal Schon, Dolores O'Riordan of The Cranberries, Lynch Mob, and The Dead Daisies, with whom he remains active. In 2012, he co-founded Thin Lizzy spin-off band Black Star Riders. As a solo artist, Mendoza released *Live for Tomorrow* (2007, Frontiers Records), *Casa Mendoza* (2010), *Viva La Rock* (2018), and *New Direction*. In 2025, he joined the Satch Vai Band alongside Joe Satriani and Steve Vai. His playing spans hard rock, jazz fusion, funk, and Latin grooves — equally at home on stadium stages and intimate jazz venues.