Random Guitar Player List

jesussaddle

jesussaddle

Power User
I was just imagining posting to a free form forum thread of guitar players that references attributes of each, such as abilities, techniques, special qualities in their music and so forth.

It might be useful or fun for guitarists at different levels to search and go and explore them. I've seen lists of guitar players that work as "best" 10, best 100, etc., but since there's really no such thing, any more than you would put best surfers on a list with best mountain climbers..

I mainly view this as a way to open myself up to different approaches to the instrument and get a feeling for the variety of playing skills and approaches.

And If you search such a thread it should be possible to find material in it, not for what you already know (or for whom you root) but associations and skills and players unknown.

Basically, when I rummage through links on the internet and come across something, its handy to be able to store and retrieve it here. If you want to share, please do.

(They would never let this kind of randomness on Wikipedia). I am going to add a few today, and maybe a few more when the moon is full. If you reply and add a helpful attribute (including techniques, what style they play, favorite performance or album...) to a player already on here, maybe the poster of the initial posting can add it there so its in one place.

Jan Akkerman:
Focus Guitarist. Very Original jazz style. Best Jazz rakes. Best Smooth Jazz Player (lol!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yN1efgz9nI0

Jeff Beck:
Who would have thought note bending could get this versatile without Jeff.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZlFTbvfKPE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WELTo0GYBt4

Jason Becker:
A musical genius, whose physical guitar playing was interrupted just when chosen as replacement for Van Halen. A Legend at warm-sounding sweeps and emotional virtuoso writing and playing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9_CW-hRnLU
(see a later post for Marty Friedman).

Ritchie Blackmore:
One of the original virtuoso players with a worthy catalog and tremendous ear for melody.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEACiROn7vo

Roy Buchanon:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62uOUyEcx3M

Eric Clapton:
Bell Bottom Blues, one pretty damn &%@! song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1oLU4FAq8E

Albert Collins:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koJT6JL_yc0

Shawn Davey:
Classical Guitar - Excellent Steve Hackett Classical Guitar Cover
Hoping Love Will Last:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayUXpICm_sc

Buck Dharma:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27kFkX-5fuY

Al Di Meola:
To me a player with an amazing sense of cross-cultural musical motion and syncopation, rarely guilty of simply too many notes; also overlooked for his strumming technique.



Al Di Miura:
(One of the better Al Di Meola cover players I could find)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8gub-DXrO0
Passion, Grace, & Fire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ybp5ndK4w3U

Mattias Eklund:
(Whose Whammy Now?) Rhythmic tapping. Unique scale, note and bend choices
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vxq0xvSJojw

Samantha Fish:
Does justice to blues rock, plenty of feeling as a performer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-i3pk9TJ7Iw

Robert Fripp:
Inventor of Frippertronics, use of sustain and haunting melodic tensions
Progressive jazz punk. You thought you were already depressed, lol.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcWiQFGWKEc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lw3E_gcoeOs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlEq6JBuhj4

Eric Gales:
Versatile progressive blues rock jazz soul player loaded with technique and songwriting skills. Hendrix-influenced without a doubt.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RN7gkwsfgPY

Rory Gallagher:
(brilliant performer live - hard to find the best example - this guy put on 4 hour shows routinely - warmed up he was phenomenal. )

Danny Gatton:
I was thrilled to be able to attend many of Danny's performances at Gallaghers Pub (free with the purchase of one bear mug). He played with the Navy band I recall, so the horns, standup bass, and percussion were phenomenal as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGpx9mrJ01c
Banjo Rolls & Hybrid Picking
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRnDMPbtUSM
Beer Bottle Slide Guitar, Towel Slide Guitar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ2Q2D3G6Rs
Redneck Jazz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KmikNdhEWA

Steve Hackett:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVV693mi5Mo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayUXpICm_sc

Jon Gomm:
Complete redefinition of guitar writing/playing. Guitar tuner melodies, acoustic guitar percussive technique; great legato and sliding, multi-handed tapping.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nY7GnAq6Znw

Ted Greene:
Beautiful voice leading in chords. One of the best voice-leading writers in jazz/blues solo guitar.
Adventurously difficult chords
Good chime technique.
Good mixture of open/fretted strings in jazz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ujO7qpoK40&list=PL8PGbkcO7jA5DcAFFebnghn_UoXPIAYAH&index=3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr9XUj8kt70

Omar Haddad:
(amazing job with a Ted Greene cover - "Danny Boy")
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgrIJZl8tbs

Randy Hansen:
One of the best Hendrix Connoisseurs on the planet.
House Burning Down:
(Really, if you ever lose inspiration for learning guitar, just watch this...)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqeI87B6Nkc
1983
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7vxR1lJ0hU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EyIrDgYn8E

Quinten Hope:
unique hybrid picking compositions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wno6rIraLz0

Eric Johnson:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5llfHPzt4H4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKZjeB3ZUqc
audio not great in that clip, but I love the ideas.

Daniel Lanois:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Chb9s4_8h9M

Frank Marino:
Surely one of the best psychedelic original blues guitarists in terms of note bends and behind the beat playing - albeit Hendrix influence, but goes a bit further.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfUObruE7eQ

Blake Mills:
....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wno6rIraLz0

Gary Moore:
Possibly the most accurate sense of singing guitar pitch I have ever heard. Great sense of natural vibrato.
The Messiah Will Come Again:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzFtAX7CBQI

Nelson Navarro:
Covers Jason Becker very well - Band/Album Concerto (Translate to English please).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHuV38fUUEQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVWjreKyrXs

Jimmy Page:
Don't embarrass me - ask your grand ma.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBZiecMBL7k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBvxhp4JAe4

Prince:
(nice page of links - 5 examples of Prince's guitar skills)
http://www.jambase.com/article/five-examples-princes-insane-guitar-skills

Ana Popovic:
Navajo Moon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eg-cug3vsPs

Uli Roth:
Gandalf Impersonation; mUSICAL vIBRATO, Dive Bombs; Whammy bar cries; Classical Arpeggios. Hendrix Influence, Influencing Yngwie together with Ritchie Blackmore
An old 1970's Live Hendrix-Inspired Dive Bombing Classic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uz0u1Nyv9Tc
Godfather Of Neoclassical Metal:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5e5072S-hBg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znohQEsQXYY

Some Albums: Scorpions Tokyo Tapes, Earthquake...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EZRN_DkN0o

Johnny Rushmore/Johnny Blaze/Johnny Tsakinikas:
Lost Souls:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NN52xVa6LM
Great Eruption/Spanish Fly tribute/original rendition in the early eighties:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-YFXpX_Zn4

Carlos Santana:
Can anyone handle sustain and a laid back feel like this one?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frcA6Hk7Mfo

Robin Trower:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmoMb0gNFrA

Derek Trucks:
Insanely skilled slide player and melodic stylist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QC9rQcb5Kyg

Eddie Van Halen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0EwfXA-apE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9r-NxuYszg

Yvette Young:
Unique 7 String Tapping Player; adept at originality and writing in odd meters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Qan3oVLuIg
 
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List #2 (Just starting - out of room on first list..)

John McLaughlin:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ivfh3Uvsz2s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLl6tm6Nw7k

Josh Christian: (Toxic)


Peter Frampton:

Steve Howe:
(To much good work to choose - amazing & original electric pedal steel guitar..)
Turn Of The Century:

And You And I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3h8XzH14_k

Randy Jackson: (Zebra)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXCubq-YxH0

Tonino Baliardo (Gipsy Kings):

Mark Knopfler:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENJlmnqxZUQ

Shawn Lane:
(all around musical genius ahead of his time. solo guitar wizard - solo keyboardist wizard )


Yngwie Malmsteen:


Brian May:

Michael Monarch: (Steppenwolf)

Joe Pass:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yI-1sq5dFD4&list=PL3FDBCE96138A07FA

John Petrucci:

Trevor Rabin:

Stevie Ray Vaughn:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omoCTIfco6Q

Andy Timmons:

Greg Lake:
Karn Evil 9 solo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRwfWL2qgKw
 
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Geordie Walker: Funky phrasing merged with punk attitude, dissonant drone chords, minimalist soloing, hollow body distortion fun:



Johnny Marr: Post rock textural layering before there was such a term with catchy parts.
 
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Bob Mould: The master of using drones and armies of guitars as an extension of the Jimmy Page school, but in a punky-pop direction.




Justin "Slade the Leveller" Sullivan: A fresh combination of folk songwriting with meat and potatoes rock attitude.

 
Thanks for the responses. Johnny Marr was also one of my favorites. This is really what I'm looking for. To sort of get the full range of possibilities already explored, and make it available for one to wire it into one's own ear for music. The other thing, I notice, is that often times a few performances or works by some artist are tantamount to understanding some new milestone, even though the rest of their work may be quite good. Getting that material so its sortable (obviously a variety of opinions) would be awesome.
 
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