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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Gotta get a mention in for Andrew Latimer of Camel fame. His solos never fail to hit the mark and get the most out of every note played.

Allan Holdsworth / Masterful technique, otherworldly imagination.

John McLaughlin / Technique galore, emotive and ecstatic soloing. 

Steve Hackett / Great acoustic and electric playing, solos that sound like they are from another planet.

Robert Fripp / phenomenal composer, innovator, player.

Franco Mussida / Guitarist for Italian prog band PFM. Amazing player, with loads of beauty and emotion.

Pat Metheny / Fusion great.

Pat Martino / One of the orginal fusion players. Innovative with technique. Does not get the credit he should.

Steve Howe 

Frank Zappa

Ralph Towner / Ridiculous acoustic technique. Beautiful compositions.

Others: Alex Machacek, Al Di Meola, Paco de Lucia, Steve Hillage, Corrado Rusticci.

With apologies for not reading all the previous posts, I’d submit Eddie Hazel, who played with the early Funkadelics. Listen to the track Maggot Brain and he deserves the mantle of successor to Jimi as much as anybody.

There’s a somewhat obscure guitarist named Ollie Halsall who was a vibraphonist and had that touchtone harmonic thing going on the guitar- he could play these ripping lead lines with harmonic overtones. You can find his work on the two Patto albums released on Vertigo Swirl.

I always loved Leslie West for his tone- his Theme for an Imaginary Western with Mountain is very moving and powerful, with props to Jack Bruce as the songwriter.

Jimi Hendrix

Jeff Beck

Tom Verlaine

Robert Fripp

Robbie Robertson

Jerry Garcia

Bill Frisell

Jorma Kaukonen