“My guitar is not a thing,” the iconic Joan Jett famously stated, “It is an extension of myself. It is who I am.” This sentiment resonates deeply with countless musicians and fans alike, highlighting the guitar’s unique place as a universal, primal, and profoundly expressive instrument. While anyone can strum a few chords on a guitar quickly, mastering its depths is a lifelong journey. This very quality is what makes the debate about who the Greatest Guitar Player is so compelling and endlessly fascinating.
In 2011, Rolling Stone magazine ignited this debate with their inaugural list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists. Curated by a panel of seasoned musicians, predominantly classic rock veterans, it sparked conversations and, inevitably, disagreements. Now, in a bold expansion, Rolling Stone editors and writers have revisited this monumental task, broadening the scope to celebrate 250 guitarists who have shaped the landscape of music.
Guitarists often attain iconic status, rivaling even the lead singers of their bands in fame and recognition. Mythic figures like Jimmy Page, Brian May, and Eddie Van Halen represent just one facet of the guitar’s rich narrative. This expanded list endeavors to showcase the vast evolution of the instrument, encompassing artists from folk music pioneer Elizabeth Cotten (born in 1893) to indie-rock sensation Lindsey Jordan (born in 1999). The selection spans a breathtaking spectrum of genres: rock, jazz, reggae, country, folk, blues, punk, metal, disco, funk, bossa nova, bachata, Congolese rumba, flamenco, and countless others. It honors both unparalleled virtuosos such as Pat Metheny, Yvette Young, and Steve Vai, and raw, primal players like Johnny Ramone and Poison Ivy of the Cramps. You’ll find megastars like Prince, Joni Mitchell, and Neil Young alongside unsung heroes like Memphis soul maestro Teenie Hodges and smooth-rock luminary Larry Carlton.
The list also acknowledges the power of collaboration, recognizing iconic guitar duos like Kim and Kelley Deal of the Breeders and Adrian Smith and Dave Murray of Iron Maiden, among other symbiotic pairings. The sole criterion was simple: each artist had to be a six-string guitar player.
In compiling this definitive list, Rolling Stone prioritized certain qualities: heaviness over technical perfection, raw emotion over polished technique, innovation over mere refinement. The editors favored artists who channeled their unique talents into crafting exceptional songs and albums that redefined musical landscapes, rather than simply showcasing impressive instrumental skills.
As modern blues visionary Gary Clark Jr. eloquently put it, “I don’t know if I want to get too far off the path — I don’t want to get lost in the forest — but I like to wander out a bit and adventure.” This spirit of exploration and innovation is what truly defines the greatest guitar player.
Andy Summers
Andy Summers of The Police playing Fender Telecaster guitar live at Hammersmith Odeon, London, 1978
Image Credit: Graham Wiltshire/Redferns/Getty Images
The Police redefined the power trio format, and Andy Summers was pivotal to their unique sound. Moving swiftly beyond punk’s raw energy, Summers masterfully blended jazz chords and reggae rhythms, forging a distinctive brand of headlong rock & roll. His playing was characterized by its remarkable economy, constructing sharp, clipped phrases or expansive, dub-infused washes of sound, always leaving ample space for Sting’s vocals and Stewart Copeland’s dynamic drumming. “His tone and style were just absolutely perfect — he left space around everything,” noted Rush’s Alex Lifeson, a great guitar player himself. “And he can handle anything from beautiful acoustic playing to jazz to hybrid kinds of stuff.” Summers’ innovative approach cemented his place among the greatest guitar players of his era.
Key Tracks: “Message in a Bottle,” “Every Breath You Take”
Brittany Howard
Brittany Howard, powerhouse vocalist and guitarist, portrait for Rolling Stone
Image Credit: Sacha Lecca for Rolling Stone
From her beginnings with the garage-roots band Alabama Shakes, Brittany Howard’s guitar playing has consistently been an organic, flowing, and wonderfully spontaneous complement to her commanding vocals and deeply soulful songwriting. Her rhythmic sensibility is remarkably elastic, evident in the way her assertive, jagged guitar lines interact with Alabama Shakes lead guitarist Heath Fogg on their 2015 track “Don’t Wanna Fight.” Howard boldly ventured into straight-ahead rock & roll with her side project Thunderbitch. Her critically acclaimed 2019 solo album, Jaime, provided a stellar platform for her expansive musicianship, from the James Brown-esque funky hopscotching on “History Repeats” to the molten fuzz that saturates “Presence.” Howard’s versatility and raw talent solidify her position as a great guitar player to watch.
Key Tracks: “History Repeats,” “Presence”
Robby Krieger
Robby Krieger of The Doors performing live at the Ondine Club, New York City, 1966
Image Credit: Don Paulsen/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Grounded in flamenco and jazz traditions, Robby Krieger fearlessly pushed beyond the conventional boundaries of rock guitar at a time when many players remained tethered to blues structures. As the guitarist for The Doors, Krieger possessed the improvisational brilliance to follow Jim Morrison’s unpredictable artistic explorations. He also penned some of the band’s most enduring hits, including “Light My Fire,” and effectively filled the sonic space in their unique keyboard-drums-guitar lineup. “Not having a bass player … made me play more bass notes to fill out the bottom,” he explained. “Not having a rhythm player also made me play differently, to fill out the sound. I always felt like three players simultaneously.” Krieger’s innovative approach and songwriting prowess mark him as a great guitar player and a key figure in rock history.
Key Tracks: “Riders on the Storm,” “Roadhouse Blues”
Ricky Wilson
Ricky Wilson of The B-52s performing live in Athens, Georgia, 1978
Image Credit: Tom Hill/WireImage
In the B-52s’ electrifying live performances, Ricky Wilson often appeared content to remain in the background, a seemingly understated presence amidst the flamboyant energy of singer Fred Schneider and the iconic beehive hairstyles and campy dance moves of Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson. However, his distinctive guitar style, a unique blend of downhome chicken scratch, angular post-punk sensibilities, rockabilly twang, and surf rock reverb, defined classics like “52 Girls,” “Strobe Light,” and “Private Idaho.” This inventive approach established him as one of the most original guitarists of the New Wave era. Wilson frequently utilized only four or five strings on his signature blue Mosrite guitar and experimented with unconventional tunings to achieve his signature strange, spartan sound. “I just tune the strings till I hear something I like,” he famously said. His untimely death in 1985 represented a significant loss for the indie-rock scene, depriving it of an unassuming but truly radical great guitar player.
Key Tracks: “52 Girls,” “Mesopotamia”
Paul Simon
Paul Simon playing acoustic guitar onstage in Chicago, 1980
Image Credit: Paul Natkin/Getty Images
Paul Simon, celebrated as a masterful lyricist, expresses himself just as eloquently through his guitar as he does with words. Influenced by early doo-wop and rock & roll, Simon became deeply immersed in the folk revival of the mid-Sixties, even traveling to England to study the acoustic artistry of Bert Jansch. He has consistently absorbed new musical influences throughout his career, as exemplified by “Dazzling Blue” from his album So Beautiful or So What. Reflecting on this track, Simon noted, “All that folk fingerpicking is what I did with Simon and Garfunkel, but [here] it’s on top of this rhythm with Indian musicians playing in 12/8.” Even in his 80s, Simon remains remarkably nimble, as demonstrated on his 2023 album Seven Psalms. His continued innovation and mastery of the acoustic guitar firmly place him among the greatest guitar players who also excel as songwriters.
Key Tracks: “Dazzling Blue,” “Kathy’s Song”
Leslie West
Leslie West of Mountain performing live in the UK, 1977
Image Credit: Erica Echenberg/Redferns/Getty Images
Leslie West (born Leslie Weinstein) first gained recognition in mid-Sixties garage rock with the Vagrants’ powerful rendition of Otis Redding’s “Respect.” By 1969, West became the driving force of Mountain, a Cream-inspired quartet known for its heavy sound. On iconic tracks like the 1970 hit “Mississippi Queen,” West delivered raw, blues-infused guitar lines with surprising dexterity and an R&B sensibility, all fueled by a wall of saturated, overdriven amp distortion. “The riffs were incredible,” remarked Dave Davies of The Kinks. “He could play flashy, intricate phrases. But he wasn’t a look-at-me guy. He played with feel.” West’s powerful riffs and emotive playing cemented his status as a great guitar player in the hard rock realm.
Key Tracks: “Mississippi Queen,” “Nantucket Sleighride (To Owen Coffin)”
Edilio Paredes
Edilio Paredes, master of bachata guitar
Now that global pop stars Rosalía and the Weeknd have embraced bachata’s captivating sound, it’s easy to forget that this genre was once relatively unknown outside its native Dominican Republic. Edilio Paredes is the architect of la música del amargue‘s distinctive sonic identity – those poignant, spiraling guitar lines that flutter and emphasize the bittersweet essence of lost love. A self-taught prodigy, Paredes played a crucial role in the evolution from bolero campesino to contemporary bachata, which finally achieved its rightful recognition as a transcendent Afro-Caribbean genre in the Nineties. Paredes’ extensive discography as a sought-after session musician from the 1960s to the 1980s speaks volumes. El maestro was further celebrated through his appearance on the exquisite 2011 album The Bachata Legends. Paredes’ contribution to shaping bachata guitar makes him a great guitar player in the Latin music world.
Key Tracks: “No Me Olvides,” “Bendita Nena”
Aaron Dessner and Bryce Dessner
Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National performing at Panorama NYC, 2016
Image Credit: Kris Connor/FilmMagic
The National’s story is unique in rock, centered around the virtuosic twin-guitar interplay of twin brothers Aaron and Bryce Dessner. Bryce Dessner’s collaborations extend to luminaries like Steve Reich, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Jonny Greenwood, and Kronos Quartet, showcasing his diverse musical range. Aaron Dessner serves as Taylor Swift’s guitar collaborator on Folklore and Evermore, adding Jerry Garcia-esque twang to “Cowboy Like Me” and unleashing his energy on “August” in The Long Pond Studio Sessions. The Dessner brothers seamlessly transition between electric intensity (“Terrible Love”) and intimate folk beauty (“I Need My Girl”). They also curated the acclaimed 2016 Grateful Dead tribute album Day of the Dead, jamming with Bob Weir on “I Know You Rider.” Their combined talent and versatility position them as great guitar players, both individually and as a duo.
Key Tracks: “Mr. November,” “Bloodbuzz Ohio,” “The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness”
Lindsey Jordan
Lindsey Jordan of Snail Mail performing at Governors Ball, 2023
Image Credit: Griffin Lotz for Rolling Stone
Gen Z guitar hero Lindsey Jordan, who performs as Snail Mail, honed her skills under the tutelage of another great guitar player on this list, Mary Timony of Helium and Wild Flag. When Jordan debuted as Snail Mail at just 18 with 2018’s Lush, she seemed to have fully absorbed the indie-rock canon. She is a naturally gifted virtuoso and a formidable shredder, effortlessly moving from strummy, tension-building passages to soaring, explosive solos, from coolly understated Liz Phair-esque lo-fi textures to expansive Sonic Youth-inspired soundscapes. “I like to play really balls out,” she told Rolling Stone in 2018. “That’s what it means to be onstage with integrity.” Jordan’s precocious talent and dynamic playing style mark her as a great guitar player for the next generation.
Key Tracks: “Heat Wave,” “Pristine”
Keith Urban
Keith Urban performing live at The Bottom Line, New York City, 2001
Image Credit: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images
While he may not be country music’s most technically dazzling or traditionally rooted player, Keith Urban stands out among Nashville’s finest for his effortless guitar style. His riffs, rhythms, and solos seem to emerge as naturally as thought itself, yet consistently elevate each song. His playing is never overtly flashy; every note serves a purpose. Studio tracks like “Highway Don’t Care” and “Blue Ain’t Your Color” exemplify his polished sound, but Urban truly shines onstage. His live guitar heroics rival those of rock’s greatest, explaining why he has shared stages with everyone from the Rolling Stones to Nile Rodgers. “I love that people want to hear the guitar,” Urban told Rolling Stone in 2015, “but I just think about the song … whatever the song seems to want.” Urban’s song-centric approach and natural talent make him a great guitar player across genres.
Key Tracks: “Highway Don’t Care,” “Blue Ain’t Your Color”
Erin Smith
Erin Smith of Bratmobile performing live, image courtesy of Greg Neate/neatephotos.com/flickr CC BY 2.0
Image Credit: © Greg Neate/neatephotos.com/flickr CC BY 2.0
Erin Smith, guitarist for riot grrrl pioneers Bratmobile, found her initial inspiration in the records of Beat Happening, a deliberately lo-fi cuddle-core band with a female drummer. “That was in ’87, and not only did I see women could play music, but I could see that just you could do it yourself,” she recounted to the Museum of Pop Culture. “I could never be [Duran Duran’s] Andy Taylor. And I realized that was OK.” The style she developed with singer Allison Wolfe and drummer Molly Neuman combined melodic surf-rock basslines with raw garage-rock chords. This powerful combination made Bratmobile’s 1993 debut, Pottymouth, a defining punk record of the Nineties. Smith’s DIY ethos and impactful guitar work established her as a great guitar player in the riot grrrl movement.
Key Tracks: “Love Thing,” “P.R.D.C.T.”
Duane Eddy
Duane Eddy portrait in New York, 1958
Image Credit: PoPsie Randolph/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
If any doubt lingered in the late 1950s about the guitar’s ascendance over the saxophone as rock & roll’s quintessential lead instrument, Duane Eddy decisively settled the debate. His 1958 single “Rebel Rouser,” with its country-tinged twang and shimmering tremolo, became a defining sound. “Chet Atkins used vibrato in a selective way — Duane Eddy used it to thrash the music,” observed Dave Davies of The Kinks. The impact of Eddy’s hits, including “Forty Miles of Bad Road” and “Peter Gunn,” resonated deeply, influencing surf music and guitarists like Jeff Beck and George Harrison. Eddy’s pioneering use of tremolo and distinctive sound established him as a great guitar player of the early rock era.
Key Tracks: “Rebel Rouser,” “Peter Gunn”
Doug Gillard
Doug Gillard of Guided By Voices performing live in Chicago, 2004
Image Credit: Matt Carmichael/Getty Images
In the eccentric world of Ohio indie-rock institution Guided By Voices, Robert Pollard serves as the off-kilter genius, while Doug Gillard functions as the band’s steady, beating heart. He perfectly complements Pollard’s unique wordplay and experimental sonic explorations, transforming them into cohesive rock & roll songs, often at the prolific pace of two or even three GBV albums per year. “I know his usual shapes and drones — or can pretty much decipher what they are if it’s a new shape — and replicate them on the rhythm parts on the records for the most part,” Gillard once explained. “But also, I have some freedom to transform them.” Gillard’s ability to translate Pollard’s vision into rock music makes him a great guitar player in the indie scene.
Key Tracks: “I Am a Tree,” “Mr. Child”
Jennifer Batten
Image Credit: Catherine McGann/Getty Images
Jennifer Batten rose to prominence as the guitar hurricane, distinguished by her lion’s mane hairstyle, on Michael Jackson’s record-breaking tours. This demanding role required her to master funk, soul, metal, and even Eddie Van Halen’s “Beat It” solo nightly. Her debut solo album, 1992’s Above Below and Beyond, showcased her versatility by featuring electric guitar renditions of Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Flight of the Bumble Bee,” Jackson’s “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’,” and John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps,” all infused with her signature whammy bar techniques and finger-tapping flourishes. Batten further solidified her reputation by touring and recording with Jeff Beck in the late 1990s and early 2000s, proving herself to be one of the few guitarists capable of standing toe-to-toe with a legend. Batten’s technical prowess and stage presence place her among the greatest guitar players known for their live performance skills.
Key Tracks: “Flight of the Bumblebee,” “Giant Steps (Rock Version)”
Greg Sage
Greg Sage of The Wipers performing live in Amsterdam, 1986
Image Credit: Frans Schellekens/Redferns/Getty Images
Greg Sage formed his Portland, Oregon band, The Wipers, in 1977, preempting punk orthodoxies with his intricate, expansive songwriting and raw, distorted guitar sound. At a time when many punk bands prioritized simplistic aggression, Wipers songs like “When It’s Over” and “Romeo” felt like immersive, pummeling soundscapes. As a result, they became a galvanizing force in the Pacific Northwestern indie-rock scene. “We learned everything from the Wipers,” Kurt Cobain declared, openly naming them his favorite band. “They were playing a mix of punk and hard rock when nobody cared.” Sage’s pioneering sound and influence on the grunge movement establish him as a great guitar player for those in the know.
Key Tracks: “When It’s Over,” “Up Front”
Laura Marling
Image Credit: Chiaki Nozu/WireImage
British singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Laura Marling is a great guitar player of subtlety, employing complex tunings and voicings in her music that sound deceptively simple. “I Was an Eagle,” from her 2013 album One I Was an Eagle, achieves its dreamy, atmospheric quality through the use of DADDAD tuning. Joni Mitchell’s influence is evident throughout Marling’s catalog, particularly in her use of unusual phrasing and atonal flourishes. During the Covid-19 lockdown, Marling generously shared her guitar insights with fans, offering concise and informative tutorials on Instagram. Her sophisticated technique and songwriting artistry make her a significant figure among contemporary great guitar players.
Key Tracks: “I Was an Eagle,” “Wild Fire,” “Ghosts”
John McGeoch
John McGeoch of Siouxsie and the Banshees performing live in New York City, 1980
Image Credit: Ebet Roberts/Redferns/Getty Images
Manchester’s John McGeoch announced his arrival with the explosive guitar attack of Magazine’s 1978 debut single, “Shot by Both Sides,” a defining anthem of UK punk-rock. He rapidly developed his own expansive, architectural guitar style, evident in Magazine’s subsequent work, as well as his contributions to Public Image Ltd and Siouxsie and the Banshees. McGeoch earned fervent praise from Johnny Marr, Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien, and many others. His signature blend of slashing rhythm guitar, swirling flange effects, and arpeggiated textures made the Banshees’ 1981 album, Juju, the quintessential Eighties goth-guitar album, introducing a moody and atmospheric sonic language to UK rock, where atmosphere took precedence over raw angst. McGeoch’s innovative and influential style marks him as a great guitar player in post-punk and goth music.
Key Tracks: “Philadelphia,” “Spellbound”
H.E.R.
H.E.R. performing live at Spotify event in Cannes, France
Image Credit: David M. Benett/Getty Images
H.E.R. maintains a low profile, making each major public appearance, like the Grammys or the Super Bowl, a moment of revelation for audiences discovering her multifaceted talent. While her voice is rooted in classic R&B and she excels at simmering ballads, her guitar playing spans a remarkable range, from delicate and fluid melodic accents to Prince-inspired rock shredding. Her single “Hold On” showcases her signature style of doubling her vocal melodies with soaring guitar leads. “I also like to play my guitar like I’m singing,” she told Guitar World. “Sometimes, I like to sing and play my solos at the same time … even harmonizing my voice with my guitar.” In 2021, Fender honored H.E.R. with a signature Stratocaster model, making her the first Black woman to receive this distinction. H.E.R.’s diverse skills and pioneering spirit make her a great guitar player and a significant figure in contemporary music.
Key Tracks: “Hold On,” “Comfortable”
David Williams
David Williams of The Jacksons performing live in Kansas City, 1984
Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images
Despite his early love for jazz, David Williams made his most significant impact in a genre not typically known for instrumental showcases: Eighties pop. His intentionally minimalist guitar touches are fundamental to the rhythmic allure of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” Stevie Nicks’ “Stand Back,” and Diana Ross’ “Muscles.” The Vietnam veteran, who toured extensively with Jackson and Madonna and collaborated with artists from Chaka Khan to Kenny Loggins, once described his “secret spice” for Top 40 hits: “You don’t need much of it, but the right amount gets the job done.” Williams, who sadly passed away in 2009 at 58, proved that sometimes less is more, securing his place as a great guitar player in the world of pop session musicians.
Key Tracks: “Billie Jean,” “Dirty Diana”
Etta Baker
Etta Baker playing Piedmont blues guitar, image courtesy of Timothy Duffy
Image Credit: Timothy Duffy
Etta Baker’s name is synonymous with Piedmont blues, a vibrant style characterized by rolling, ragtime, and folk influences, originating along the East Coast in the early 20th century. Born into a multi-racial family in North Carolina in 1913 and raised in Virginia, Baker learned guitar from her father and frequently played for dances with her family in her youth. Her instrumental compositions like “One Dime Blues,” featured on a 1956 anthology, were groundbreaking. Among those captivated by her playing were Bob Dylan and Taj Mahal, the latter of whom would record an album with Baker before her passing in 2006. Baker’s foundational role in Piedmont blues solidifies her legacy as a great guitar player and a preserver of American musical tradition.
Key Tracks: “One Dime Blues,” “Carolina Breakdown”
Gustavo Cerati
Gustavo Cerati performing live in Chicago, 2003
Image Credit: Paul Natkin/Getty Images
Perhaps because his songwriting prowess single-handedly transformed the landscape of Latin rock, it’s sometimes overlooked just how extraordinary a guitar player Gustavo Cerati truly was. In the mid-Eighties, the Argentinian singer-songwriter spearheaded a pan-American rock en español boom with his band Soda Stereo and anthemic hits like “De Música Ligera.” After Soda Stereo disbanded, Cerati explored sequencers and samples, but he returned to guitar-god mode with 2006’s Ahí Vamos, a powerful album steeped in raw electric riffs. Cerati tragically fell into a coma at age 50 and never recovered, but the image of him radiating joy as he unleashed a guitar solo onstage remains etched in the collective memory of Latin music culture. Cerati’s impact on Latin rock and his guitar virtuosity make him a great guitar player and a cultural icon.
Key Tracks: “Canción Animal,” “La Excepción”
Barbara Lynn
Barbara Lynn portrait, circa 1964
Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Sixteen-year-old Barbara Lynn delivered a powerful warning to her boyfriend in her debut hit, “You’ll Lose a Good Thing”: “If you should lose me/You’ll lose a good thing.” The Beaufort, Texas native set these words to music, using a right-handed guitar she taught herself to play left-handed. The resulting song became an R&B Number One hit in 1962, launching an acclaimed career spanning over 60 years. Lynn’s predominantly self-penned songs have been covered by music legends like the Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, and Robert Plant, and sampled by the Beastie Boys and Moby. This widespread recognition speaks to the relatability and creative force of her songwriting and her distinctive guitar style. Barbara Lynn’s enduring career and influence solidify her place as a great guitar player and songwriter.
Key Tracks: “You’ll Lose a Good Thing,” “I’ll Suffer”
Steve Jones
Steve Jones of Sex Pistols performing live in Dunstable, UK
Image Credit: Chris Morphet/Redferns/Getty Images
When Malcolm McLaren, manager of the New York Dolls-turned-Sex Pistols, gifted Steve Jones a white Les Paul Custom previously played by the Dolls’ Syl Sylvain, this instrument (or a similar model) became Jones’ weapon of choice. Jones’ raw power chords and flamboyant, gutter-glam solos perfectly mirrored the taunting cynicism of Johnny Rotten, setting a benchmark for every punk-rock guitarist who followed. His legacy was cemented by the indelible riffs on a single album — 1977’s Never Mind the Bollocks… — which inspired guitarists from Slash to Billie Joe Armstrong. It was an attitude as much as a sound. As Jones famously told a journalist during the Sex Pistols era, “Actually, we’re not into music. We’re into chaos.” Jones’ chaotic energy and influential riffs make him a great guitar player in the punk rock movement.
Key Tracks: “God Save the Queen,” “Pretty Vacant”
Glenn Branca
Glenn Branca performing live
Image Credit: Hallwalls Archive/CC BY 3.0
A central figure in New York’s post-punk No Wave movement, Glenn Branca dedicated himself to establishing the guitar—often tuned to his signature “harmonic series” and modified to operate in different registers and produce varied timbres—as a symphonic instrument. He composed for ensembles that sometimes swelled to 100 players. His droning, overwhelming Symphony No. 1, recorded in 1981, featured both Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth in the orchestra. Branca also released Sonic Youth’s debut album on his Neutral label, demonstrating his talent for identifying other musical revolutionaries. “I’ve got so many ideas about music that I haven’t even begun to work on,” he told Esquire in 2016. “If I lived to 200, I wouldn’t finish my work.” Branca’s experimental approach and symphonic vision of the guitar make him a great guitar player in avant-garde music.
Key Tracks: “Light Field (In Consonance),” “Velvets and Pearls”
El Kempner
El Kempner of Palehound performing at Boston Calling Music Festival, 2016
Image Credit: Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe/Getty Images
Long before El Kempner launched Palehound—an indie-powerhouse project that recently toured with boygenius—they were a seven-year-old learning to play guitar on their dad’s instrument with a marker cap as a pick. Since then, the guitar has been Kempner’s guiding force. Electrifying riffs, enhanced by Kempner’s musical dexterity, propel vibrant tracks like “The Clutch” from their recent album, Eye on the Bat. Kempner’s versatility is a key element of their refined skills. They are equally comfortable rocking out on their beloved Stratocaster, performing delicate acoustic fingerpicking, or creating swirling arpeggios. El Kempner’s versatility and dynamic playing style position them as a great guitar player in the indie rock scene.
Key Tracks: “The Clutch,” “Independence Day”
Fred ‘Sonic’ Smith and Wayne Kramer
Wayne Kramer and Fred "Sonic" Smith of MC5 performing live, 1969
Image Credit: Leni Sinclair/Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images
Forged in the crucible of 1960s Detroit, the MC5 guitar tandem of Wayne Kramer and Fred “Sonic” Smith functioned as perfectly synchronized pistons in a powerful engine. Blending Chuck Berry and early Motown influences with an emerging interest in free jazz, the duo could propel their band’s legendary high-energy jams into uncharted sonic territories while maintaining a solid rhythmic foundation. “If you play with another guitar player long enough, you exhaust everything you know, and then you start playing what you don’t know, and you get into something good,” Kramer told Premier Guitar in 2018. “We just found that we could play syncopated rhythm parts simultaneously, and they would lock in perfectly, or we could solo simultaneously and they’d still lock in.” The MC5’s powerful dual-guitar attack, pioneered by Smith and Kramer, makes them both great guitar players and influential figures in hard rock and punk.
Key Tracks: “Looking at You,” “Poison”
Marv Tarplin
Marv Tarplin of Smokey Robinson and The Miracles portrait, circa 1962
Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
The guitar playing and songwriting of Atlanta-born and Detroit-raised Marv Tarplin became integral to the success of Smokey Robinson and the Miracles from the moment Robinson handpicked him as the group’s guitarist in the 1960s. Tarplin’s versatility perfectly suited the demands of Motown, from the driving chords of “Going to a Go-Go” to the delicate 12-string acoustic work on “You Really Got a Hold on Me.” His chordal exploration inspired by Harry Belafonte’s “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)” led to the creation of the core of the Miracles’ smash hit “The Tracks of My Tears.” He continued collaborating with Robinson after the Miracles’ split; the subtle embellishments he added to Robinson’s 1979 solo single “Cruisin’” imbued the track with a timeless quality, propelling it to the Billboard Hot 100’s Top Five. Tarplin’s crucial role in shaping the Motown sound makes him a great guitar player and an unsung hero of soul music.
Key Tracks: “The Tracks of My Tears,” “Cruisin’”
Joseph Spence
Joseph Spence playing guitar, image courtesy of Guy Droussart
Image Credit: Guy Droussart
In 1958, musicologists Sam Charters and Ann Danberg Charters were in the Bahamas searching for musicians to record when they encountered Joseph Spence playing music so rich and complex that they initially believed they were hearing two guitarists. “He often seemed to be improvising in the bass, the middle strings, and the treble at the same time,” Sam Charters noted in the liner notes to Joseph Spence: The Complete Folkways Recordings 1958. Spence’s pointillistic, sharply angled fingerpicking, applied to a wide range of music from blues to spirituals to calypso, profoundly influenced the folk movement and beyond. The Grateful Dead transformed Spence’s “We Bid You Goodnight” into a live set closer, and the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds classic “Sloop John B” owes a clear debt to Spence’s version of the song. Spence’s unique fingerpicking style and wide-ranging influence make him a great guitar player in folk and world music.
Key Tracks: “Brownskin Girl,” “Jump in the Line”
Molly Tuttle
Molly Tuttle performing live at The Roxy Theatre, 2014
Image Credit: Scott Dudelson/Getty Images
Even before sweeping awards ceremonies, California-raised, Nashville-based bluegrass innovator Molly Tuttle and her band Golden Highway were solidifying their place in roots music history. Her acoustic flatpicking style, influenced by masters ranging from Tony Rice to Joni Mitchell to Clarence White, is deeply rooted in tradition but not confined by it. Earlier this year, she became the first bluegrass act ever nominated for a Best New Artist Grammy—a testament to the genre’s ongoing evolution, in which Tuttle has played a significant role. “Our generation of bluegrass players are really pushing in some new directions,” Tuttle told Rolling Stone in January. “I feel lucky to be part of this scene that’s breaking down barriers.” Tuttle’s innovative bluegrass approach and award-winning talent make her a great guitar player pushing the genre forward.
Key Tracks: ‘Take the Journey,” “El Dorado”
James Blood Ulmer
James Blood Ulmer portrait
Image Credit: Peter Noble/Redferns/Getty Images
Initially playing soul jazz, and later serving as the buzzing counterpoint to free jazz icon Ornette Coleman’s melodic explorations, James Blood Ulmer fused generations of blues, funk, and jazz guitar into shimmering textures, dissonant riffs, and unpredictable solos. On albums like Tales of Captain Black and Odyssey, his stinging guitar tone became a major influence on the downtown New York experimental music scene of the Seventies and Eighties, impacting artists from Vernon Reid (who produced Ulmer’s acclaimed 2000s blues albums) to no-wave bands like DNA and Mars. As Reid himself stated, “James Blood Ulmer is fully aware, theoretically and idiomatically—he’s just never been constrained by those concerns. He is a rock. He is unapologetically himself. He is the blues. Itself. Not its rules.” Ulmer’s genre-bending approach and raw sound make him a great guitar player in experimental and avant-garde music.
Key Tracks: “Theme from Captain Black,” “Timeless”
Courtney Barnett
Courtney Barnett performing live
Image Credit: Griffin Lotz for Rolling Stone
Indie-rock singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett’s ability to seamlessly transition between intricate, melodic fingerpicking and frenetic, garage-rock-inspired solos enhances her witty and insightful storytelling. “It sounds like you’re driving across a highway and it’s sunny,” Barnett told Rolling Stone in 2021, describing “Write a List of Things to Look Forward To” from her album Things Take Time, Take Time. This accurately captures how Barnett’s guitar playing complements her lilting, liberating songs. On Lotta Sea Lice, her collaborative album with Kurt Vile (also on this list), the musical chemistry between the two is dazzling, as their guitars and vocals intertwine spontaneously and effortlessly. Barnett’s dynamic playing and songwriting partnership with Vile highlight her as a great guitar player in contemporary indie rock.
Key Tracks: “Turning Green,” “Over Everything,” “Pedestrian at Best”
Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing
K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton of Judas Priest performing live in London, 1978
Image Credit: Gus Stewart/Redferns/Getty Images
After witnessing the impact of Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and Deep Purple with a single guitarist, Judas Priest redefined “heavy” in the mid-Seventies by employing two: K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton. Rather than dividing roles into rhythm and lead guitar duties, as bands like the Rolling Stones and the Kinks had done, Tipton and Downing doubled down on riffs, traded blistering solos, and incorporated harmony leads into the band’s high-octane, motorcycle-revving songs. Their collaborative give-and-take established the blueprint for Iron Maiden, Metallica, Slayer, and countless other great two-guitar bands that followed. As Slayer’s Kerry King observed, “You can almost always tell that if it’s Tipton, it’s super-fucking tasty. If it’s K.K., it’s a more edgy, almost punky kind of vibe, which is a great mix.” Tipton and Downing’s dual-guitar innovation and influence on heavy metal make them both great guitar players and genre pioneers.
Key Tracks: “Victim of Changes,” “Breaking the Law,” “The Hellion/Electric Eye”
Lzzy Hale
Lzzy Hale of Halestorm performing live in Wheatland, CA, 2017
Image Credit: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images
Lzzy Hale’s powerhouse vocals alone would establish her as a hard rock icon. However, she is also a fierce guitarist, employing an aggressively rhythmic slap style that complements Halestorm’s lead guitarist Joe Hottinger. Hale is also a skilled shredder—note how she mirrors the vocal melody of “I Miss the Misery” on her guitar—and her influence on 21st-century guitar rock is so significant that Gibson chose her as their first female brand ambassador. The company even designed a Hale signature model of its Explorer guitar, which she plays onstage and gifts to fellow musicians, from Demi Lovato to Daniela Villarreal of the Warning. “The people at Gibson keep telling me the demographic that buys the most electric guitars right now are female,” Hale told Rolling Stone. “The wave is coming whether anybody likes it or not.” Hale’s dynamic playing and role as a female guitar icon make her a great guitar player for the modern era.
Key Tracks: “I Miss the Misery,” “The Steeple”
Thomas McClary
Thomas McClary of The Commodores performing live, 1978
Image Credit: Alamy
As one of the first Black students to integrate Florida public schools, Eustis, Florida-born Thomas McClary, whose first instrument was the ukulele, was accustomed to forging his own path. He attended Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, where he co-founded the Commodores with singer Lionel Richie. The group uniquely blended funk, soul, gospel, and country, appealing to both Black and white audiences. McClary’s fusion of glam grandeur and blues grit on songs like “Easy” helped define the sound of Eighties crossover music. “I would listen to Santana, Jimi Hendrix, Albert King, James Taylor, and Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young,” he later recalled. “I thought it would be really great to mesh those guys together to have a really raunchy, raw, authentic sound that could be appealing to everybody.” McClary’s genre-blending guitar work and role in shaping the Commodores’ sound make him a great guitar player in soul and funk.
Key Tracks: “Easy,” “Brick House”
Steve Hackett
Image Credit: Richard E. Aaron/Redferns/Getty Images
Genesis were a relatively unknown art-rock band before guitarist Steve Hackett joined in 1971, succeeding founding member Anthony Phillips. Hackett made an immediate impact by introducing the band to his two-hand tapping technique, which they incorporated on 1971’s Nursery Crime, years before Eddie Van Halen popularized it for a wider audience. A few years later, he delivered an epic, soaring guitar solo on their masterpiece “Firth of Fifth,” considered one of the most beautiful pieces of music in prog-rock history. He departed Genesis in 1977 to pursue a solo career that continues today. “I’m very happy to have freed up guitarists to play dazzling solos,” Hackett reflected, “and come up with things that would only be dreamt up at one time.” Hackett’s pioneering tapping technique and contributions to prog rock solidify his place as a great guitar player and innovator.
Key Tracks: “Horizons,” “Firth of Fifth”
Kurt Vile
Kurt Vile portrait in Amsterdam, 2015
Image Credit: Paul Bergen/Redferns/Getty Images
Kurt Vile may project a laid-back, slacker persona, but he is a dedicated and serious guitarist. His distinctive style, blending chilled-out drones and intricate yet melodic solos, is partially rooted in his childhood banjo lessons, received after initially requesting a guitar. “Banjos are in an open tuning, and they’ve got that high drone string,” the Philadelphian explained in a 2018 interview. “It’s not like you’d even think about that when you’re playing as a kid, but I came to really like that ethereal drone.” Throughout his career, he has incorporated influences from across the musical spectrum, synthesizing them into his signature, subtly virtuosic style. Kurt Vile’s unique blend of drone and melody makes him a great guitar player in the indie and alternative scenes.
Key Tracks: “Pretty Pimpin,” “Wakin on a Pretty Day”
Keiji Haino
Keiji Haino portrait in Tokyo, Japan
Image Credit: Alamy
Japanese musician Keiji Haino’s free-form solo performances are intense, cathartic exercises in noise, blurring the line between playing and a sonic exorcism of his guitar. In ensemble settings like the late-Nineties group Aihiyo, whose self-titled debut is beautifully raw and deeply emotive, he demonstrates a wider range. He transitions seamlessly from soothing, shimmering chords to ear-splitting squalls of fuzz. “People practice really hard because they want people to check them out,” he told Vice Japan. “And then they say it’s improvisation. That drives me nuts.” Haino’s extreme and improvisational approach to guitar makes him a great guitar player in noise and experimental music.
Key Tracks: “A Shredded Coiled Cable Within This Cable Sincerity Could Not be Contained,” “Why in the Courtesy of the Prey Always Confused With the Courtesy of the Hunters Pt. 1”
Lucy Dacus
Lucy Dacus performing live
Image Credit: Griffin Lotz for Rolling Stone
For Lucy Dacus, the guitar is as fundamental an instrument as her voice, though her playing often receives less attention than her sharp lyrical insights. From her pulsing rhythm guitar part on the standout track “I Don’t Wanna Be Funny Anymore” to her contributions in the supergroup boygenius, Dacus’ arrangements are an understated but crucial element of her artistry. Live performances of her fan-favorite song “Night Shift” typically begin with Dacus alone, quietly strumming. Her longtime lead guitarist Jacob Blizard introduces distorted noise as the song progresses, but Dacus remains locked in with him through each of the song’s dynamic shifts, never faltering. By the time the song reaches its cathartic climax, Dacus has delivered a definitive farewell to a past relationship, and her guitar work underscores the emotional weight of her declaration. Lucy Dacus’ understated yet powerful guitar playing makes her a great guitar player in the indie singer-songwriter world.
Key Tracks: “Night Shift,” “I Don’t Wanna Be Funny Anymore”
José Feliciano
José Feliciano performing at the Royal Albert Hall, London, 1973
Image Credit: Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
To consider José Feliciano solely as the performer of “Feliz Navidad” during the holiday season would be a profound disservice to his artistry. Born blind, Feliciano became an acoustic guitar virtuoso in his teens. His playing, alternating between lyrical tenderness and fiery intensity, is deeply rooted in the boleros and folk songs of his Puerto Rican heritage. His eclectic fusion of styles—rock, jazz, soul, bossa nova—reshaped mainstream pop-rock in the Sixties. Feliciano’s radical 1968 reimagining of the Mamas and the Papas’ “California Dreamin’” incorporated Spanish vocals reminiscent of a salsa sonero, and the guitar pyrotechnics of his rendition of “Light My Fire” transformed the Doors classic into a darker, more cinematic experience. José Feliciano’s virtuosic acoustic guitar skills and genre-bending approach make him a great guitar player and a crossover icon.
Key Tracks: “Light My Fire,” “Here, There and Everywhere”
Nick Zinner
Nick Zinner portrait
Image Credit: Sacha Lecca for Rolling Stone
When New York City’s garage-rock trio Yeah Yeah Yeahs formed in 2000, their aim was to create something “trashy, punky, grimy.” Nick Zinner’s guitar style embodies all of this and more, fusing the dance-punk energy of ESG, the showmanship of Van Halen, the raw intensity of Rowland S. Howard, and the melodic sensibility of Johnny Marr into his signature catchy, shimmering riffs. Zinner’s guitar work is often minimalist, yet it conveys profound emotion, from the longing in “Maps” to the monstrous tension of “Heads Will Roll.” Nick Zinner’s minimalist yet emotionally resonant guitar style makes him a great guitar player in the indie and dance-punk scenes.
Key Tracks: “Y Control,” “Maps,” “Gold Lion”
Kaki King
Kaki King portrait
Image Credit: Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage
A relentless sonic explorer, Kaki King approaches the acoustic guitar with a blend of Preston Reed’s percussive techniques and John Cage’s experimentalism. She utilizes alternate tunings, “treated” instruments, and electronic loops while employing fingerstyle, two-handed tapping, and percussive slapping techniques. “I’ll think, ‘Let’s see what happens if I lower this string here and raise that one there,’” she told Premier Guitar in 2011. “When you tune your guitar differently, all of a sudden your fingers and your mind have to be creative again because you’re not relying on shapes and places that sound good or feel familiar. You have to explore the fretboard to find new fingerings and sounds, and that leads to new discoveries.” Kaki King’s innovative and experimental approach to acoustic guitar makes her a great guitar player and a true original.
Key Tracks: “Playing With Pink Noise,” “Skimming the Fractured Surface to a Place of Endless Light”
Gary Clark Jr.
Gary Clark Jr. portrait in London, 2012
Image Credit: Rob Monk/Guitarist Magazine/Future/Getty Images
Initially categorized as an heir to Jimi Hendrix or Stevie Ray Vaughan, Grammy-winning blues-rock guitarist Gary Clark Jr. has consistently demonstrated a far broader musical scope in his fiery playing. He seamlessly incorporates elements of soul, funk, grunge, and hip-hop into his records, and collaborates with a diverse range of artists from Foo Fighters and Alicia Keys to Tech N9ne and Bun B. “I don’t think that I’m reaching my full potential if I just do what people expect of me,” he told Rolling Stone in 2014. “I love to play, and I love to experiment, and there are a lot more roads to explore. I don’t know if I want to get too far off the path — I don’t want to get lost in the forest — but I like to wander out a bit and adventure.” Gary Clark Jr.’s genre-blurring approach and powerful blues-rock style make him a great guitar player for the 21st century.
Key Tracks: “This Land,” “Grinder”
Amadou Bagayoko
Amadou Bagayoko of Amadou & Mariam performing live in London, 2012
Image Credit: C Brandon/Redferns/Getty Images
Malian couple Amadou Bagayoko and Mariam Doumbia, who met at an institute for the blind in 1977, achieved international success as Amadou & Mariam. Their brightly melodic duets, rhythmically driven by Amadou’s jaunty, sometimes dissonant guitar leads, resonated across the rock festival circuit. This crossover appeal is understandable: “People are often surprised when we explain how much we were influenced by Western pop music,” Amadou Bagayoko once said with a laugh. “I grew up listening to records by Rod Stewart, Led Zeppelin, James Brown, Crosby, Stills, and Nash, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Pink Floyd, Stevie Wonder … That’s because they were the only records we had in Mali!” Amadou Bagayoko’s blend of Malian rhythms and Western rock influences makes him a great guitar player in world music and beyond.
Key Tracks: “Djanfa,” “Ce N’est Pas Bon”
Justin Broadrick
Justin Broadrick of Godflesh performing live in New York
Image Credit: Karjean Levine/Getty Images
Justin Broadrick has forged his own unique guitar lexicon across industrial-metal pioneers Godflesh, grindcore originators Napalm Death, and the psychedelic post-metal band Jesu (among numerous other projects). His steamrolling, elastic riffs and dense textures in Godflesh imbued a rare sense of humanity into the band’s mechanical rhythms. In Napalm Death, he helped pioneer the “grinding” sound of grindcore—hyper-fast death metal—by pushing his distortion to extremes, creating a visceral pulse more than defined notes on tracks like “Instinct of Survival.” In Jesu, his psychedelic post-metal project, he layered washes of noise to create a beautiful, shadowy sonic world for his vocals to echo within. Across all his projects, Broadrick’s guitar sighs, groans, and weeps, creating a sound unlike anything else. Justin Broadrick’s pioneering work in industrial metal and grindcore makes him a great guitar player and a defining figure in extreme music.
Key Tracks: “Like Rats,” “Silver,” “Scum”
Hugh McCracken
Hugh McCracken portrait during recording session for Aretha Franklin, 1972
Image Credit: David Gahr/Getty Images
East Coast guitarist Hugh McCracken was never a flamboyant soloist, but he left his tasteful and indelible mark on countless classic recordings. That’s his piercing lead guitar on Steely Dan’s “Hey Nineteen,” his energetic opening riff on Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl,” and his silky acoustic guitar work throughout Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly With His Song.” In an understated yet vital way, he also enriched Paul Simon’s “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,” Alicia Keys’ “If I Ain’t Got You,” and John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “I’m Losing You.” McCracken was so in-demand and content with studio work that he declined Paul McCartney’s invitation to join Wings after playing on Ram. Hugh McCracken’s session guitar mastery and contributions to countless hits make him a great guitar player and a studio legend.
Key Tracks: “Hey Nineteen,” “Killing Me Softly With His Song”
Eric Johnson
Eric Johnson portrait in Pittsburgh, 1991
Image Credit: Paul Natkin/Getty Images
A consummate technician, Austin-born Eric Johnson is the kind of player whose abilities are more revered by fellow musicians than widely recognized by the general public. “Eric’s so good it’s ridiculous,” Steve Morse raved, while Stevie Ray Vaughan considered him “one of my favorite guitarists.” “Damn, that guy can play!” was Billy Gibbons’ assessment. A fusion stylist leaning more towards rock than jazz, Johnson was a rising star in the mid-Seventies Austin music scene but experienced career setbacks due to contractual issues. Although his 1990 instrumental album Ah Via Musicom eventually achieved platinum status, he is primarily known for guitar-centric collaborations like G3, with Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, and Eclectic, with Miles Davis guitarist Mike Stern. Eric Johnson’s technical brilliance and fusion style make him a great guitar player admired by his peers.
Key Tracks: “Cliffs of Dover,” “Benny Man’s Blues”
Lynn Taitt
Lynn Taitt portrait
Image Credit: Federal Records
Lynn Taitt was born in Trinidad but made his mark in Jamaica, essentially creating the guitar sound of rocksteady music through his playing on early recordings in the style, such as Hopeton Lewis’ “Take It Easy” and Derrick Morgan’s “Tougher Than Tough.” When Jamaican guitar legend Ernest Ranglin relocated to England in 1964, Taitt became the island’s premier session guitarist. His work on Desmond Dekker’s “007 (Shanty Town)” is some of the most recognizable guitar playing in Jamaican music history. Despite being active in the scene for only a few years before moving to Canada in 1968, his influence was solidified when his student Hux Brown refined Taitt’s playing style, contributing to the creation of reggae guitar. Lynn Taitt’s foundational role in rocksteady and influence on reggae make him a great guitar player in Jamaican music history.
Key Tracks: “007 (Shanty Town),” “Take It Easy”
Grant Green
Grant Green performing live at Keystone Korner, San Francisco, 1975
Image Credit: Janet Fries/Getty Images
Grant Green emerged from the hard bop scene to become a soul-jazz pioneer. A Charlie Parker devotee from St. Louis, he recorded his Blue Note debut in 1960 and embarked on a stellar five-year run, creating impeccably cool grooves on albums like Idle Moments and The Complete Quartets With Sonny Clark. He explored Latin jazz on his 1964 album Matador, featuring Elvin Jones and McCoy Tyner. Green tragically passed away in 1979 at only 43, while in New York for a gig at George Benson’s Breezin’ Lounge. However, his influence endures, particularly in hip-hop. His guitar playing has been sampled on rap classics from A Tribe Called Quest’s The Low End Theory to Kendrick Lamar’s Good Kid, m.A.A.d City. Grant Green’s soul-jazz innovations and lasting impact on hip-hop make him a great guitar player and a highly influential figure.
Key Tracks: “Idle Moments,” “Jean De Fleur,” “On Green Dolphin Street”
Vince Gill
Vince Gill portrait in Nashville
Image Credit: Beth Gwinn/Redferns/Getty Images
It’s almost unfair—Vince Gill is rightfully celebrated as one of country music’s all-time greatest vocalists. But beyond his vocal prowess, he is also a formidable electric guitar player. In addition to his lively chicken picking and twangy bends on singles like 1991’s “Liza Jane,” Gill has paid tribute to California country guitar legends like Don Rich and Roy Nichols on his 2013 album Bakersfield. Furthermore, Gill has lent his guitar skills to countless other artists’ albums, including Miranda Lambert, Emmylou Harris, Patty Loveless, Kenny Chesney, Dolly Parton, and Don Henley. Speaking of Henley, Gill has been a touring member of the Eagles since Glenn Frey’s passing in 2017, performing double duty as a harmony vocalist and guitar virtuoso. Vince Gill’s exceptional vocals and equally impressive guitar skills make him a great guitar player and a country music icon.
Key Tracks: “Liza Jane,” “Oklahoma Borderline”
Garry ‘Diaper Man’ Shider
Garry "Diaper Man" Shider of Parliament performing live in Los Angeles, 1977
Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
When asked about his onstage attire of little more than an oversized diaper, Parliament/Funkadelic guitarist Garry Shider famously replied, “God loves babies and fools. I’m both.” While initially recognized for adding the “-delic” to Funkadelic through searing, distortion-laden leads on jams like “Cosmic Slop,” Shider was also a master rhythm guitarist, evident in his insistently funky playing on “One Nation Under a Groove” and “Atomic Dog” (both of which he co-wrote). In addition to his “Diaper Man” persona in Parliament/Funkadelic, he was also known as “Starchild” in Bootsy’s Rubberband and served as music director for the P-Funk All Stars. His post-P-Funk career included collaborations with Paul Schaffer and the Black Crowes. Garry Shider’s dual mastery of lead and rhythm guitar, and his crucial role in P-Funk, make him a great guitar player and a funk legend.
Key Tracks: “Cosmic Slop,” “One Nation Under a Groove”
