Franco Cerri (born January 29, 1926) is an Italian guitarist, born in Milan.
Franco Cerri is considered as “the best Italian guitarist” and “one of the best guitarist that European jazz has produced” and became popular in Italy thanks to his participation to the television show Buone Vacanze. He was not only one of the world's most popular and the most authoritative Italian guitarists, but was also one of the most important stylists of the European jazz world.
He began his long and prolific career in 1945 with Gorni Kramer and in 1949 he accompanied Django Reinhardt. In the 1950s he was near great jazz masters. Working with musicians from Chet Baker to Gerry Mulligan, and from Billie Holiday to Lee Konitz, and in modern jazz quartet or quintet, with musicians such as Tullio De Piscopo, Pino Presti, Gianluigi Trovesi, Flavio Ambrosetti and Jean-Luc Ponty, he became a leader in the Italian and European jazz world.
On January 1, 2006 he was named "Commendatore della Repubblica" (official title awarded for service to Italy) by President of the Italian Republic Carlo Azeglio Ciampi.