He played everything they could think of, and blew their minds with extensions from there! He doesn't care if he's in any top list of anything. Make no mistake: Slash is a singular guitarist. COWBOYS FROM HELL! Mike Campbell was born on February 1, 1950 in Panama City, Florida, USA. 20. The fact that John Petrucci is at number 18, and Synyster Gates at number 6 is absolutely sickening. His dynamic rockabilly style of playing brought him to the attention of ... Carlos Santana is a guitarist, composer, singer and band-leader who helped to shape the concept of "world music" by his experiments with blending many styles of music from a multitude of ethnic sources.He was born Carlos Augusto Alves Santana on July 20, 1947, in Autlán de Navarro, Jalisco, Mexico.... Chet Atkins was an A&R (artist and repertoire) executive for RCA Victor Records from 1958 until 1974, producing recordings for such artists as Elvis Presley, Bobby Bare, Eddy Arnold, Jim Reeves, Skeeter Davis, Waylon Jennings, Duane Eddy, The Browns, Charley Pride, Hank Snow and The Everly Brothers... Of all the qualities that typified Frank Zappa, perhaps the most striking is that he was a paradox. He can also rock hard, like in the song Bring It On Home. His solos are more melodic than any other individual on the list and they could go on for many minutes and never bore you. Simon still wrote and ... Peter Buck was born on December 6, 1956 in Oakland, California, USA as Peter Ernest Lawrence Buck. His sound and playing are instantly recognizable. Amazing melody (wishful thinking) amazing shredding (stream of consciousness). King was born on September 16, 1925 as Riley B. He is a living legend! So to recap, he is betterat al of this stuff than anyone else because he hasn't been surpassed as a guitar player on any level and he he does vocals. But Duane was the "Natural". Kirk Hammett is incredibly underrated. However, in terms of playing the guitar, Stevie Ray takes the cake.Sure, Hendrix was the creative genius behind modern electric blues, he brought it to life and took the style to new heights. After his parents divorced, John and his mother moved to California when he was seven. He inspired about half the guitarists on this list and they aren't even half as good as Angus. And Kirk, well he has good aspects too, playing with too much wah-effects has created his own style and the same thing, he has written a bunch of good riffs and solos in Metalica together with Hetfield. Talented, innovative or just plain entertaining, these six-stringers of the female variety know how to get the party rolling. Most of the guitarists ... As co-founding member, principal co-songwriter, electrifying lead guitarist and co-producer of Aerosmith--America's Greatest Rock & Roll Band--Joe has achieved permanent iconic stature in the pantheon of rock. A man who knew about quality over quantity, I guess people value super speed these days. Steve Vai10. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Unsere kleine Show - Musik zur blauen Stunde. Tom got his Social Studies degree from Harvard and went to L.A to start a band. And Jeff Beck to me is hands-down probably the best lead guitar of all time." He was married to Susan Warford. SPIN’s 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time SPIN doesn't worship "guitar gods" — we like our axe-wielders to be flawed, resourceful, egalitarian, and human SPIN Staff | May 3, 2012 - 12:45 pm He has been married to Sharona Katan since 1995. He is the "one". However, what makes him even greater is his versatility. It's a shame a lot of people don't respect George Harrison as much as he should be. Both his parents worked in the entertainment business, his mother being a clothing designer (she did some of David Bowie's costumes) and his father being an art director for a record company. Ronson was also a session ... Mike Bloomfield was born on July 28, 1943 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The best in my books, but definitely at least a top 5 Guitarist of all time for sure Such an incredible guitarist. He does this in looking down the cross. No-one's ever played like him or been better than him. His mother named him John Allen Hendrix and raised him alone while his father, Al ... Eric Clapton was born in Ripley, Surrey, England, on March 30, 1945. His riffs - simple, yet effective. Seen him live a dozen times and am floored by the precision and absolute lack of mistakes. They had some success ... Peter Green was born on October 29, 1946 in London, England as Peter Allen Greenbaum. Guthrie Govan is the best guitarist, period. If people like Brian May, Angus Young or Keith Richards didn't play in such popular bands, they would not be ranked above Lifeson. Robbie Robertson was born on July 5, 1943 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada as Jaime Robert Robertson. Oh boy, Jimi is soooo good! Everything was done with the instruments they had. Also did I mention he can solo while singing (this day we fight, chosen ones) and he can do taping where he can do single notes AND he can do taping where he plays full chords with his left and right hands instead of strumming the chords. In 1965 he formed his own band, Taste, a blues-based rock trio. But that's really his only style of playing. Kirk SUCKS compared to other guitar players. Sultan says, “Spend less time making your harem moan and more time making your guitar cry and sing!” For those of you who’ve learned the outro solo the lazy way - playing eighth-note triplets for the daunting Dm, Bb and C arpeggios - … He was always in control of what he did. His singing, you either love it or hate, I really like it, but I can't decide between his voice and James' voice from the 80s. Jimmy Page3. No one on this list can make a note sing like him. Dave mustaine "Wrote 'em all! He his a great riff writer (ex. Clapton writes his music straight from the heart, finding inspiration is his real life. He was an actor, known for Cal's Corral (1959), The Farmer's Other Daughter (1965) and Unsere kleine Show - Musik zur blauen Stunde (1969). And considering creativity, originality and musicality, I personally see Halen, Hendrix, SRV, Page and Gilmore (not in this order) as the best. He was the bleeding greatest guitarist - just about ever, including every style you want to consider, including heavy metal which the Beatles basically invented (Revolution, Helter Skelter). Who else could immacutely adapt to concert with the finest of musicians world-wide, such as Ottomar Leibert, and innumerable musical artists to bring incandescent soul to each with impeccable perfection? Quite literally he didn't create this amazing instrument but besides T-Bone Walker he brought electric guitar to the fore-front along with Albert King, Freddy King, Buddy Guy and a vast majority of the older and late great bluesmen. He has become an influential guitarist due to his work with Rage Against The Machine in the 1990s. I also saw Hendrix (couldn't reproduce the albums I loved live, maybe it was the drugs.) ... B.B. I've been playing for 7 years, I'm pretty good, but not great. He was the innovater for future metal guitarists, he was absolutely brillant! Jimmy Page Actor | From Slash to Vaughn, from Hendrix to Page, from Clapton to Van Halen, from Prince to Hammet and on, no one but no one can as masterfully sing, string, stir, and sling his guitar out to an audience without vocal ability! He died December 23, 1992 in Plainfield, New Jersey. Mark Knopfler recorded his first single at age 16, but it was never released, He started the band Dire Straits in 1977, they were signed to Vertigo Records in 1978 and recorded the album "Dire Straits", which featured their first major hit single, "Sultans of Swing". They have three children. King once said you will never find a guitar genius that can hold down, note to note, to Eric Clapton. King. He doesn't care if he's in any top list of anything. I had been playing guitar for about 6 years when I heard it and have never been in such disbelief of what I was hearing, even thinking it was two guitar players or dubbing or some other effects trickery, but no, just amazing Eddy! He shifts gears with the greatest of ease, gliding from delicate lyricism to the back. Who can say who is the best. Friends will be friends, bohemian rhapsody, hammer to fall, the invisible man, breakthru, and radio ga ga are just a few of the amazing songs queen has put together. The scales? He's very underrated. Duane Allman . Blizzard of Ozz is a very powerful title because of its power and energy that you get from it. George is maybe not top 10, but definitely higher than 23rd. Now, it’s down to the top five greatest guitarists of all time, and to open things up, starting with the Rolling Stones legend, Keith Richards. Half of the guitar players in this list are some of the most overrated guitar players ever. Brian Setzer? His only real academic interest was art wich allowed him some freedom of expression. Furthermore, Mitch Mitchell, Jimi's favorite. There is no singers present on Jeff's best work (Wired, Blow By Blow and Emotion & Comotion) because one is simply not needed, not only does he play great melodies, but communicates a certain message to the audience without needing lyrics to do so. Tommy disbanded in 1978 and asked ... Scotty Moore was born on December 27, 1931 in Gadsden, Tennessee, USA as Winfield Scott Moore. He also happens to be one of the nicest people you could ever meet. All his riffs are so dark and mixed with SOOOO MANY power cords. Some of you really do need to look up some Steve Vai videos. But it was with 1990’s Passion And Warfare—perhaps the most anticipated guitar release of all time—that Vai crystallized his technical skills, incredible drive and explosive vision into a sensitive, acutely personal guitar statement. The 100 best bass players of all time. They have one child. You can only look at technical ability to rate a guitarist otherwise it's completely useless. Slash has a great bluesy-rock style of guitar that he uses to great effect. We assembled a panel of top guitarists and other experts to rank their favorites and explain what separates the legends from everyone else. I don't get why Hendrix is always considered the greatest ever guitarist, ahead of Jimmy Page. He was great in Quiet Riot, he had a great opportunity to join Ozzy because Randy's writing and playing dramatically improved. And Hendrix didn't "start" guitar rock, Page played in The Yardbirds from 1966-1968 (Clapton and Beck were ...more. Neil Young is one of the most respected and prolific rock/folk guitarists of the late 20th century. His real father, an amateur boxer, named Don Jarvis left Steve and his mother when he was just two years old. Hendrix was good but pretty much played the same style in every song if you learnt one Hendrix song you pretty much could play his style. Eddie Van Halen was an incredible guitarist especially in eruption which is already a super long song and it all fast paced guitar solo. David Bowie6. Hendrix favorite guitar player was Terry Kath from Chicago. His parents were divorced, and at a young age, he lost his mother to cancer. I actually don't know. Also, Gilmour has the most electrifying solos ever. Synyster Gates is a fast player - that's about it. He and the guys from Dream Theater have created some of the most unorthodox and progressive metal compositions and stand with bands like Yes, Rush, and Tool as icons in the progressive rock community. Tom Verlaine was born on December 13, 1949 in Morristown, New Jersey, USA as Thomas Miller. Brighton Rock is a campy driven song at the beginning in the end but is completely interrupted by an insane echoing solo by May. He grew up hunting, playing guitar, and was an ordinary quiet kid. Angus Young 6. If he wasn't with Geddy Lee and Neil Peart, he'd be the the star of his band. He's better than Eric Clapton. Hendrix created the style, and Stevie Ray perfected it. Sure he's the one who came up with the electric guitars and he's probably the best on a technical level (playing with teeth, etc) but he's nowhere near Page's songwriting. The kids mother sent him a video and Steve let him come up and play. Albert King was born on April 25, 1923 in Indianola, Mississippi, USA as Albert Nelson. Ever heard "I Want Candy" or "Not Fade Away" or "Willie & The Hand Jive", Shirley & Company's "Shame, Shame, Shame" or U2's "Desire" or George Michael's "Faith"? Slash and Dave were friends, but Dave was always better! Kurt and his family lived in Hoquiam for the first few months of his life then later moved back to Aberdeen, where he had a happy childhood until his parents divorced. I don't care who plays the fastest, has the best technique, the slickest... Whatever. For me, he is greatest of all time. I know a lot of people come here to vote for Hendrix and he is without a doubt one of the greatest, but if we are searching for absolute mastery of the instrument, the no 1 spot can only go to Jimmy Page. It just seems so obscene to put something so subjective into a best category. He plays things on guitar that shouldn't sound good, but do you know why it sounds good... BECAUSE HE PLAYS IT XD! He was so far ahead of most people playing guitar and always practiced and you would never see him without a guitar in his hands, like Hendrix. Number 1 in my book every time! James Joseph McGuinn III was born in Chicago to Dorothy and James Jr. At 14, he took up guitar and soon attended the Old Town School Of Folk Music. If it were not for him, the Beatles may not even exist. If you don't know who Jeff Beck is, pick up a copy of Blow by Blow or Wired and give it a listen. This is not something that Vai lacks. Best guitarist ever! And someone once said that he's the only guy ever to eclipse Ozzy Osbourne during Live shows. And with any of these, he's instantly identifiable, in the way that he uses vertical vibrato or straight tones on held notes instead of standard vibrato, his impeccable sense of complex rhythm and phrasing, and his awesome trill technique. He was just as good as Eddie Van Halen when it came to rock, but he had more heart, emotion and versatility in his playing. He died on July 15, 1973 in Palmdale, California, USA. John Winston (later Ono) Lennon was born on October 9, 1940, in Liverpool, England, to Julia Lennon (née Stanley) and Alfred Lennon, a merchant seaman. He plays some really cool cords for the intro and the chorus, but then we get a GREAT solo while Malcolm plays the main riff and... it's just SOOOOO awesome! He was only 27 when the Beatles broke up. Hendrix is truly the most innovational rock guitarist of all time. He is one of the first British guitarists to play blues, he experimented with fuzz, distortion etc. Be. Carlos unegotistically offers God-given talent as if it were for sale on the street for one who is musically promising while abandons the forced march of solitary recognition in the music world. I have seen more than half of the top 25 live. He can play anything when he has the sacred instrument in his hands.He is the God of all guitarists and no one can beat the God. Thus, this man ...more, Saw him outdoors at the World's Fair Park and though I liked most of the songs, SambaPa Ti was unbelievably magical. Back In Black and Thunderstruck are definitely among his finest works, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. I've been listening to Rush since I was nine years old and I love hearing his great guitar sound. Sometime later his Step-father arrived on the scene, for a time, Steve lived in a house with his parents and ... 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