Which Guitarists Have You Discovered, Maybe Late In Their Career, That You Never Knew Were Badass?

Jack Pearson and David Grissom

I don't know where they are in their careers, hopefully nowhere close to the end of them.

Pearson is unsung, but is an amazing player, who proves the sound is all in the hands. He plays stock Fender Squire Stratocasters, and gets tone and sustain from them that is mind-blowing. And, he'll switch from rock to blues to jazz in the middle of a short solo and do it effortlessly, and move up and down the neck, playing a scale on one string and every note is crystal clear. And his slide playing is up there with Derek Trucks. He played with the Allman Brothers for a short while, quitting because Dickey Betts' notorious stage volume was killing his ears.




Grissom has a sound that fits into Texas blues and rock, and blends double and triple stops and pedal steel licks into his solos effortlessly, in a way that only he does. He also had a stint in the Allman Brothers, along with The Dixie Chicks, Joe Ely, and others. He's also the guy that worked with Paul Reed Smith for over 20 years to design the DGT guitar, based on Grissom's specs. This is Grissom on the left, Davey Knowles and Lance Lopez messing around.

 
Does that mean nita Strauss isn't part of Alice Cooper since that's Vincent Damon Furnier's stage name?....I'm confused 🤔

He did change his name legally in 1975 to his stage name but isn't that kinda the same thing?
Alice Cooper is both his legal name and the name of the band, I believe.
 
Great question. In no particular order: David Grissom, Glen Campbell, Jerry Reed, Prince. Grissom after I saw him with Joe Ely here in Dallas a few yrs ago. The other 3 thanks to YouTube.
 
Christy Doran! I just found out about this guy a couple of months ago and I love his playing.

 
My ole man would call me in from outside to change the channel!!
When my brother and I got older my old man bought a 10ft C-band satellite dish...we would mess with him by waving a 1x8 1/4 sheet of plywood in front of it. You could tell he would start adjusting the polarity cuz the actuator would start bumping back and forth.....we were such little shits.
 
Steve Lukather. I've always known OF him, but never really knew just how far reaching his influence has been (over 1500 albums and in so many styles!). If you watch some interviews, so much of what he did was in the first take and "just noodling". He is probably the preeminent studio guitarist.
 
Steve Lukather. I've always known OF him, but never really knew just how far reaching his influence has been (over 1500 albums and in so many styles!). If you watch some interviews, so much of what he did was in the first take and "just noodling". He is probably the preeminent studio guitarist.
Yep. I'd have to add him too, for the very same reasons. Never knew until recently how involved he was with Michael Jackson's stuff. He gets my vote for biggest unsung hero.
 
Another plug for Tim Pearce
Tom Bukovac
Jimmy Herring (Widespread Panic)
Tom Principato
Snowy White
 
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