Last year about this time, I posted a list of my favorite guitarists. Since then, as I've been working on learning to play the guitar myself, I've also been listening more carefully than ever to lots of different guitarists, and doing so more attentively and perceptively than I have in the past. I've noticed that the more time I spend practicing the instrument and getting to know it, the more attuned my ears have become to the sounds of the guitar, whether the music I'm listening to at any given time is already familiar or brand new to me. Consequently, I've discovered and developed an appreciation for players I didn't even know a year ago.
Up front, I have to say that my two favorite guitarists are Ariksander and Oly'anna Stuckwisch, my son and daughter who are learning to play the guitar along with me. Playing and practicing with them, and listening to them play, brings a level of joy to my heart that no one else can touch. With time and continued perseverance, I am sure, their skills and abilities will vastly improve, but I doubt that I will ever enjoy their playing any more than I do already now. Yet, that appreciation involves personal biases and subjective criteria that none of my readers can share, so it would be somewhat unfair to put Ariksander and Oly'anna at the top of a list I am posting for public perusal. Instead of that, I'm putting them in a category all by themselves.
While I'm at it, major mojo kudos to our instructor, Steve Krenz, of the Learn & Master Guitar curriculum (by Legacy Learning Systems). The man is not only a genius on the guitar, but an outstanding pedagogue of the instrument. Ariksander, Oly'anna and I hope to meet him in person someday, especially since we owe him such a debt of gratitude for his fine teaching, and because he comes across as such a likable gentleman. Here's to you, Steve, with our thanks!
Now then, Ariksander, Oly'anna and Steve aside, here are my 75 favorite guitarists as we have now entered upon this new decade of life on earth.
1. Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin)
2. Randy Rhoads (Ozzy Osbourne)
3. Paul Gilbert (Racer X, Mr. Big)
4. Joe Satriani
5. Joe Bonamassa (Black Country Communion)
6. Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi)
7. Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath)
8. Steffen Schackinger
9. Slash (Guns 'n' Roses, Velvet Revolver)
10. Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne, Black Label Society)
11. Gus G (Firewind, Ozzy Osbourne, Dream Evil)
12. Michael Angelo Batio
13. Joe Stump
14. Gary Hoey
15. Orianthi
16. Dave Martone
17. Synyster Gates & Zacky Vengeance (Avenged Sevenfold)
18. Dan Donegan (Disturbed)
19. Malcom & Angus Young (AC/DC)
20. Steve Clark & Phil Collen (Def Leppard)
21. Glenn Tipton & K.K. Downing (Judas Priest)
22. Matt Tuck & Mike Paget (Bullet for My Valentine)
23. Chris Robertson & Ben Wells (Black Stone Cherry)
24. Rudolf & Michael Schenker (The Scorpions)
25. Mark Tremonti (Alter Bridge, Creed)
26. Jeff Loomis (Nevermore)
27. Kirk Hammett & James Hetfield (Metallica)
28. Zac Brown
29. John 5 (quite apart from Marilyn Manson; as far apart as possible)
30. Cameron Muncey & Nic Cester (Jet)
31. Sean Hennesy (The Gracious Few)
32. Yngwie Malmsteen
33. Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen)
34. Joe Walsh (The Eagles)
35. Eric Clapton
36. Andy McKee
37. Keith Urban
38. Marty Friedman
39. John Petrucci (Dream Theater, Liquid Tension Experiment)
40. Thomas Bredahl & Michael Poulsen (Volbeat)
41. Vivian Campbell (Dio, Whitesnake, Def Leppard)
42. The Brothers Van Zant (Lynyrd Skynyrd, .38-Special, Van Zant)
43. Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple, Rainbow, Blackmore's Night)
44. Jimi Hendrix
45. Jeff Beck
46. Steve Vai
47. Brad Paisley
48. Andy James
49. Santana
50. Antoine Dufour
51. George Harrison (The Beatles)
52. Steve Lukathar (Toto)
53. Ray Toro & Frank Iero (My Chemical Romance)
54. Oli Herbert & Mike Martin (All That Remains)
55. Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones)
56. Ethan Brosh
57. Ronnie Wood (The Rolling Stones, etc.)
58. Jack White (White Stripes, Dead Weather, Raconteurs)
59. Sébastien Cloutier
60. Joe Perry (Aerosmith)
61. George Lynch (Dokken, Lynch Mob)
62. Brian May (Queen)
63. Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth)
64. Adam Dutkiewicz (Killswitch Engage)
65. Dave Mustaine (Megadeth)
66. Jay Jesse Johnson
67. The Edge (U2)
68. Alex Rosamilia & Brian Fallon (Gaslight Anthem)
69. Phil Sgrosso & Nick Hipa (As I Lay Dying)
70. Jason Becker
71. B.B. King
72. Prince
73. Joe Selby & Andy Brewer (Taddy Porter)
74. John Mayer
75. Lee Ritenour
5 comments:
So now I'm thinking to myself, How did I miss Yngwie Malmsteem?
And I know there are others who could've-been, should've-been.
But it's too late, baby, now, it's too late. . . .
Feel free to showcase your personal MVGs (most valuable guitarists) here -- for all the world, or at least a handful of readers, to see.
Dave Martone should have been in there somewhere, too, but I clean forgot him when the iron was hot.
Okay, forget my previous comments. I reheated the iron and so strike again. My own compelling "need" for thoroughness has driven me to fill in the gaps and expand the list to seventy-five guitarists.
So, if you were to expand the number to 100, would Frampton be on the list?
Saw him live a couple years ago (at the dusk of an old decade), and he was, in a word, amazing.
I'm afraid I missed the window of opportunity on Mr. Frampton, Michael. I'm just not familiar with his music, and I really don't know anything about him, although I have heard his name here and there over the years. Thanks for the tip. I'll keep an ear open for him. I'm always glad to discover "new" talent.
Glad you got to hear a good concert. Live music can be a most exciting thing, lots of good fun.
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