"Guitar Man" is the tenth album by the American soft-rock band Bread, released in 1972. This album marked the return of the band after a gap year, during which the band's principal members, David Gates and James Griffin, pursued solo projects. The album includes twelve tracks and is notable for its reflective songwriting style.
The titular track "The Guitar Man" is one of the album's best-known tunes, which encapsulates the hardships of a constantly traveling musician. Other popular tracks from the album include "Sweet Surrender" and "Aubrey", which showcase the romantic, melodic style for which Bread has been known. The cover art features a starkly lit photographic portrait of a Gibson J-45 acoustic guitar.
Despite mixed critics' reviews, the album was commercially successful. It reached number 18 on the US Billboard 200 chart and eventually went on to be certified gold by the RIAA. It can be noted as the beginning of the end for the band, as they disbanded after the release of one more album, "Lost Without Your Love" in 1977. Gates and Griffin, however, continued to work together on occasion, and the band briefly reunited for a successful tour in the late 1990s.
