My Favorite Guitar Players
Every guitar channel person on YouTube has at least one video called 'The Top Ten Guitar Players.' I never watch them because its such a 'click bait' title. What right does anyone have to determine who the top ten guitar players are? Had they titled the video 'My Top Ten Guitar Players,' that I would watch, because its an honest title and I am always interested in other people's opinion on this topic.
For me its very important that a guitar player have an original style and sound. My favorite guitar players are the ones that when I hear them play a few notes in a song I've never heard, I know its them. Here they are:
- Terry Kath - I have another blog post as to why he's my favorite. Suffice to say I picked up the guitar when I was in the 9th grade because of this guy.
Terry abusing a Strat - Jan Akkerman - Jan is the guitarist for the highly underrated Dutch progressive rock band Focus which had a minor hit called 'Hocus Pocus' (Yes, the wacky silly yodeling song). That song, while interesting is not representative of how great this band was. I have five Focus LP's and they are my favorite progressive rock albums I own, and I have Yes, Return to Forever, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Pat Metheny and more in my collection.
My All Time Favorite Slow Melodic Guitar Solo - It Starts at 17:00
Hamburger Concerto - solo at 9:40 and shredding at 10:55 - Jimi Hendrix - I can't say anything that has already not been said about this guy. My favorite mostly unknown song by him is 'Midnight' on the War Heroes album. Couldn't find a link to it but found this great note for note cover.
Note for note cover of Midnight by Jimi Hendrix - Jeff Beck - I say this with 100% confidence and conviction. NO ONE USES A WHAMMY BAR BETTER THAN JEFF BECK, PERIOD. And if you think Jeff Beck can't shred, go to 4:02 in the video. Jeff Beck is a guitar god.
Jeff Beck speaks to God via Strat - Stevie Ray Vaughn - Yea he can play Hendrix and back up David Bowie, but this guy is Texas Blues all the way and makes a Strat scream and wail.
Theres a Flood in Texas and Stevie Teaches Us All How To Play Texas Blues - Roy Buchanan - another Texas Blues guy - he could make a Telecaster cry. I learned blues riffs and feel listening to him and B. B. in my high school days.
Roy Plays Screaming Telecaster Blues - Carlos Santana - Here's the thing about Carlos, his solos are slow and easy to play, until you actually try to play them. Very Latin flavored melodic solos. No one else like him.
Souls are Sacrificed at Woodstock - B. B. King - B B King is the only guy I know who can blow you away playing just one note. His touch with Lucille and his vibrato create the best blues tone ever.
B B and Lucille Sing the Blues - Tony Iomi - The 2nd album I ever bought was 'Masters of Reality.' His style and tone comes straight from Hell. His riffs are so demonic yet melodically catchy.
War Pigs - Very Filling, Tastes Great! - Ritchie Blackmore - His tone is angry/snarly all his own. His solos are always melodic and his use of the whammy bar is unique to him. Highway Star, Space Truckin, Smoke on the Water, Child in Time, can't get much better than that. The link is for Child in Time.
Solo at 5:10 - Shredding at 5:33 - Best Whammy Bar Scream Ever of all Time at 6:03 - The Edge - The first time I heard the U2 Boy album I was blown away by the power of 'less is more' combined with his cutting very trebley 'sort of thin' tone. This particular song is my favorite guitar U2 song.
Into the Heart - Winner of JoseB Best Use of Guitar Harmonics in a Song Award - Jimi Page - Yes he's sloppy but he has the best riffs. Too many to mention. My favorite solo below.
The Song Remains The Same - Solo at 2:50 - on a twelve string no less! - David Gilmore - Same as Carlos Santana but with a different tone and style that sends your brain into outer space. Listening to Pink Floyd is like doin drugs without actually doin drugs.
Lets Get Comfortably Numb, Shall We? - Eric Johnson - He sounds more like a violin than a Strat. What an amazing style and tone. Saw him live twice at Green Streets bar in Columbia SC and was amazed.
Yes Its a Strat Not a Violin and the Melodic Shredding Starts at 1:06 - Johnny Winter - I can't leave this guy out. My favorite blues player who can also rock out. His version of Jumping Jack Flash is incredible. .
Jumping Jack Flash (skip to 1:05)
From looking at that list you can tell that I am not a fan of shredders. Shredding is great when you are a teenager but as you get older and mature you learn how to really play with taste and style. So all the metal shredders are out. Not a fan of Petrucci, Satriani, or Vai. Eddie Van Halen is great and almost made my list but I don't like his tapping whammy bar solos (although I have to admit, his Billie Jean solo is great). Eric Clapton and George Harrison are great, but they've never made my jaw drop. Gary Moore should be on the list but I discovered him recently, same as Bonamassa and Eric Gale. There are probably more I left out. Feel free to comment on your favorites.
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