Personal top 10 guitarists; no judging or criteria

[Siolag]

Steve Howe.
Matt Bellamy.
David Gilmour.
Jimmy Page.
John Williams.
Ritchie Blackmore.
John McGlaughlin.
Al De Meola.
Paco De Lucia (the above 3’s live album is astonishing).
Yngwie Malmsteen.

 

[KenL]

By coincidence i was reading his website a couple of weeks ago - he seems to have gone through some tough times of late, but hopefully now in a better state. The album you quote gets rave reviews on Amazon, so think i wil order it.

If you read his autobiography, he's had struggles with his mental health.

 

[hairball_89]

The best? 10 session guitarists that very few have ever heard of, but that can play anything. Probably jazz trained.

The 10 that give me the most enjoyment listening to?

In no particular order:
Jimi
Steve Jones
Steve Cropper
James Hetfield (Metallica are *the* band for me)
Scotty Moore
Les Paul
Jimmy Page
Gary Moore
Wilko Johnson
John Lee Hooker

Although, that being said Gary Moore, Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix & Steve Cropper were all session musos at one time or another!

 

[Blue in Munich]

The best? 10 session guitarists that very few have ever heard of, but that can play anything. Probably jazz trained.

The 10 that give me the most enjoyment listening to?

In no particular order:
Jimi
Steve Jones
Steve Cropper
James Hetfield (Metallica are *the* band for me)
Scotty Moore
Les Paul
Jimmy Page
Gary Moore
Wilko Johnson
John Lee Hooker

Although, that being said Gary Moore, Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix & Steve Cropper were all session musos at one time or another!

Without session musicians like The Funk Brothers, The Wrecking Crew, Booker T & the MG's, The Memphis Horns & The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section (The Swampers), there'd be a hell of a lot of good music that we'd have missed out on. These guys & gals never got the credit they deserved. If that sort of thing interests you, "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" and "20 feet from Stardom" are well worth a look, and if you ever get to Nashville look out the Musician's Hall of Fame.

 

[hairball_89]

Without session musicians like The Funk Brothers, The Wrecking Crew, Booker T & the MG's, The Memphis Horns & The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section (The Swampers), there'd be a hell of a lot of good music that we'd have missed out on. These guys & gals never got the credit they deserved. If that sort of thing interests you, "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" and "20 feet from Stardom" are well worth a look, and if you ever get to Nashville look out the Musician's Hall of Fame.

Absolutely. Steve Cropper was Booker T's guitarist in the MGs - the 'house band' at Stax, alongside the Memphis Horns. Spent a week (Elvis week, to be precise) in Memphis in 2017 and Stax is now a museum to the music and museums of the era. Far better a museum and studio than Sun will ever be - and that's coming from a sound engineer & producer who's always wanted to go to Sun! I'd imagine you're already aware, but a few years ago they did a "Stax Records Prom" - a lot of unnecessary nonsense, but also a load of the original guys (Cropper being one) playing their own music to a full Albert Hall. A top top event.

And, if I'm not mistaken as much as I dislike his music, Glen Campbell was part of the Wrecking Crew for a short while, I believe.

Could go on for ages along these lines!

 

[Foxholer]

I like Marvin, simplistic in style but he was a sensation during his era. My favourite duo album was Atkins and Knoffler with their 'neck and neck' Loved it.

Indeed, as a huge Shadows fan, while my brother was, primarily, a fan of Cliff, I!
But while Marvin was indeed extremely competent, he didn't 'sparkle' like some of the others on the list. Chet Atkins could also be a victim of the same generalisation, but knowing what's involved/how difficult it is to produce the music (both hands of a piano) with a single guitar, he escapes that foolish categorisation.
Neck and Neck is a fine album. Love the the banter on 'There'll be some changes'! I actually think Emmanuel is more versatile, but it hard to 'dump the original'!

 

[Blue in Munich]

Absolutely. Steve Cropper was Booker T's guitarist in the MGs - the 'house band' at Stax, alongside the Memphis Horns. Spent a week (Elvis week, to be precise) in Memphis in 2017 and Stax is now a museum to the music and museums of the era. Far better a museum and studio than Sun will ever be - and that's coming from a sound engineer & producer who's always wanted to go to Sun! I'd imagine you're already aware, but a few years ago they did a "Stax Records Prom" - a lot of unnecessary nonsense, but also a load of the original guys (Cropper being one) playing their own music to a full Albert Hall. A top top event.

And, if I'm not mistaken as much as I dislike his music, Glen Campbell was part of the Wrecking Crew for a short while, I believe.

Could go on for ages along these lines!

Indeed we could. Booker T & the MG's were somewhat unusual at that time of racial segregation in that of the 4 members, 2 were black & 2 were white; not without its issues I'd imagine.

Glen Campbell was in the Wrecking Crew, as were Carol Kaye, Hal Blaine (frequently referenced as the world's most recorded musician), Larry Knechtel (Bread) and many others. Apparently so named because they were formed when the older session guys refused to play Rock 'n' Roll because it would wreck music.

Did Nashville, Memphis & New Orleans in 2016 & loved it. You're not wrong about Stax being better than than Sun, but I completely missed the Stax Records Prom, dammit.

 

[Foxholer]

Without session musicians like The Funk Brothers, The Wrecking Crew, Booker T & the MG's, The Memphis Horns & The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section (The Swampers), there'd be a hell of a lot of good music that we'd have missed out on. These guys & gals never got the credit they deserved. If that sort of thing interests you, "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" and "20 feet from Stardom" are well worth a look, and if you ever get to Nashville look out the Musician's Hall of Fame.

And Chet Atkins's contribution to so much music, not just 'Country', is seriously under-rated!

 

[hairball_89]

Indeed we could. Booker T & the MG's were somewhat unusual at that time of racial segregation in that of the 4 members, 2 were black & 2 were white; not without its issues I'd imagine.

Glen Campbell was in the Wrecking Crew, as were Carol Kaye, Hal Blaine (frequently referenced as the world's most recorded musician), Larry Knechtel (Bread) and many others. Apparently so named because they were formed when the older session guys refused to play Rock 'n' Roll because it would wreck music.

Did Nashville, Memphis & New Orleans in 2016 & loved it. You're not wrong about Stax being better than than Sun, but I completely missed the Stax Records Prom, dammit.

The one thing that sticks in my mind at Stax was the video at the beginning - a very emotional video with Steve Cropper et al and Cropper stating that at Stax nobody who walked in the door was of "a colour" and that changed immediately the day Martin Luther King was shot, breaking down as he said it.

I'm fairly sure the Stax prom is on youtube. Definitely worth an afternoon's viewing! Nashville and New Orleans on the list, we did Chicago on the way home. Which reminds me, I need to at Buddy Guy to my list!

 

[Foxholer]

Indeed we could. Booker T & the MG's were somewhat unusual at that time of racial segregation in that of the 4 members, 2 were black & 2 were white; not without its issues I'd imagine.

Glen Campbell was in the Wrecking Crew, as were Carol Kaye, Hal Blaine (frequently referenced as the world's most recorded musician), Larry Knechtel (Bread) and many others. Apparently so named because they were formed when the older session guys refused to play Rock 'n' Roll because it would wreck music.

Did Nashville, Memphis & New Orleans in 2016 & loved it. You're not wrong about Stax being better than than Sun, but I completely missed the Stax Records Prom, dammit.

There's quite a few indivudual guys featuring in multiple bands/albums too.
It's hard not to notice Leland Sklar's beard on vids! 2000+ albums as a session musician, either as an individual or as part of The Session!

 

[Blue in Munich]

The one thing that sticks in my mind at Stax was the video at the beginning - a very emotional video with Steve Cropper et al and Cropper stating that at Stax nobody who walked in the door was of "a colour" and that changed immediately the day Martin Luther King was shot, breaking down as he said it.

I'm fairly sure the Stax prom is on youtube. Definitely worth an afternoon's viewing! Nashville and New Orleans on the list, we did Chicago on the way home. Which reminds me, I need to at Buddy Guy to my list!

Yes, thank you for reminding me of that, it was a great video. In fact there wasn't much not to like about Stax.

If you like ribs I hope you visited Twin Anchors in Chicago.

 

[SocketRocket]

Yes, thank you for reminding me of that, it was a great video. In fact there wasn't much not to like about Stax.

If you like ribs I hope you visited Twin Anchors in Chicago.

Or Mickey Finns for Burgers or Bob Chins Crab House ?

 

[Orikoru]

Jack White
Mike McCready
David Gilmour
Slash
Lindsey Buckingham
Simon Neil
Tom Morello
Matt Bellamy
John Frusciante
Seasick Steve
Jimi Hendrix

That was a bit top-of-the-head but it does the job.

Edit: I forgot Hendrix like some kind of idiot. Sorry Steve, you're out.

 

[bernix]

Jimmy Page
Richie Blackmore
Randy Rhodes
Alex Lifeson
Mark Knopfler
John Petrucci
David Gilmore
Joe Bonamassa
Mark Knopfler
Gary Moore

 

[Slime]

Jimmy Page
Richie Blackmore
Randy Rhodes
Alex Lifeson
Mark Knopfler
John Petrucci
David Gilmore
Joe Bonamassa
Mark Knopfler
Gary Moore

Mark Knopfler, so good you named him twice!

 

[SocketRocket]

Indeed, as a huge Shadows fan, while my brother was, primarily, a fan of Cliff, I!
But while Marvin was indeed extremely competent, he didn't 'sparkle' like some of the others on the list. Chet Atkins could also be a victim of the same generalisation, but knowing what's involved/how difficult it is to produce the music (both hands of a piano) with a single guitar, he escapes that foolish categorisation.
Neck and Neck is a fine album. Love the the banter on 'There'll be some changes'! I actually think Emmanuel is more versatile, but it hard to 'dump the original'!

"I'll wear dark glasses maybe a toupee
I'll get down and boogie and become risqué
I'll start wearin' make-up like Jackson and Prince
You'll see me ridin' in my Mercedes Benz"

Chet, unfortunatly no longer with us but greatly missed by many. His song 'My Daddies Hat' gets me every time.

 

[IanMcC]

Being a great rock/pop guitarist is not all about talent. Image, beliefs and influence count just as much.

J Hendrix
J McGeoch
D Rawlings
J Martyn
B Bargeld
J Page
W Johnson
J Greenwood
R S Howard
J Marr

All things considered, the greatest was John Martyn.

And observing that this is an all male dominated affair so far, can I suggest Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Whatever your preconceptions of Glen Campbell, he was one heck of a guitarist and had a great voice. 2mins of chat then Galveston with just great guitar at the end. Indeed a song somewhat appropriate and poignant given current events in Afghanistan…

 

[Ethan]

In no particular order:

Johnny Marr (The Smiths, Electronic)
Roger McGuinn (The Byrds)
Aaron Dessner (The National)
Neil Young
Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead)
Charlie Burchill (Simple Minds)
Lindsey Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac)
Jeff Buckley
The Edge (U2)
Peter Buck (REM)

 

[DanFST]

No John Mayer Ichaka Nito or Tim Henson!?



This is one guitar...

Has thumbs that can't move like anyone else's.

Not my normal thing, but crazy talent.