Jim Root
As the stoic, mask-wearing guitarist for Slipknot, he weaves intricate, melodic threads through a wall of controlled chaos.
Born 1971 (age 55)·American musician·Birthday: October 2·Generation X
Biography
Jim Root operates as the calm, calculating center of Slipknot's sonic storm. Before joining the nine-piece Iowa collective, he was a fixture in the Des Moines music scene, eventually becoming the lead guitarist for Stone Sour. His recruitment into Slipknot in 1999 brought a new dimension to the band's sound, blending technical precision and heavy riffing with unexpected melodic sensibility. Behind his signature Jester mask, Root co-wrote some of the band's most defining anthems, helping to sculpt the aggressive yet nuanced sound that propelled them to global metal dominance. His work, characterized by downtuned grooves and searing solos, provided the musical backbone that allowed the band's theatrical fury to resonate with millions.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Jim was born in 1971, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jim Was Born
The biggest hits of 1971
#1 Movie
Fiddler on the Roof
Best Picture
The French Connection
#1 TV Show
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Jim's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1971Born
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1976Started school
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1984Became a teenager
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Could drive
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1989Could vote
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Turned 21
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2001Turned 30
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 40
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 50
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 55 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- As a core songwriter for Slipknot, he contributed to multiple Grammy-winning and chart-topping albums, including 'Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)'.
- He was a key member of Stone Sour, co-writing and playing on their commercially successful self-titled debut and subsequent albums.
- He has signature guitar models with both Fender and Jackson, cementing his influence on instrument design.
- He performed on Slipknot's 2008 album 'All Hope Is Gone', which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.
Did You Know?
His first Slipknot mask was a plain black bondage mask that he painted a Jester face on with white shoe polish.
He is an avid collector of horror movie memorabilia and vintage toys.
He was fired from Stone Sour in 2014 but rejoined the band several years later.
He almost pursued a career in graphic design before committing to music full-time.
“I'm not a technical player. I'm more of a feel player. I play what the song needs.”
