Best blues guitarist, Clapton or Green

neither.......Muddy Waters, you did say blues guitarist. I think Clapton is more rock. If you really want the blues, give Muddy a try.

Michael Bloomfield, dead or alive.

Surprising to find no mention here of Davy Graham. Invented English folk baroque. (John Renbourn, Burt Jansch and others all freely acknowledge this.) Invented jazz blues. Was the first to introduce Indian & Moroccan styles into modern guitar. Intro to "Stairway to Heaven" is a direct ripoff of his "Cry Me a River" (available on YouTube). Playing, no one could touch his tone or fluidity on acoustic guitar.

Never heard of him? Look at your copy of "Sounds of Silence." Remember the guitar solo Paul Simon does on that album? The attribution to "D. Graham" as the writer of the tune is the very same. If you look up Davy's version, you will probably recognize Paul's as a pale imitation. Word is that Davy taught Paul how to play folk, but he could only teach him so much.

in about 1975 Clapton's band was from Tulsa.
and sometimes they would play around town always with out Clapton.
they had a 70s smooth R@B groove.
but once in the middle of their smoothfest in cut like a knife came the fastest nastiest guitar lead you could ask for - it was Clapton standing back by the drums in the dark facing away.
Clapton had just been released from jail after being arrested for public intoxication and no ID the night before at the Tulsa airport.
i had seen him a few times but never like this- fast like Roy Bucannon but tasty like Albert king.
i seen Winter wear the cape and who i am loyal but Jimi Hendrix takes the cake.
i was fifteen and pushed up to the stage and my hands on the wood felt the vibration from hum between songs from all those big marshals and then i was blasted by the feedback like a giant monster screaming in my face.
jimi was like tiger woods or Michael Jordon with no ridged bones and seemless with the music that was not being played as much as released.
BUT... my 3 choices for recorded blues is
1. john lee hooker live at soledad prison and the track- serves me right to suffer is as dark as is gets.
2.zz top Rhythmeen from 1996 on this Billy Gibbons finally lets it go and he is the alpha .
3."johnny winter And" live.---- great balls of fire.
PLAY LOUD

Best acoustic blues player David Bromberg