Your favourite guitarist and why

[jonsongz]

I'm sure this question has been asked here before. If so I apologize. Just thought it would be fun to get opinions on guitar players and why they are favourites of yours. I'll start.

Brian Setzer. I'm in the process of going through his Hot Licks video from back in the day. He makes me understand what it is I love about rockabilly. All the influences of country, blues, swing and bebop coming together to make this wonderful rock and roll. His style borrows from all of these and he plays with such fluidity and creativity. He's only gotten better over the years and listening to him with the Stray Cats or the Brian Setzer Ochestra is a pure pleasure for me. I learn something from him every time I listen.

[Mrsamlki]

Greg Howe. He's just sooo original. His phrasing is absolutely amazing, and from what I've heard, he was never formally trained. He's just got a really great sense of rhythm and knows how to phrase relatively simply stuff (a lot of pentatonics with a major 6th added to give it a Dorian sound) to make it sound ridiculous. That and he's got crazy technique, although I think his obsession with tapping out things that could just be played with legato is unnessasarily complex. But I can't think of a player who has nicer phrasing than him. But I'm done rambling now :)

[String Tree]

The late Howard Roberts.

He looked like Duke from the Doonsbury comic strip, but man-o-man could that guy shred.
One of the Greatest Studio Guitarists of all time.

I got to spend a weekend at one of his guitar seminar's in 1977.
Changed me for Life for the better.

[brookdalebill]

Eric Johnson, still, after 40 years.
His playing is fiery, melodic, inventive, instantly recognizable, versatile,
and as some scribe once wrote, "jiveless".
He's also a decent, kind and humble guy.
Honorable mention goes to Lenny Breau.
BTW, my Mom was from St. Johns, jonsongs.

[Duncas]

Guthrie Govan

[jmiles]

The late Danny Gatton. Always amazing.

[Shidoin]

Ted Greene. Although he was known (for good reason) as a chord melody champ, his knowledge of music in general and guitar music specifically was awe inspiring. He could play anything from Bach to B.B. to Jimmy Bryant. The list of his studies at the end of the book 'My Life With The Chord Chemist' would humble any mere mortal.
Plus, He literally 'wrote the book' (Chord Chemistry) and was a teacher of teachers that left the word a better place than he found it. Plus, a more humble, nicer guy would be hard to find.

[homesick345]

Freddie King and Otis Rush. They really poured their hearts in every note

[hybridrocknroll]

Brad Paisley. Introduced me to country and the tele. Later I rediscovered delay usage because of studying his playing. Granted, he tends to throw some wrong notes in to his flurry, and his timing on fills can be random, but it's what he does that makes him unique and fun to listen to.

Runner up would be Mike Einziger of Incubus. His use of effects pedals turned me into a pedal junkie early in the hobby. Dude writes some crazy sounding riffs.

[furtherpale]

kurt cobain: if he can make it that big... anyone can

[TEAM LANDRETH]

My son Joey.
He has been blowing my mind ever since he started playing. All he ever wanted to be was a guitar player, and that's exactly what he's doing.
He's a busy sideman in the country scene, he has a few local regular gigs and has a band with his older brother which features their original material.
He is a well respected player and songwriter, but judge for yourself. Here is a little promo video they did recently.



Here is another song he wrote; I'm Yours and one of mine he played on Funkier

[GigsbyBoyUK]

Django Reinhardt: wonderful player, innovator and composer. His playing makes me smile and cry more than anyone else's.

[saltstainedeyes]

Jerry Garcia ... Don't hate on the fat man!!

[SmokeyTea]

In terms of real guitarists, I'd say John Williams. He is still the benchmark, after all these years. He doesn't even need to be in tune to sound perfect: there's a performance of Cavatina where the tuning is all over the place and John manages to use it to make the song even more haunting.
In terms of popular guitarists, I've got too many idols. Jimmy Page was my first true love, Hendrix, as we all do, Jack White, Magic Sam, Keef, bluesman after bluesman from Son House through Rev Gary Davis to Albert Collins, Jerry Garcia, and then into Jazz with Wes Montgomery. But if I had to give a final answer, I'd say Django. Beautiful phrasing, unparraleled chording, and every one of his guitar lines are singable. I can whistle the entire way through Minor Swing.

[jonsongz]

Originally Posted by brookdalebill

Eric Johnson, still, after 40 years.
His playing is fiery, melodic, inventive, instantly recognizable, versatile,
and as some scribe once wrote, "jiveless".
He's also a decent, kind and humble guy.
Honorable mention goes to Lenny Breau.
BTW, my Mom was from St. Johns, jonsongs.

It's a small world brookdalebill! I guess that makes you a Texas Newfie or a Newfie Texan lol....an awesome pedigree any way you look at it. Ever been up this way?

[Dan R]

Rory Gallagher. His intensity and soul in playing is spectacular. Rory was the perfect blend of technique and feel. There have not been many guitarists within shouting distance of Rory.

Dan R

[Brad Pittiful]

im my favorite guitar player

i can play exactly like myself so when im playing i can almost play exactly like me

i know all my tricks and cool stuff riffs

when i hear myself play i dont have to envy my playing cause its me playing already!

[TexasTech90]

Have you ever seen him play? I was not a fan and thought he fit into the Rock star gets hooked on Drugs and Kills himself. I was not a fan of Nirvana's music. I watched an MTV Unplugged that his band did about six months before his death. They did several covers of some random songs. Then I watched an old Vh1 behind the music about the album Nevermind which is now 20 years old... Cobain replaced Michael Jackson at #1 on the Top 40. The Producer of the Album told of the struggles the group had before that album. He then... you should watch it ... You might be surprised. I was. I guess seeing my mother who is 73 change her opinion of him and his talent was pretty amazing. I learned he was an easy target until he vocals and guitar are isolated that you see how talented he was...listen to his vocals, without effects... and learn actually he wrote, sang, and played every song. For Nirvana to pull of MTVs Unplugged was amazing but it was Kurt who pushed them. He is rated in the top 100 guitarist ever by Rolling Stone. His decisions away from Music are in question but so is the behavior of Tiger Woods, JFK, and my favorite Keith Whitley. I He isn't a screaming power chord player. He built his guitars and handled his own equipment. Just my opinion but I have facts .

Regards, TTU1990

[brookdalebill]

Alas, jonsongz, though I lived in Canada (PG,BC) from 1992-2003,
my travels never took me east of Winnipeg.
It's a lifelong goal to visit St. Johns.
I have an 18 year old daughter who lives in Pr. George, and many dear friends
in BC, so I have strong connections to Canada.
Maybe, soon!

[Robert H.]

Wes Montgomery--could swing harder than any guitarist and had brilliance to boot.
Jim's Hendrix--for revolutionizing the electric guitar.
Robert Cray--cause I just love the guy.