NON FAMOUS/LESSER KNOWN GUITAR INFLUENCES.

[brookdalebill]

A guy out of Nova Scotia, Dutch Mason. He was really into BB King.
Lost his ability to play in the eighties due to arthritis.
Dutchy died in 06. (RIP)

Speaking of Canadian guys!
Kim Mitchell
David Gogo
Amos Garrett
Lenny Breau (RIP)
Steven Hill
Randy Bachman (way better than he gets credit for, IMO)
Frank Marino
Dominic Troiano (RIP)
Jack Semple
Ray Lemelin
George Moody (RIP)
Don Ross

 

[swarfrat]

I'm not sure if he counts as "unknown" looking at his resume, but I can count on one hand with fingers left over the number of times I've seen someone name him on musician boards. But he's probably the guy who initially influenced me to pick up the guitar in the first place. Hadley Hockensmith.

 

[cometazzi]

I don't want to say 'influences' so much because I don't feel like I cop their style directly or even effectively. And I wouldn't say 'lesser known' so much because we all know them here. But non-guitar people probably aren't too keen on:

Rick Miller (S.C.O.T.S.)
Peter Green (Fleetwood Mac)
Martin Barre (Jethro Tull)
Andy Powell (Wishbone Ash)

And of course: Toni Iommi

In my original list I forgot Danny Kirwan.

 

[OmegaWoods]

Also Tab Benoit. Not unknown but not super famous.

 

[OLDTELEHACKER]

There was a guy I met in Nova Scotia played at the base in 1969 when I was in basic training named "Bubs" Brown. For the next 10-20 years just about every player I met from the Maritimes cited "Bubs" as an influence.

 

[uriah1]

Gary Moore
Ken Simmonds

 

[brookdalebill]

Andy Powell
David Hidalgo
Glenn Tillbrook
Charlie Sexton
Doyle Bramhall Jr.
Buddy Whittington
Duke Robillard
John McFee
Ray Flacke

 

[Doomguy]

Unknown in this circle but not in this one: Terrance Hobbs from Suffocation. Crazy right hand for riffing, absolute monster of a lead player and writes some absolutely fantastic, memorable songs. He happened to kind of create slam/brutal death too with that riff towards the end of Liege of Inveracity.

Seji Kakuzaki from Japanese melodic death band Intestine Baalism however, completely blew my mind the first time I ever heard their music. Top tier riffs and lead parts, IMHO. IB and Black Dahlia Murder are easily the top two bands in this subgenre. Seji is on the right, playing the Jackson.

 

[HolmfirthNJ]

and Wata from Boris

 

[loopfinding]

ed rodriguez and a few of the bands he's been in - colossamite, luttenbachers (later on), deerhoof (though not as much as after him joining):



taku sugimoto:

 

[bholder]

Bill Nelson of Be Bop Deluxe.

 

[Dirk_Bagge]

Raymond McGinley (Teenage Fanclub)
Alex Chilton
Gary Louris (Jayhawks)
Travis and Dallas Good (The Sadies)
John Squire (The Stone Roses)
Paul Westerberg (Replacements album Please to Meet Me)

 

[ndcaster]

the scrawny guys playing Skynyrd who showed it was possible

the square dude in the sweather who gave lessons at the mall

high school friends who played way better than me, had gigs, and had money for gear

keyboard player in college who ran the pit orchestra and believed in me even though I was pretty illiterate on guitar

the stoner who played solo instrumental slide on a stool while competely baked

the guy from Texas I accompanied on lead and had to learn how to boogie and play fills

a New Orleans native who taught me more than all the above combined and could improvise well for hours

but really, I can learn from any player who has played the tunes I play

as for public pros who are below most radars, I can't say enough good things about the inspiring Tom Echols, Lyle Brewer, Matt Codina, and Niwel Tsumbu