Krieger learned to play guitar when he attended the Menlo School (a boarding school in the San Francisco Bay area). He started by tuning a ukulele like the bottom four strings of a guitar and imitating a flamenco guitar record. Later he purchased a flamenco guitar on a Christmas vacation in Puerto Vallarta in 1963 and mastered the style without benefit of lessons. He gradually grew tired of playing flamenco guitar and helped form a jug band called the Back Bay Chamberpot Terriers with Bill Wolff (later of the Peanut Butter Conspiracy).

He formed The Doors with keyboard player Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore and vocalist Jim Morrison. Krieger's unique approach to electric guitar playing (playing fingerstyle), his eclectic musical tastes, and occasional but strong songwriting helped establish the Doors as a successful rock phenomenon in the 1960s.

After the death of Morrison in 1971, the Doors continued as a trio and released two albums, Other Voices and Full Circle. Krieger shared lead vocal duties with Manzarek. After The Doors disbanded in 1973, Krieger formed The Butts Band with drummer Densmore. His talent was such that he enjoyed some success as a jazz guitarist after his initial tenure with the Doors, recording a handful of albums as The Robby Krieger Band in the 1970s and 1980s, including Versions (1983) and No Habla (1986).

He played guitar on a few tracks by Blue Öyster Cult, and reformed with Ray Manzarek as the Doors of the 21st Century in 2002 with vocalist Ian Astbury, formerly of The Cult. (The band is currently known as Riders on the Storm. For a brief period, the reformed band also included ex-Police drummer Stewart Copeland).
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