Favourite Guitarists


This discussion was inspired by the recent article about our 3 favourite female singers.

Because it was impossible for me to pick just three female vocalists ( I love women singers), I will not put a limit as to how many you wish to vote for. I limited myself to a dozen. However, if you list more that 50 I will seriously question your decision making skills.

In no particular order, except for Rory at number one.

1. Rory Gallagher

2. Peter Green

3. Roy Buchanan

4. Joe Bonamassa

5. David Gimour

6. Slash

7. Johnny Winter

8. Duane Allman

9. Stevie Ray Vaughn

10. Mark Knopfler

11. Glen Campbell

12. Guthrie Govan

 

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So many greats listed. I would add Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin on "Love, Devotion, Surrender" as beautiful. 

Kossoff was brilliant in staying within the song- nothing flashy but tasty as hell. The first Free album is my favorite-- it was produced by Guy Stevens (who later went on to produce the Clash for whatever that is worth) for Chris Blackwell at Island. It is not a very produced sounding record- they just let it rip. Which is what blues (even British electric blues) should be. I think Mr. Blackwell took over production of their second album because he wanted a more polished product. (Blackwell had great ears and an affinity for interesting music).

An early UK copy -- doesn’t have to be a first which fetches some money-- of Tons of Sobs-- gives you that band at its unvarnished best in my estimation.

Apparently, Ronnie Van Zant, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s singer, was hugely influenced by Free when he heard them back in the day with Stevie Winwood. Love Kossoff. And Rory G.

In case somebody missed them :)

Bryan Sutton, Marcus Smart and Billy Strings

They’re all in my tight rotation along with any generation of Allman Brothers guitarists and the incomparable slide work of Bonnie Raitt and Lowell George.