There is a point in each of our lives where we get completely blown away by the rhythms and riffs of the greatest guitarists in the world. From rock ‘n’ roll to blues, these musical masters have imprinted six-stringed strokes on our memories and tugged at our heartstrings. Let us have a walk down memory line and see the 43 best guitarists who have moved and inspired listeners through the years.
Here Are The 43 Greatest Guitar Players In All Of Music History
Bo Diddley
Ellas Otha Bates also goes by the name Bo Diddley and was born on December 30, 1928 in Chicago. One of the reasons he made it to the list is that he was a big influence on the other guitarists on this list. Firstly, he was a huge inspiration to Elvis Presley and played a part in the transition from blues into rock. Some of his biggest hits were “Road Runner”, “Who Do You Love?”, and “Bo Diddley”. His songs have been described as having “unleashed a West African groove”. Not only that, but they were also easy to follow! Simplicity is not always a bad thing, especially when it is applied to something new. His music also inspired the likes of Buddy Holly and Keith Richards to learn the instrument.
Bo Diddley
Johnny Ramone
John William Cummings, better known as Johnny Ramone, was born on October 8, 1948 in Queens, New York. He has probably fewer solos than the other people you will find on the list, although he deserves the title of a pioneer nevertheless. Popular for the way he rocked out on his Mosrite guitar, Henry Rollins had this to say about him: “Johnny was the first guitar player I ever saw play like he was really mad. And I was like, ‘Damn. That’s cool.’” That is because he was among the first to play heavy and powerful stuff up-tempo on tracks such as “Rockaway Beach”, “Judy is a Punk”, and “Blitzkrieg Bop”.
Johnny Ramone
Jerry Garcia
Jerome John Garcia is better known as “Jerry” to Deadheads. Born on August 1, 1942 in San Francisco, he is the sum of mixing different sounds together. When he plays, you will hear traces of bluegrass, jazz, rock, and Spanish guitar! As the Grateful Dead figurehead leader, Jerry Garcia played a huge role in the San Francisco cultural scene of the early ‘60s and remained prominent until he passed away in 1995. Some of the songs he played his heart out to were “Summer of Love”, “Sugaree”, “Casey Jones” and “Dark Star”. The star was also at Woodstock in 1969, but he nearly got electrocuted thanks to the rain!
Jerry Garcia
Joni Mitchell
Did you know that Jon Mitchell’s real name is Roberta Joan Anderson? Born on November 7, 1943 in Alberta, Canada, she earned the 75th spot on the Rolling Stone list for top guitarists. However, we daresay she deserves a higher ranking because of her unique tuning style that makes every chord stand out. She was popular for writing her songs using the same chords tuned differently. She even had a song that had 50 individual variations! We bet you would recognize the following songs if we played them: “Nathan La Franeer”, “I Had a King”, and “Night in the City”. She’s an amazing songwriter on top of that.
Joni Mitchell
Buddy Guy
If George Buy does not ring a bell, maybe it is because he became popular under the name Buddy Guy. Born on July 30, 1936 in Louisiana, he did not stay there long because his family allegedly kicked him out after making so much noise. It did not seem like he stopped after moving out because record executives once called his music “just a bunch of noise.” However, his guitaring eventually earned him some respect when his blues style became popular. He has influenced some great guitarists later on with his hits like “First Time I Met the Blues” and “Stone Crazy”. He was an icon, that is for sure.
Buddy Guy
Tony Iommi
Anthony “Tony” Iommi was born on February 19, 1948 in Birmingham, England. He must have had a hard time learning how to play the guitar as he got the tips of two fingers chopped off after an industrial accident when he was only 17. However, it only gave him a unique style that would have otherwise been impossible. His time with Black Sabbath had been great, and the band kept making albums as late as 2013. Even though he helped give rise to heavy metal as a genre, he was not afraid to show off his unique style. He is best known for the hits “Children of the Grave”, “N.I.B.” and “Sabbra Cadabra”.
Tony Iommi
Tom Morello
Tom Morello was born on May 30, 1964 in Harlem, New York. He earned a name for himself when he became the lead guitarist of Rage Against the Machine. He might look rather sad in the photo below, but it is only because he is leading the “Occupy Wall Street” event back in 2011. The Harvard University grad is very interested in social change, as you can see here. Best known for the unique sounds he made with his instrument and his use of the effect pedals, his sound was invaluable when it comes to the fusion of hip-hop and heavy metal sound that was associated with the band. He is most famous for hits such as “Killing in the Name” and “Guerrilla Radio”.
Tom Morello
Angus Young
Angus Young was born on March 31, 1955 in Glasglow, Scotland. He is known for his blues-rock playing style, although we daresay that he is even more popular for his Chuck Berry-like rendition of the duck walk as well as his schoolboy outfits that gave him some resemblance to Harry Potter. Of course, his weapon of choice is a guitar and not a wand. Who wouldn’t when he is responsible for the rhythms and chords found in hit songs such as “Highway to Hell” and “Back in Black”? He has been making iconic music with AC/DC since he was 18 years old, which means he has spent 46 years with the band by now.
Angus Young
Brian May
Born on July 19, 1947, this London native is someone music fans will be familiar with. Brian May, like Tom Morello, is yet another smart cookie. Not a lot of music legends can boast about an astrophysics degree, after all. It is not that hard to believe as Queen has been making out-of-this-world music since their formation in 1970. He has other talents, such as playing the guitar chords for “Stone Cold Crazy” and “Bohemian Rhapsody”. As a matter of fact, he deserves credit for the riffs on iconic songs “Stone Cold Crazy” and “the Old Lady”. A talented songwriter in his own right, he also wrote “Doing All Right”.
Brian May
Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson got his first taste of life in Abbot, Texas. Born on April 29, 1933, he sure has come a long way from the days when he worked as a bible salesman and cotton picker. Even though his career spanned more than 60 years, he has always used his guitar called “trigger”, which you can see below. Trigger has been fixed at some point along the way, though he has always been the perfect companion to the laidback style with its touches of country, blues, rock, and gypsy jazz. He is most popular for songs like “Night Life” and “Whiskey River”. He might be well into his 80s now, but he is still rocking it out.
Willie Nelson
Bobby Krieger
Born on January 8, 1946 in Los Angeles, California, Bobby Krieger was one of the later additions to the Doors. In fact, he was the last of the permanent members to climb aboard. We sure are glad that he did as his jazz and flamenco training helped give the band this incredibly unique sound when they go on stage that we all know and love. Krieger faced a rather a unique setback during his time with the band as it did not have a bass player or a rhythm guitar section. This means that he had a huge void to fill in terms of the sound. He is also a good songwriter since he was the one who wrote some of their biggest hits: “Light My Fire”, “Roadhouse Blues”, and “Riders on the Storm”.
Bobby Krieger
The Edge
We are sure you would not recognize the name David Evens. However, you surely know this man, who was born on August 8, 1961 in Essex. He is none other than The Edge! They say his unique style was the product of learning how to play the instrument all by himself. He has been called by his nickname since he was young as he prefers to remain more on the edge of things instead of joining in on the fun. He climbed aboard the U2 train in the late ‘70s. He is best known for complementing Bono’s vocals using his sound. Some of his most popular works are “Price (In the Name of Love)”, “The Fly”, and “I Will Follow”.
The Edge
Elmore James
Elmore James was born on January 27, 1918 in Richland, Mississippi. James started to play stringed instruments when he was only a little boy. However, he got his start with a one-stringed instrument with interesting names: the “jitterbug” or “diddley bow”. When he got his hands on his first guitar, he began to rock! It was clear to everyone that his previous experience with a unique instrument influenced the way he played with his guitar since he was known for his slide. A guitarist once claimed they played his music to the point of bleeding because they did not realize James made use of a slide. Best known for “The Sky is Crying” and “Dust My Broom”, James is another musician that gave rock a bluesy touch.
Elmore James
Scotty Moore
Scotty Moore was born on December 27, 1931 in Gadsden, Tennessee. He was paired with a young Elvis Presley back in the early ‘50s. Together with Bill Black on bass, the three of them went on to change the music scene forever. They did not have a drummer, which meant Moore had big shoes to fill whenever he played. One night in June 1954, the three of them had been messing about when they invented the “slapback” echo effect, which led to their hit “That’s All Right”. He helped the King make a comeback in 1968 and was best known for his work on “Mystery Train”, “Heartbreak Hotel”, and “That’s All Right”.
Scotty Moore
Muddy Waters
McKinley “Muddy Waters” Morganfield was born on April 4, 1913 in Issaquena County. He decided to move to Chicago when he was in his mid-twenties and brought along his southern blues style, which he then introduced to the Midwest. That was the fusion that defined the so-called “Chess Records sound”. It is interesting to hear that The Rolling Stones after his 1950 hit “Rollin’ Stone”. Waters played in bands with Buddy Guy, and it is even said that he influenced the legendary Jimi Hendrix. His popularity went down in the ‘60s, though his music made a resurgence in the ‘70s and continued until his passing.
Muddy Waters
Tom Petty (And Mike Campbell)
Tom Petty was born on October 20, 1950 in Gainesville, Florida. He is, of course, the lead man of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, but how can we talk about him without also speaking of Mike Campbell, the music act’s lead guitarist? Campbell is most popular for his simplistic guitar style, which meant he would never go for 10 notes when two would do. Meanwhile, Petty was someone who loved Southern rock or heartland and played his best when he was with an awesome guitarist. When he first came out with Full Moon Fever, his solo album debut, Campbell did the majority of the solos. Their best known works would have to be “You Got Lucky” and “Breakdown”.
Tom Petty (And Mike Campbell)
Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa was born on December 21, 1940 in Baltimore, Maryland. This was a man who was talented in a great number of things, which you can see from the way he dabbled in jazz and Musique concrete. He produced albums he wanted to work on, which amounts to 60 albums. He also did lots of solo work over the course of his career, although he is best known for working with the Mothers of Invention. He had iconic solos in their hit songs “In-a-Gadda-Stravinsky” and “Willie the Pimp”. He has expanded the list of things about what one can do on the guitar. Just listen to “Shut Up ‘n’ Play Yer Guitar” for proof.
Frank Zappa
Billy Gibbons
Billy Gibbons was born on December 16, 1949 in Houston, Texas. When you consider the fact that his dad was a maestro, it is not surprising he went on to be a rock star of this proportion. His folks supported his interest in music and even took him to an Elvis concert, with BB King there as well. He got to be friends with Jimi Hendrix before he died. Knowing this, it is still amazing that Gibbons helped the formation of ZZ Top when he was only 20 years old. Surely, you know songs like “Gimme Your Lovin” and “Tush”! If you ask us, there is no way that you can claim to be a true ZZ Top fan if you have never bopped your head to his amazing guitar playing in “La Grange”.
Billy Gibbons
David Gilmour
Born on March 6, 1946 in Cambridge, England, David Gilmour was actually not the original guitarist for Pink Floyd. That would be Syd Barrett, although he did eventually become the lead guitarist and front man. He started to play the guitar after borrowing the instrument from a neighbor and never returning it! He loved adding effects when he plays, which you can see when you listen to “Dark Side of the Moon”. He is most popular for songs such as “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” and “Comfortably Numb”. Now worth more than $122 million, he once got sent to the ho hospital for malnutrition.
David Gilmour
Joe Perry
Anthony Perry, better known by his middle name, was born on September 10, 1950 in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Joe Perry has the distinction of playing the guitar for one of the greatest and loudest voices rock ‘n’ roll has ever seen. Together with Steven Tyler, he never failed to bring his A game on when he played, and continues to play, with Aerosmith. According to Rolling Stone, his riffs sound just like “blues-on-steroids.” His sound is both unique and familiar, which might probably be traced back to the influence of Jeff Beck, a great solo artist who infused sounds from different parts of the globe. He is best known for his work on Aerosmith hits “Walk This Way”, “Dream On”, and “Janie’s Got A Gun”.
Joe Perry
Slash
Saul “Slash” Hudson was born on July 23, 1965 in London, England. When we talk about drug-fueled, drunken and sex-crazed rock stars, Slash is going to be one of the first people that we will think of. The truth is that he brought a little restraint to the instrument. He will always be associated with Guns N’ Roses, but Slash had a successful solo career as well. He has legendary solos, which you can check out in the Gun N’ Roses hits “Sweet Child O’ Mine” and “November Rain”. Slash left the band for a little while and joined Velvet Revolver, a band that had musicians from Wasted Youth and Stone Temple Pilots. He is now back on his original band with Axl Rose, and they continue to make music and perform together.
Slash
Buddy Holly
Charles Holly is a lot more popular as Buddy Holly. He was born on September 7, 1936 in Lubbock, Texas. If you love Eric Clapton or the Beatles, you should probably thank this guy. He is essentially the inventor of the rock band because The Crickets, his brand, came with a bass and drum section as he played the guitar and sang vocals. Some of his best songs are “Peggy Sue” and “That’ll Be the Day”. He would have been able to enjoy a whole generation of bands following in his footsteps had he lived longer than he did. He fused country and blues sound in a rhythmic yet steady way without sacrificing the rock aspect of it.
Buddy Holly
Neil Young
Now, how can you possibly not have heard of Neil Young? Born on November 12, 1945 in Toronto, Canada, he was considered a prodigy. He got diagnosed with epilepsy during his days with Buffalo Springfield, but it did not faze him. Regardless of whether he plays solo or in a band, every single note he makes is exceptional. He is best known for his work on Buffalo Springfield’s “Mr. Soul” and “For What It’s Worth”. Meanwhile, this was what Trey Anastasio said about “Down by the River”: “It’s one note, but it’s so melodic, and it just snarls with attitude and anger. It’s like he desperately wants to connect.”
Neil Young
Dick Dale
Richard Monsour, more popular as Dick Dale, was born on May 4, 1937 in Boston, Massachusetts. Considered the “surf rock” pioneer, he actually grew up on the East Coast, though the family decided to relocate to Southern California when he was already a teenager. Who would have thought he only started to surf at the age of 17? He played the type of music your parents would have shouted at you to turn off. After all, we daresay that his guitar strumming was as fast and loud as it could get. Some of his best works are “The Peter Gunn Theme” and “Misirlou”.
Dick Dale
Freddie King
Freddie King became known as the “The Texas Cannonball” for his massive build as well as his live performances, which have been described to be “incendiary” before. Born on September 3, 1934 in Gilmer, Texas. He had a distinctive sound, which was the result of using metal banjo picks while playing the guitar. During a 1985 interview, Eric Clapton said that King’s 1961 song “I Love the Woman” is actually “what started me on my path.” Apart from that, he is known for other songs like “The Stumble”, “Hide Away”, and “Have You Ever Loved a Woman”. On top of fusing blues and rock together, Freddie King was also among the first blues musicians to join a multiracial musical act.
Freddie King
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain of Nirvana fame was born on February 20, 1967 in Aberdeen, Washington. At the age of 14, his uncle asked him if he would prefer a guitar or a bike for his birthday. You can probably guess which one he went with! We bet some of you grew up to listening to their songs, which ranged from heavy metal to quieter songs. The band made a lot of hits that continue to be popular in this day and age. They are generally considered to be the pioneers of grunge, which is defined to be a fusion of rock and punk. Some of his biggest hits are “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “Heart Shaped Box”, and “All Apologies”.
Kurt Cobain
John Lennon
John Lennon was born on October 9, 1940. Like the rest of The Beatles, he was also born and raised in Liverpool. We have another member of the popular band on the list, so look out. As the rhythm guitarist of the band, he could turn simple notes into a groove-worthy beat or a hypnotizing rhythm. The Beatles continue to be the best-selling band to have ever existed with almost a billion records sold worldwide. If you want to hear his guitar skills, try “Yer Blues”, “Help!”, and “Day Tripper”. This was how he described his understated guitar playing: “They call George the invisible singer. I am the invisible guitar player.”
John Lennon
George Harrison
As you might have picked up from the previous slide, George Harrison was born in Liverpool, England. He was introduced to this world on February 25, 1943. If you do not know who he is, let us remind you that he was one of the members of The Beatles. Although some might think he is not as valuable as John Lennon and Paul McCartney, we will have you know that he once reached greater heights when he went solo. He penned The Beatles hits “Here Comes the Sun” and “Taxman”. After 1965, all of their albums came with at least two songs that he wrote. Tom Petty once talked about his guitar playing this way: “He was very in tune when he played, the slide was very precise, and just had a beautiful vibrato on it.”
George Harrison
Albert King
Albert Nelson has made a name for himself under the name of Albert King. He was born on April 25, 1923 in Indianola, Mississippi. He once said that he did not have any influences when it comes to playing since “Everything I do is wrong.” Called “The Velvet Bulldozer” for his size and singing skills, he was left-handed yet used a right-handed guitar. It still worked out but only because he played it upside down! He has been praised by Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. In fact, the former was starstruck when he got to open for King in 1967. Some of his works are “As the Years Go Passing By” and “Born Under a Bad Sign”.
Albert King
Joe Walsh
Joe Walsh was born on November 20, 1947 in Wichita, Kansas. We bet no one was surprised that he went on to be a guitar player – after all, Fiddler is literally his middle name! At any rate, you have probably moved your hips to his iconic style that combines bass and rhythm with a certain wild touch. He was successful in numerous bands, although none of them ever reached the same popularity that Eagles did. He was a latecomer to the band, but they released “Hotel California” in 1975, the same year that he joined them. Needless to say, the guitar solo on there was a legendary one. Aside from that, he has made a name for himself with his performance in “Funk #49” and “Rocky Mountain Way”.
Joe Walsh
Prince
Prince Nelson was born on June 7, 1958 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. We will forever miss this icon who truly changed the music scene. The brilliant guitarist-showman was reportedly only 7 years old when he wrote his first song, which he called “Funk Machine”. According to certain experts, there are hints of Jimi Hendrix in his sound. However, Prince himself did not agree with this and said, “If they really listened to my stuff, they’d hear more of a Santana influence than Jimi Hendrix.” He is best known for the songs “When Drives Cry” and “Kiss”. His “Purple Rain” solo is also another legacy of his. RIP, Prince.
Prince
Pete Townshend
Anyone into English rock will definitely know the name Pete Townshend. This singer and guitarist was born on May 19, 1945 in Middlesex, England. He is reportedly an intense person and was allegedly the first man to smash a guitar onstage. This controversial figure is definitely deserving a spot on our list. He is best known for his The Who work, but it is also worth mentioning his promising solo career afterward. Interestingly, did not get a solo when he was playing with the band. The Who boasted of a complicated style that placed emphasis on bass and drums, so his contributions were on the limited side. He is best known for the following tracks: “Summertime Blues”, “I Can See for Miles”, and “My Generation”.
Pete Townshend
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Stevie Ray Vaughan was born on October 3, 1954 in Dallas, Texas. We know that he looks like he ate something extremely sour as he played guitar behind his back, although you can bet that nothing sucked about his music. Even though he is known for mixing rockabilly and jazz together, he was also influenced by the likes of B. B. King, Eric Clapton, and Jimi Hendrix. His most popular works would be “Cold Shot”, “Looking at Little Sister”, and “Love Struck Baby”. It was truly tragic when he died in a chopper crash back in 1990. Otherwise, he bet he would have had more hit songs under his belt.
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Duane Allman
Duane Allman, also known as “Skydog”, was born on November 20, 1946 in Nashville, Tennessee. Like Stevie Ray Vaughan, he also passed away too young. He died at the tender age of 24. This was what Robert Randolph said about his death: “Duane died young, and it’s just one of those things. You could tell he was going to get 50 times better.” His playing put a unique emphasis on precision, but in a way that no one has seen before. We will continue to grieve his untimely passing, although we bet that his guitar work on the Allman Brothers hits “Whipping Post”, “Blue Sky”, and “Statesboro Blues” will live on.
Duane Allman
Carlos Santana
It was only a matter of time before we got to Carlos Santana. Born on July 20, 1947 in Jalisco, Mexico, he relocated to San Francisco when he was young. When the Summer of Love rolled in, he was already popular in the area. He achieved national fame when he played at Woodstock. As we have said earlier on, Prince said this artist influenced him more than Jimi Hendrix did. Why? Because “Santana played prettier.” Some of his popular works are “Soul Sacrifice”, “Ove Come Va” and “Black Magic Woman”. He was a true product of his environment and even said, “You cannot take LSD and not find your voice.”
Carlos Santana
B. B. King
Riley B. King, also known as “B. B. King”, was born on September 26, 1925 in Itta Bena, Mississippi. Since he was born earlier than most other artists on the list, he got exposure to an earlier form of blues. He later expressed himself through his guitar and singing. This was a hard-working man who loved performing so much that he appeared in 342 shows in 1956 and then 200 shows per year in the ‘70s. He is best known for hits like “Sweet Little Angel”, “The Thrill Is Gone”, and “3 O’Clock Blues”. Together with other legends Freddie King and Albert, he makes up “The Three Kings One of Blues Guitar”.
B. B. King
Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck was born on June 24, 1944 in Surrey, England. Now, try not to mistake him for Beck, who does not even show up on our list. Although he worked on two successful albums with the Jeff Beck Group, it was a short-lived affair. He then went on to be a journeyman who bounced from one band to another. He is most popular for songs such as “Heart Full of Soul”, “I Ain’t Superstitious”, and “A Day in the Life”. He is as real as solo artists can get. He has always been innovative when it comes to his sound and continues to rock it out to this day and continues to tour despite the fact that he is now in his 70s.
Jeff Beck
Eddie Van Halen
Eddie Van Halen was born on January 26, 1955 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. When it comes to playing certain riffs, he likes to hold his pick in a unique way. He grips it between his thumb and middle finger before dragging the fingers across the guitar strings. According to some artists, it is almost like he added a different instrument into the mix! His best tracks are probably “Ain’t Talking ‘Bout Love”, “Hot for Teacher”, and “Eruption”. Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready once said this about the unique Eddie Van Halen style: “You can play the things he’s written, but there’s an ‘X-factor’ that you can’t get.”
Eddie Van Halen
Keith Richards
All right, we have made it far down on the list, so it is time to bring out the best guitarists of all time. We doubt anyone will disagree with Keith Richards being ranked so highly in our eyes. He was born on December 18, 1943 in Kent, England. He is an enigma as both the leading and rhythm guitarist of the band. If you ask the E. Street Band’s Nils Lofgren, one of the reasons he has such a unique sound is the way his guitar is tuned. Like Van Halen, anyone can play his songs but it would sound different. Richards is most popular for these songs: “Paint it Black”, “Gimme Shelter”, and “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.”
Keith Richards
Chuck Berry
Charles “Chuck” Berry was born on October 18, 1926 in St. Louis, Missouri. He was a talented blues-style guitarist who stuck to his roots. This musician rocked it out so well he ended up influencing some of the biggest rock ‘n’ roll guitarists we have ever seen. He is most popular for the songs “Roll Over Beethoven” and “Maybellene”. Meanwhile, the hit “Johnny B. Goode” has been hailed one of the best guitar solos in all of history. He is basically a pioneer of the rock ‘n’ roll genre, so just about everyone on this list owes his thanks in one way or another.
Chuck Berry
Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page was born on January 9, 1944 in Middlesex, England. If you take a good look at him in the photo below, you will see a man with a single arm and two guitars. Obviously, he has two arms and how he swung the double-necked Gibson guitar created incredible rhythm and great solos. His dark but folkloric music style has captivated and continues to captivate fans from all over the world. The Led Zeppelin lead guitarist wrote music and worked hard. Apparently, he was such a workhorse in the recording studio who always fine-tuned his guitar playing the perfect the sound. He is best known for his performance in songs such as “Kashmir”, “Dazed and Confused”, and “Heartbreaker”.
Jimmy Page
Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton was born on March 30, 1945 in Surrey, England. He made use of basic sounds and simple notes to create remarkable melodies. Many of the people on the list had blues training or added a touch of blues to rock. Let us just say that Eric Clapton is the perfect mix of these two things. During his time with Cream, he was on guitar with two more jazz guitarists. He eventually claimed he was “just trying to keep up”. Clapton made a unique sound, which was merely the start of his guitar-playing journey. His most popular hits would be “Crossroads”, “White Room”, and “Bell Bottom Blues”.
Eric Clapton
Jimi Hendrix
Ladies and gentlemen, we present to you the greatest guitar player there ever was: Jimi Hendrix. What, do we really need to explain how he ended up in the top spot? Born on November 27, 1942 in Seattle, Washington, Hendrix has mastered the art of playing this instrument yet boasted of the shortest career at the same time. The sound he made was simply iconic since he was the first one to perfect feedback. He also created fusions of chords and notes that were out of this world. He was as smooth as they came, making it seem effortless to create such original music. His best-known works would be “Foxy Lady” and “Purple Haze”. We can’t forget about his “The Star-Spangled Banner” rendition either.
Jimi Hendrix
B.B. King
From an early stage, B.B.’s influences were set. Seeing as he’s from Indianola, Mississippi, he goes far back enough to remember the likes of Charley Patton and Robert Johnson who were cornerstone blues figures. His playing style is in shortened bursts, with technical dexterity and cleanly delivered phrasing. Without a doubt, B.B. King was a genuine soloist. In 1987, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and for good reason. He is considered to be one of the most influential blues musicians of all time. His talent earned him the nickname “The King of the Blues”.
B.B. King
Freddie King
An American blues guitarist and singer, Freddie King recorded multiple hits for Federal Records in the early 1960s. He had a very distinctive guitar style as well as a soulful and powerful voice which inspired countless musicians, especially guitarists. In 2012, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was so adored that the governor of Texas, Ann Richards, made September 3 Freddie King Day back in 1993. This was an honor reserved for Texas legends like Bob Wills and Buddy Holly. King was so legendary that he was placed 15th in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.
Freddie King
Derek Trucks
At age 9, Derek Trucks began playing slide guitar. By age 12 he was touring. He was raised in the Allman Brothers family as he was Butch Truck’s nephew. In 1999, Derek stepped into Duane Allman’s slide guitar spot in the Allman Brothers Band at age 20. That same year, his soloing career took off. His music began incorporating Delta blues, hard-bop jazz, and Indian-raga modality and rhythms. Later on, Derek became the founder of the Grammy Award-winning The Derek Trucks Band. As a matter of fact, Derek had appeared twice on Rolling Stone’s list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.
Derek Trucks
Les Paul
Les Paul was an American jazz, country, and blues guitarist, songwriter, luthier, and inventor. In fact, he was one of the pioneers of the solid-body electric guitar and his techniques inspired the Gibson Les Paul. Les taught himself how to play guitar, and even though he was mostly known for jazz and popular music, his career began in country music. His innovative talents extended into his playing style as well. From licks, trills, chording sequences, fretting techniques to timing, Paul set himself apart from his contemporaries and inspired many guitarists even after his time. He and his wife, singer and guitarist Mary Ford, would record together in the 1950s. In fact, they sold millions of records.
Les Paul
James Burton
Another American guitarist is none other than James Burton. Born in Louisiana, he has been a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since 2001. In fact, his induction speech was given by longtime fan, Keith Richards. Aside from this, Burton has also been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame and the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum. In Rolling Stone’s list of 100 Greatest Guitarists, Burton is ranked number 19. Back in 1957, James joined Ricky Nelson’s band and he created a distinct technique with Nelson. They used a fingerpick and a flat pick and replaced the four higher strings on his Telecaster with banjo strings. This created a snapping, popping and stuttering sound with his guitar.
James Burton
Chet Atkins
Being a record executive and producer in the 1960s, Chet Atkins invented the pop wise “Nashville sound” that kept country music from falling into a commercial slump. He was even more inventive as a guitarist, mastering country, jazz, and classical styles while perfecting the ability to play chords and melody all at once. He was able to do so thanks to his thumb-and-three-finger picking style. In an interview Atkins did with Rolling Stone in 1976, he said, “A lot of it was trial and error. I just had a damn guitar in my hands 16 hours a day, and I experimented all the time.”
Chet Atkins
Ry Cooder
Ryland Peter, aka “Ry” Cooder, is a musician, songwriter, film score composer, and record producer. While he’s a multi-instrumentalist, he’s best known for his slide guitar work. Not to mention his collaborations with traditional musicians from around the world. Cooder’s solo work ranges between many different genres. Throughout his career, he’s played with John Lee Hooker, Captain Beefheart, Ali Farka Touré, Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, Van Morrison, Neil Young, Randy Newman, David Lindley, The Chieftains, The Doobie Brothers, and Carla Olson & the Textones (on record and film). Ry’s playing can be categorized as a wonderful combination of American folk and blues. He once described his playing style as “Hawaiian slack-key guitar”.
Ry Cooder
Curtis Mayfield
One of American soul’s finest singers, songwriters, and producers, Curtis Mayfield was a quietly influential artist. His gentle fluid melodies had a serious impact on Jimi Hendrix. In the 1970s, Curtis went on to reinvent his playing for a solo career, building his new music around the flickering funk rhythms and spare, gestural, wah-wah-inflected lead parts heard on his Superfly soundtrack as well as hits like “Move On Up”. The smooth chord sequences were difficult for other musicians to imitate, partially because Mayfield played almost exclusively in an open F-sharp tuning. The reason he did this was that he taught himself to play, and simply never changed it. He said it used to make him proud since no matter how good a guitarist was, when he grabbed Mayfield’s ax, he couldn’t play it.
Curtis Mayfield
John Lee Hooker
The son of a sharecropper, John Lee Hooker was an American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He gained his fame by performing an electric-guitar-style adaptation of Delta blues. He often incorporated other elements in his music, including talking blues and early North Mississippi Hill country blues. He came up with his own driving-rhythm boogie style. He once said, “I don’t play a lot of fancy guitar, I don’t want to play it. The kind of guitar I want to play is mean, mean licks.” His style couldn’t be defined as urban or country blues, it was something completely different, it was its own genre – mysterious and funky and hypnotic.
John Lee Hooker
Randy Rhoads
A heavy metal guitarist who played with Quiet Riot and Ozzy Osbourne, Randy Rhoads was a devoted student of classical guitar. He combined his classical music influences with his own heavy metal style. Tragically, he died in a plane accident while touring with Osbourne in Florida in 1982. Despite his too-short career, Rhoads was a major influence on neoclassical meral and is cited as an influence by many guitarists to this day.
Randy Rhoads
Mick Taylor
An English musician, Mick Taylor is best known as a former member of John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers and the Rolling Stones. Since he left the Rolling Stones in December 1974, Taylor has worked with many other artists and released a few solo albums. From November 2012 and on, he participated in the Stones’ 50th-anniversary shows in London and Neward as well as the band’s 50 & Counting World Tour which included North America, Glastonbury Festival and Hude Park in 2013. In 2014, the band decided to continue with concerts in the UAE, Far East & Australia, and Europe for the 14 On Fire Tour. Slash, Guns N’ Roses guitarist, has previously said that Taylor had the biggest influence on him.
Mick Taylor
Steve Cropper
Steve Cropper was also known as “Steve “The Colonel” Cropper”. He’s an American guitarist, songwriter, and record producer. He’s had plenty of influence in the industry as he’s the guitarist of the Stax Records house band, Booker T. & the M.G’s, which have backed artists like Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas, and Johnnie Taylor. He also produced many of these records. Later on in his career, he was a member of the Blue Brothers band.
Steve Cropper
Mick Ronson
Mick Ronson was a legendary guitarist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, arranger, and producer. He became incredibly successful and worked with David Bowie as one of the Spiders from Mars. Aside from recording with Bowie, Ian Hunter, and Morrissey, he was a sideman in touring bands with Van Morrison and Bob Dylan. Ronson also recorded several solo albums, the most popular one was Slaughter on 10th Avenue which reached No. 9 on the UK Albums Chart. After his time with Bowie, Mick plated with various bands.
Mick Ronson
Mike Bloomfield
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Mike Bloomfield became one of the first popular music stars of the 1960s to earn his reputation almost completely with his instrumental talents since he hardly sang before 1969. He knew and played with many of Chicago’s blues legends before becoming famous himself in the mid-1960s. In 2012, he was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame and as a member of the Paul Butterfield Blue Band, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015.
Mike Bloomfield
Hubert Sumlin
A Chicago blues guitarist and singer, Hubert Sumlin was best known for his “wrenched, shattering bursts of notes, sudden cliff-hanger silences and daring rhythmic suspensions” as a member of Howlin’ Wolf’s band. Jimmy Page spoke highly of him, saying, “I love Hubert Sumlin. He always played the right thing at the right time.”
Hubert Sumlin
Mark Knopfler
Mark Knopfler is a British singer-songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and film score composer. He was the lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter for the rock band Dire Straits. In fact, he co-founded the band with his younger brother, David Knopfler in 1977. Dire Straits disbanded in 1995, and Mark turned to solo music. He recorded and produced 9 albums on his own. To top it off, he composed and produced film scores for 9 films, including Local Hero, Cal, The Princess Bride, Wag the Dog, and Altamira. Throughout his career, he’s recorded and performed with multiple famous musicians like B.B. King, Chet Atkins, Chris Botti, John Anderson, the Chieftains, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Elton John, Joan Armatrading Bryan Ferry, and many more. Not to mention he’s produced albums for Tina Turner, Bob Dylan, and Randy Newman. Mark is a four-time Grammy Award winner, the recipient of the Edison Award, the Steiger Award, and the Ivor Novello Award as well as holding three honorary doctorate degrees in music from universities in the UK.
Mark Knopfler
Link Wray
A Shawnee rock and roll guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist, Link Wray became popular in the late 1950s. In 2013 and 2017, Wray was a nominee for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. While he began his career in country music, his musical style went on to consist mostly of rock and roll, rockabilly, and instrumental rock. In 1958, Wray released the thrilling and ominous “Rumble”. This track was one of the only instrumentals to ever be banned from radio play out of dear that it might incite gang violence. The way Link created the distorted, overdriven sound, he stabbed his amplifier’s speaker cone with a pencil.
Link Wray
Stephen Stills
Stephen Stills is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who is best known for his work with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. His solo career and bands have a combined sales of over 35 million albums. In fact, Stills became the first person to be inducted twice on the same night into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Neil Young praised him greatly, saying, “He’s a musical genius” Aside from writing a lot of his band’s songs, he played bass, guitar, and keyboards on their debut album. The album ended up selling over four million copies. Not to mention it won the three band members a Grammy Award for Best New Artist. Stephen is considered to be one of rock’s most underrated guitarists.
Stephen Stills
Jonny Greenwood
An English musician and composer, Jonny Greenwood is a musician and composer. He’s the lead guitarist and keyboardist of the alternative rock band, Radiohead. Aside from playing in his band, he’s also written a number of film scores. His older brother, Colin, is the bassist in Radiohead. The two brothers attended Abingfin School in Oxford, England, where he met the future band members. When the band signed to Parlophibe, he abandoned a degree in music. Their debut single, “creep” was distinguished by Johnny’s aggressive guitar work. Since its beginning, Radiohead has achieved immense success, selling over 30 million albums. Johnny and his bandmates were all inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.
Jonny Greenwood
Ritchie Blackmore
Ritchie Blackmore is an English guitarist and songwriter. In 1968, he was one of the founding members of Deep Purple. Throughout his solo career, he established the heavy metal band Rainbow which fused baroque music and elements of hard rock. As time went on, Rainbow steadily moved to catchy pop-style mainstream rock. In 2016, Blackmore was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Deep Purple.
Ritchie Blackmore