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Who is your overall favorite guitarist?

At 44 years of age, I personally feel fortunate to have lived in an era along with some of the finest guitarists who have ever lived. I have always had an overwhelming love of music. As I look back to my earlier years of music appreciation (I took formal piano training for 17 years) I remember how my instructor would suggest exposing myself to the many different styles and disciplines of music.

These were such valuable words of wisdom. Considering the fact that this suggestion, more or less, forced me to be more open to musicians other than those that played in strictly rock and roll bands.

Wow, was I surprised to find that I could be as entertained by Chet Atkins and Les Paul as I could be by Ritchie Blackmore or Carlos Santana. Just think about some of the finest from our time. Jimi Hendrix, John McLaughlin, Robin Trower, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eric Johnson, Steve Howe, Al DiMeola, the list could seem almost endless. All such incredible musicians.

Although it's very hard to pick one person or style in particular, let's remember the key words, "overall favorite".
I would probably have to say that my overall favorite would have to be Steve Morse (from Dixie Dregs fame).

Who is your favorite?
128x128buscis2
isochronism
2,893 posts
 
Yea, and the first guy to fully crank up a small
guitar amp invented rock guitar sound.
I'm not meaning to be-little that little ditty.... but
tostadosunidos's avatar
tostadosunidos
1,197 posts
 
Chuck set the standard for how to play rock and roll guitar. His style stood up for ten years till Hendrix defined the sound of the future. Chuck's stuff holds up even now IMO. An under-appreciated American musical hero.
martykl
3,578 posts
 
To be clear - I wasn't attempting to dis Chuck in my post. My Page comment was more in the way of noting that some very famous music often gets misattributed. Page borrowed whole songs (albeit often with brilliant new arrangements) and never credited the original songwriter. I wasn't suggesting that that's true of Chuck.

However, it is true that Chuck Berry remains (deservedly) an iconic guitarist. I agree that Chuck wrote the rules of rock n roll guitar. But, let's be fair - although Chuck Berry certainly put his own fingerprints on that lick, his single most recognizable passage was borrowed from the work of Carl Hogan.....who remains entirely anonymous.

I was focused more on the result than the artists' intent. If that was poorly worded - mea culpa.
martykl
3,578 posts
 
When I wrote

"I wasn't suggesting that that's true of Chuck."

in my last post, I probably should have written: "I wasn't attempting to suggest that..." I can see how it's been read to mean that, but it wasn't my intention when I wrote it. Just a bad choice of words.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,865 posts
 
Chuck Berry underappreciated?! I believe everyone acknowledges Chuck as THE model for Rock & Roll guitar playing. Keith Richards certainly does, as well as the guy whom I feel optimized Chuck's style, Dave Edmunds.
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