“My guitar is not a thing,” the iconic Joan Jett declared, capturing the profound connection musicians feel with their instrument. “It is an extension of myself. It is who I am.” Few instruments resonate as universally and deeply as the guitar. Its primal expressiveness allows for immediate engagement, yet it offers a lifetime of exploration. This enduring allure is why the question of who are the greatest guitar players of all time ignites such passionate debate and celebration.
Guitar players transcend mere instrumentalists; they become icons, often as recognizable as the lead singers they accompany. While legendary guitar heroes like Jimmy Page, Brian May, and Eddie Van Halen rightly hold their place in the pantheon, the story of the guitar is far broader and more diverse. This expanded list delves into the vast landscape of guitar evolution, celebrating 50 influential figures who have shaped music across genres and generations.
From Elizabeth Cotten, born in 1893, a folk music pioneer whose innovative fingerpicking laid groundwork for generations, to Lindsey Jordan, an indie rock prodigy born in 1999, embodying the instrument’s ongoing evolution, this compilation spans over a century of sonic innovation. It traverses genres – rock, jazz, reggae, country, folk, blues, punk, metal, disco, funk, bossa nova, bachata, Congolese rumba, flamenco, and beyond – showcasing the guitar’s remarkable adaptability.
Within these diverse styles, you’ll find unparalleled virtuosos such as Pat Metheny, Yvette Young, and Steve Vai, pushing technical boundaries, alongside raw, primal players like Johnny Ramone and Poison Ivy of the Cramps, proving that greatness isn’t solely about technicality. Superstars like Prince, Joni Mitchell, and Neil Young are featured alongside behind-the-scenes architects of sound, such as Memphis soul maestro Teenie Hodges and the smooth precision of Larry Carlton.
Recognizing the collaborative nature of music, this list also celebrates dynamic duos – Kim and Kelley Deal of the Breeders, Adrian Smith and Dave Murray of Iron Maiden, and others – highlighting the synergistic power of guitar partnerships. The sole criterion? Mastery of the six-string guitar, acknowledging its central role in shaping modern music.
In curating this list of the greatest guitar players of all time, we prioritized innovation, emotional depth, and impact on songwriting and album creation over mere technical proficiency. We valued the ability to forge a unique voice and channel raw talent into groundbreaking music, echoing the sentiment of modern blues innovator Gary Clark Jr.: “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.” Join us as we explore the journeys and sonic landscapes crafted by these greatest guitar players, each a unique voice in the ongoing symphony of the six-string.
Andy Summers
Andy Summers of The Police performing live with a Fender Telecaster, showcasing his influential guitar playing style.
Image Credit: Graham Wiltshire/Redferns/Getty Images
The Police redefined the power trio, and Andy Summers was instrumental to their distinctive sound. Moving beyond punk’s raw energy, Summers ingeniously blended jazz chord voicings and reggae rhythms into a potent rock and roll framework. His playing was characterized by its sparseness and precision, constructing minimalist yet impactful sonic textures – clipped accents, dub-influenced washes of sound – that provided ample space for Sting’s vocals and Stewart Copeland’s drumming. “His tone and style were just absolutely perfect — he left space around everything,” remarked Rush’s Alex Lifeson, highlighting Summers’ masterful use of space and dynamics. “And he can handle anything from beautiful acoustic playing to jazz to hybrid kinds of stuff.” Summers’ ability to fuse genres seamlessly and his emphasis on musicality over technical flash solidify his place among the greatest guitar players.
Key Tracks: “Message in a Bottle,” “Every Breath You Take”
Brittany Howard
Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes, showcasing her soulful vocals and earthy guitar style on stage.
Image Credit: Sacha Lecca for Rolling Stone
From her beginnings with the garage-roots band Alabama Shakes, Brittany Howard’s guitar playing has always been an organic, flowing extension of her powerful vocals and deeply soulful songwriting. Her rhythmic sensibility is remarkably elastic, evident in the dynamic interplay between her sharp, jagged guitar lines and Alabama Shakes lead guitarist Heath Fogg on their 2015 track “Don’t Wanna Fight.” Howard further explored her rock and roll sensibilities with her side project Thunderbitch. Her 2019 solo album, Jaime, served as a compelling showcase for her expansive musicianship, ranging from the funky, James Brown-esque rhythms of “History Repeats” to the molten, fuzz-laden soundscapes of “Presence.” Howard’s guitar work is not about technical showmanship, but about serving the song with raw emotion and rhythmic complexity, marking her as one of the greatest guitar players who prioritize feeling.
Key Tracks: “History Repeats,” “Presence”
Robby Krieger
Robby Krieger of The Doors, improvising on guitar during a 1960s performance.
Image Credit: Don Paulsen/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Rooted in flamenco and jazz traditions, Robby Krieger of The Doors fearlessly ventured beyond the blues-centric rock norms of his era. In The Doors’ unconventional lineup, he possessed the improvisational acumen to follow Jim Morrison’s unpredictable vocal journeys, penned some of their most enduring hits like “Light My Fire,” and effectively filled the sonic space within their unique keyboard-drums-guitar configuration. “Not having a bass player … made me play more bass notes to fill out the bottom,” he explained, highlighting his adaptive approach. “Not having a rhythm player also made me play differently, to fill out the sound. I always felt like three players simultaneously.” Krieger’s genre-bending approach and his ability to create a full, orchestral sound within a minimalist band setup demonstrate his innovative spirit and solidify his status among the greatest guitar players.
Key Tracks: “Riders on the Storm,” “Roadhouse Blues”
Ricky Wilson
Ricky Wilson of The B-52s performing live in 1978, showcasing his unique and inventive guitar style.
Image Credit: Tom Hill/WireImage
Ricky Wilson, the guitarist for The B-52s, often appeared to be a quiet force amidst the flamboyant stage presence of singer Fred Schneider and the iconic beehive hairstyles of Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson. However, his distinctive guitar style – a blend of down-home chicken scratch, angular post-punk sensibilities, rockabilly twang, and surf rock shimmer – on classics such as “52 Girls,” “Strobe Light,” and “Private Idaho” established him as one of the most original guitarists of the New Wave era. Wilson frequently utilized only four or five strings on his blue Mosrite guitar, employing unconventional tunings to achieve his signature strange, spartan sound. “I just tune the strings till I hear something I like,” he famously said, encapsulating his intuitive and experimental approach. His untimely death in 1985 marked a significant loss for the indie-rock world, depriving it of a truly unassuming radical and one of the greatest guitar players in alternative music.
Key Tracks: “52 Girls,” “Mesopotamia”
Paul Simon
Paul Simon playing acoustic guitar during a 1980 performance, demonstrating his masterful fingerpicking technique.
Image Credit: Paul Natkin/Getty Images
Paul Simon, celebrated as a lyrical genius, is equally articulate and expressive through his guitar. 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 mastery of Bert Jansch. His musical journey is characterized by continuous absorption of new influences, as exemplified in “Dazzling Blue” from his later album, So Beautiful or So What. “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,” he explained, highlighting his constant evolution. Even in his 80s, his nimble guitar work remains undiminished, as showcased on his 2023 album Seven Psalms. Simon’s ability to blend intricate fingerpicking with diverse global rhythms and his lifelong dedication to musical exploration cement his place among the greatest guitar players who are also masterful songwriters.
Key Tracks: “Dazzling Blue,” “Kathy’s Song”
Leslie West
Leslie West of Mountain performing live in the 1970s, showcasing his powerful blues-rock guitar riffs.
Image Credit: Erica Echenberg/Redferns/Getty Images
Leslie West (born Leslie Weinstein) first gained recognition in mid-Sixties garage rock with the Vagrants’ robust cover of Otis Redding’s “Respect.” By 1969, West became the driving force in the Cream-inspired quartet Mountain, unleashing heavy, blues-infused power. On tracks like the 1970 hit “Mississippi Queen,” West delivered raw, roughened blues lines with deceptive ease and an R&B sensibility, all filtered through a thick layer of amp distortion. “The riffs were incredible,” Dave Davies of The Kinks noted, acknowledging West’s riff-writing prowess. “He could play flashy, intricate phrases. But he wasn’t a look-at-me guy. He played with feel.” West’s combination of powerful riffs, bluesy phrasing, and raw emotion makes him a standout among the greatest guitar players in hard rock.
Key Tracks: “Mississippi Queen,” “Nantucket Sleighride (To Owen Coffin)”
Edilio Paredes
Edilio Paredes, the master of bachata guitar, his playing defining the genre's sound.
Image Credit: Rolling Stone
With pop sensations like Rosalía and The Weeknd incorporating bachata into global hits, it’s easy to forget that this genre was once relatively unknown outside the Dominican Republic. Edilio Paredes is the architect of la música del amargue‘s sonic identity – those poignant, spiraling guitar lines that weave and accentuate the bittersweet themes of lost love. A self-taught prodigy, Paredes was pivotal in the transition from bolero campesino to contemporary bachata, which ultimately gained international recognition as a transcendent Afro-Caribbean genre in the Nineties. Paredes’ extensive discography as a session musician from the 1960s to 1980s speaks volumes about his influence. His participation in the acclaimed 2011 album The Bachata Legends further cemented his legacy as el maestro, one of the greatest guitar players who shaped a genre.
Key Tracks: “No Me Olvides,” “Bendita Nena”
Aaron Dessner and Bryce Dessner
Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National performing together, their twin-guitar interplay defining their sound.
Image Credit: Kris Connor/FilmMagic
The National’s story is unique in rock, centered around the virtuosic twin-guitar dynamic of twin brothers Aaron and Bryce Dessner. Bryce Dessner’s collaborations span across genres, including work with contemporary classical legends like Steve Reich, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Jonny Greenwood, and the Kronos Quartet. Aaron Dessner has become Taylor Swift’s key collaborator on Folklore and Evermore, adding Jerry Garcia-esque twang to tracks like “Cowboy Like Me” and unleashing raw emotion on “August” in The Long Pond Studio Sessions. The Dessner brothers’ guitar work ranges from electric intensity in tracks like “Terrible Love” to intimate folk beauty in “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 diverse range and collaborative spirit as twin guitar innovators earn them a joint spot among the greatest guitar players.
Key Tracks: “Mr. November,” “Bloodbuzz Ohio,” “The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness”
Lindsey Jordan
Lindsey Jordan of Snail Mail, a Gen Z guitar hero known for her indie rock virtuosity.
Image Credit: Griffin Lotz for Rolling Stone
Gen Z guitar hero Lindsey Jordan, known for her project Snail Mail, honed her skills under the tutelage of Mary Timony, a fellow greatest guitar players list member and the innovative guitarist of Helium and Wild Flag. With Snail Mail’s debut album Lush in 2018 at just 18 years old, Jordan seemed to have already absorbed the entire indie-rock canon. She is a natural virtuoso and a skilled shredder, seamlessly transitioning from strummy, tension-building passages to explosive, cathartic solos, and from cool, Liz Phair-esque lo-fi sounds to Sonic Youth-inspired sonic expanses. “I like to play really balls out,” she told Rolling Stone in 2018, emphasizing her passionate performance style. “That’s what it means to be onstage with integrity.” Jordan represents the exciting future of guitar playing, solidifying her place among the greatest guitar players of her generation.
Key Tracks: “Heat Wave,” “Pristine”
Keith Urban
Keith Urban performing live, his effortless guitar style blending country and rock influences.
Image Credit: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images
Keith Urban may not be the most technically flashy or traditionally country guitarist in Nashville, but his effortless style sets him apart. His riffs, rhythms, and solos seem to emerge organically, seamlessly enhancing the song without ever feeling forced. Nothing is overtly showy; every note serves a purpose. Studio recordings and live performances both showcase Urban’s guitar prowess. However, he truly shines on stage, delivering guitar heroics that rival the rock pantheon. It’s no surprise he’s jammed with artists ranging 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 his ability to seamlessly blend country and rock guitar styles earn him recognition among the greatest guitar players in contemporary music.
Key Tracks: “Highway Don’t Care,” “Blue Ain’t Your Color”
Erin Smith
Erin Smith of Bratmobile, a riot grrrl pioneer known for her raw and energetic guitar playing.
Image Credit: © Greg Neate/neatephotos.com/flickr CC BY 2.0
Erin Smith, guitarist for riot grrrl pioneers Bratmobile, found her musical spark listening to Beat Happening, a deliberately primitive band that challenged conventional notions of musical skill. “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 told the Museum of Pop Culture, emphasizing the DIY ethos of the riot grrrl movement. “I could never be [Duran Duran’s] Andy Taylor. And I realized that was OK.” Smith’s guitar style, developed alongside singer Allison Wolfe and drummer Molly Neuman, combined melodic surf-rock bass lines with raw garage-rock chords. This powerful combination was central to Bratmobile’s groundbreaking 1993 debut, Pottymouth, one of the most exciting punk records of the Nineties. Smith’s embrace of raw energy and her pivotal role in riot grrrl place her among the greatest guitar players who championed a DIY and feminist approach to music.
Key Tracks: “Love Thing,” “P.R.D.C.T.”
Duane Eddy
Duane Eddy in 1958, the rock and roll guitarist who popularized tremolo and instrumental hits.
Image Credit: PoPsie Randolph/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
In the late 1950s, if there was any lingering doubt that the guitar, not the saxophone, was the definitive lead instrument of rock & roll, Duane Eddy definitively resolved it. His 1958 single “Rebel Rouser,” infused with country twang and drenched in tremolo, became a defining sound of the era. “Chet Atkins used vibrato in a selective way — Duane Eddy used it to thrash the music,” noted Dave Davies of The Kinks, highlighting Eddy’s innovative use of tremolo as a central expressive element. Eddy’s hits, including “Forty Miles of Bad Road” and “Peter Gunn,” profoundly influenced surf music and guitarists such as Jeff Beck and George Harrison. His pioneering instrumental rock and roll and his signature use of tremolo earn him a place among the greatest guitar players who shaped the sound of early rock.
Key Tracks: “Rebel Rouser,” “Peter Gunn”
Doug Gillard
Doug Gillard of Guided By Voices, a key figure in indie rock known for his versatile guitar work.
Image Credit: Matt Carmichael/Getty Images
If Robert Pollard embodies the eccentric genius of Ohio indie-rock institution Guided By Voices, then Doug Gillard is the band’s musical anchor. He perfectly complements Pollard’s lyrical and experimental inclinations, transforming his unconventional ideas into compelling rock and roll, often at an astonishing pace of two or even three GBV albums annually. “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 explained, emphasizing his intuitive understanding of Pollard’s musical language. “But also, I have some freedom to transform them.” Gillard’s ability to translate Pollard’s vision into cohesive guitar parts and his prolific output make him a crucial figure in indie rock and one of the greatest guitar players in the genre.
Key Tracks: “I Am a Tree,” “Mr. Child”
Jennifer Batten
Image Credit: Catherine McGann/Getty Images
Jennifer Batten rose to prominence as the electrifying guitarist on Michael Jackson’s monumental world tours. This role demanded versatility, requiring her to navigate 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 wide-ranging abilities, featuring electric guitar interpretations 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. Batten further solidified her virtuoso status by collaborating with Jeff Beck, touring and recording with him on some of his most adventurous albums in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Her technical brilliance, genre versatility, and ability to hold her own alongside guitar legends place Jennifer Batten among the greatest guitar players of her generation.
Key Tracks: “Flight of the Bumblebee,” “Giant Steps (Rock Version)”
Greg Sage
Greg Sage of The Wipers performing live in Amsterdam in 1986, showcasing his influential punk guitar sound.
Image Credit: Frans Schellekens/Redferns/Getty Images
Greg Sage formed his Portland, Oregon band The Wipers in 1977, defying punk conventions before they were even fully established. His complex, sprawling song structures and jagged, distorted guitar sound set him apart from the simpler punk ethos of the time. While other bands prioritized raw simplicity, Wipers songs like “When It’s Over” and “Romeo” were immersive, pummeling soundscapes. This innovative approach galvanized the Pacific Northwestern indie-rock scene, profoundly influencing bands like Nirvana. “We learned everything from the Wipers,” Kurt Cobain stated, declaring them his favorite band. “They were playing a mix of punk and hard rock when nobody cared.” Sage’s pioneering blend of punk energy with complex songcraft and his significant influence on the grunge movement earn him recognition among the greatest guitar players in alternative music.
Key Tracks: “When It’s Over,” “Up Front”
Laura Marling
Image Credit: Chiaki Nozu/WireImage
British singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Laura Marling embodies a more understated form of virtuosity. She employs intricate tunings and voicings that sound deceptively simple within her music. “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 palpable in her catalog, manifesting in unusual phrasing and atonal flourishes. During the Covid-19 lockdown, Marling shared her guitar expertise with fans through concise and informative tutorials on Instagram, further demonstrating her dedication to the craft. Marling’s subtle yet sophisticated guitar work, her mastery of alternate tunings, and her commitment to sharing her knowledge position her as one of the greatest guitar players in contemporary folk and indie music.
Key Tracks: “I Was an Eagle,” “Wild Fire,” “Ghosts”
John McGeoch
John McGeoch of Siouxsie and the Banshees performing live in 1980, a pioneer of goth guitar.
Image Credit: Ebet Roberts/Redferns/Getty Images
John McGeoch made a striking entrance with the soaring guitar attack on 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, Public Image Ltd, and Siouxsie and the Banshees. McGeoch earned high praise from guitarists like Johnny Marr and Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien. His signature blend of slashing rhythm guitar, atmospheric flange effects, and swirling arpeggios transformed the Banshees’ 1981 album, Juju, into the quintessential goth-guitar album of the Eighties. He introduced a moody, atmospheric guitar language to UK rock, prioritizing texture and emotion over raw angst. McGeoch’s pioneering role in goth guitar and his lasting influence on subsequent generations of guitarists solidify his place among the greatest guitar players.
Key Tracks: “Philadelphia,” “Spellbound”
H.E.R.
H.E.R. performing at Spotify in Cannes, showcasing her versatile guitar skills and R&B artistry.
Image Credit: David M. Benett/Getty Images
H.E.R. has maintained a relatively low profile, allowing her to consistently surprise and impress with each major public appearance, such as the Grammys or the Super Bowl. Her vocal style is deeply rooted in classic R&B, and she excels at simmering ballads, but her guitar playing encompasses a wide spectrum, from delicate and fluid accents to Prince-inspired rock shredding. Her single “Hold On” features her doubling her vocal melodies with soaring guitar leads, a signature element of her style. “I also like to play my guitar like I’m singing,” she told Guitar World, emphasizing the vocal quality of her guitar phrasing. “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 recognition. H.E.R.’s genre-blurring approach, vocal-like guitar phrasing, and her groundbreaking achievement as a Fender signature artist cement her status among the greatest guitar players of her generation.
Key Tracks: “Hold On,” “Comfortable”
David Williams
David Williams of The Jacksons in 1984, his subtle guitar work defining 80s pop hits.
Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images
Although David Williams’ musical foundation was in jazz, he made his most significant impact in a genre not typically recognized for instrumental showcases: Eighties pop. His intentionally minimalist guitar touches are crucial to the rhythmic allure of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” Stevie Nicks’ “Stand Back,” and Diana Ross’ “Muscles.” The Vietnam veteran, who toured with Jackson and Madonna and collaborated with artists from Chaka Khan to Kenny Loggins, once described the “secret spice” he added to Top 40 hits: “You don’t need much of it, but the right amount gets the job done.” Williams’ understated yet essential contributions to iconic pop songs demonstrate his mastery of musicality and his understanding of how to enhance a track without overpowering it, making him one of the greatest guitar players in session music. He passed away in 2009 at the age of 58.
Key Tracks: “Billie Jean,” “Dirty Diana”
Etta Baker
Etta Baker, a Piedmont blues legend, playing her signature fingerpicking style.
Image Credit: Timothy Duffy
Etta Baker’s name is synonymous with Piedmont blues, a distinctive style characterized by rolling, ragtime and folk-influenced fingerpicking that originated 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 performed at dances with her family in her youth. Her instrumental compositions, such as “One Dime Blues,” featured on a 1956 anthology, had a profound impact, influencing artists like Bob Dylan and Taj Mahal, the latter of whom recorded an album with Baker before her death in 2006. Baker’s masterful fingerpicking and her preservation of the Piedmont blues tradition solidify her legacy as one of the greatest guitar players in blues and folk music.
Key Tracks: “One Dime Blues,” “Carolina Breakdown”
Gustavo Cerati
Gustavo Cerati performing live in 2003, the Argentine rock icon known for his guitar prowess.
Image Credit: Paul Natkin/Getty Images
It’s easy to overlook Gustavo Cerati’s extraordinary guitar skills due to his monumental impact in transforming Latin rock with his songwriting. In the mid-Eighties, the Argentine singer-songwriter spearheaded the pan-American rock en español boom with his band Soda Stereo and anthemic hits like “De Música Ligera.” After Soda Stereo disbanded, Cerati explored electronic textures, but he returned to guitar-god mode with his 2006 album Ahí Vamos, a powerful collection steeped in raw electric riffs. Cerati tragically fell into a coma at age 50 and never recovered, but his image, smiling as he unleashed a guitar solo onstage, remains etched in the collective memory of Latin music culture. Cerati’s transformative role in Latin rock and his passionate guitar playing earn him a place among the greatest guitar players in Latin music history.
Key Tracks: “Canción Animal,” “La Excepción”
Barbara Lynn
Barbara Lynn in 1964, a pioneering left-handed guitarist and R&B singer-songwriter.
Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Sixteen-year-old Barbara Lynn issued a decisive warning to her boyfriend: “If you should lose me/You’ll lose a good thing.” The Beaufort, Texas native set these words to music, playing a right-handed guitar upside down and left-handed, a technique she taught herself. The resulting song, “You’ll Lose a Good Thing,” became an R&B Number One hit in 1962, launching an acclaimed career spanning over six decades. Lynn’s predominantly self-penned songs have been covered by the Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, and Robert Plant, and sampled by the Beastie Boys and Moby, highlighting the universal appeal and creative power of her music. Barbara Lynn’s pioneering left-handed guitar style, her songwriting prowess, and her enduring influence on R&B and beyond solidify her status as one of the greatest guitar players and songwriters.
Key Tracks: “You’ll Lose a Good Thing,” “I’ll Suffer”
Steve Jones
Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols performing live with a Gibson Les Paul, a punk rock guitar icon.
Image Credit: Chris Morphet/Redferns/Getty Images
When Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren gifted Steve Jones a white Les Paul Custom previously owned by New York Dolls guitarist Syl Sylvain, this instrument, or a similar model, became Jones’ signature weapon. Jones’ raw power chords and flamboyant, gutter-glam inspired solos perfectly mirrored the rebellious attitude of Johnny Rotten and set a benchmark for punk rock guitarists to follow. His legacy was cemented with the indelible riffs on the Sex Pistols’ seminal 1977 album Never Mind the Bollocks…, inspiring guitarists from Slash to Billie Joe Armstrong. It was as much about attitude as it was about sound. As Jones famously told a journalist, “Actually, we’re not into music. We’re into chaos.” Jones’ raw power, iconic riffs, and embodiment of punk rock attitude make him one of the greatest guitar players in punk history.
Key Tracks: “God Save the Queen,” “Pretty Vacant”
Glenn Branca
Glenn Branca, a No Wave pioneer, experimenting with symphonic guitar compositions.
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 unique “harmonic series” and modified for varied registers and tonalities, as a symphonic instrument. He composed for guitar ensembles that sometimes numbered up to 100 players. His droning, monumental Symphony No. 1, recorded in 1981, featured 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 recognizing musical revolutionaries. “I’ve got so many ideas about music that I haven’t even begun to work on,” he told Esquire in 2016, emphasizing his boundless creative vision. “If I lived to 200, I wouldn’t finish my work.” Branca’s avant-garde approach, his expansion of guitar’s sonic possibilities, and his influence on experimental music place him among the greatest guitar players who pushed boundaries.
Key Tracks: “Light Field (In Consonance),” “Velvets and Pearls”
El Kempner
El Kempner of Palehound performing live, a versatile indie rock guitarist and songwriter.
Image Credit: Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe/Getty Images
Long before El Kempner launched Palehound, the indie powerhouse project that recently toured with boygenius, they were a seven-year-old learning guitar by strumming their dad’s instrument with a marker cap. Guitar has been Kempner’s guiding force ever since. Electrifying riffs, elevated by Kempner’s musical dexterity, propel tracks like “The Clutch” from Palehound’s recent album, Eye on the Bat. Kempner’s versatility is key to their refined skills. They are equally comfortable rocking out on their Stratocaster, playing delicate acoustic fingerpicking, or crafting swirling arpeggios. El Kempner’s dynamic guitar playing, songwriting talent, and versatility across indie rock styles position them as one of the greatest guitar players to emerge from the contemporary indie scene.
Key Tracks: “The Clutch,” “Independence Day”
Fred ‘Sonic’ Smith and Wayne Kramer
Wayne Kramer and Fred "Sonic" Smith of MC5 in 1969, a twin-guitar engine of proto-punk energy.
Image Credit: Leni Sinclair/Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images
Forged in Detroit in the 1960s, the MC5 guitar duo of Wayne Kramer and Fred “Sonic” Smith functioned as a powerful, synchronized engine. Blending Chuck Berry and early Motown influences with an emerging interest in free jazz, they could propel their band’s legendary high-energy jams into uncharted sonic territory 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, describing their creative synergy. “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.” Kramer and Smith’s explosive twin-guitar interplay and their pioneering role in proto-punk solidify their joint place among the greatest guitar players.
Key Tracks: “Looking at You,” “Poison”
Marv Tarplin
Marv Tarplin of Smokey Robinson and The Miracles in 1962, his guitar playing integral to Motown's sound.
Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
The guitar playing and songwriting of Atlanta-born, Detroit-raised Marv Tarplin became essential to Smokey Robinson and the Miracles’ success almost immediately after Robinson recruited him as the group’s guitarist in the 1960s. Tarplin’s versatility was perfectly suited to Motown’s diverse musical landscape, from the driving chords on “Going to a Go-Go” to the delicate 12-string acoustic on “You Really Got a Hold on Me.” His experimentation with the chords of Harry Belafonte’s “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)” led to the creation of the Miracles’ smash hit “The Tracks of My Tears.” He continued collaborating with Robinson after the Miracles’ split; the subtle guitar filigrees he added to Robinson’s 1979 solo single “Cruisin’” imbued the track with a timeless quality, propelling it to the Billboard Hot 100 Top Five. Tarplin’s crucial contributions to Motown’s signature sound and his songwriting influence make him one of the greatest guitar players in soul music history.
Key Tracks: “The Tracks of My Tears,” “Cruisin’”
Joseph Spence
Joseph Spence, Bahamian guitar legend, his unique fingerpicking style influenced generations.
Image Credit: Guy Droussart
In 1958, musicologists Sam Charters and Ann Danberg Charters encountered Joseph Spence in the Bahamas. His music was 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 style, 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” is indebted to Spence’s version of the song. Joseph Spence’s innovative fingerpicking and his cross-genre influence solidify his place among the greatest guitar players in folk and world music.
Key Tracks: “Brownskin Girl,” “Jump in the Line”
Molly Tuttle
Molly Tuttle performing live, a bluegrass innovator pushing boundaries with her acoustic guitar.
Image Credit: Scott Dudelson/Getty Images
Even before her recent awards success, California-raised, Nashville-based bluegrass innovator Molly Tuttle and her band Golden Highway were making history in roots music. Her acoustic flatpicking, influenced by artists from Tony Rice to Joni Mitchell to Clarence White, is rooted in tradition but not confined by it. Earlier this year, she became the first bluegrass act to receive a Best New Artist Grammy nomination, a testament to the genre’s ongoing evolution, in which Tuttle plays 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.” Molly Tuttle’s groundbreaking approach to bluegrass guitar and her role in expanding the genre’s boundaries earn her recognition as one of the greatest guitar players in contemporary acoustic music.
Key Tracks: ‘Take the Journey,” “El Dorado”
James Blood Ulmer
James Blood Ulmer, a free jazz and blues innovator, known for his unique guitar sound.
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Initially rooted in soul jazz, and later serving as a dynamic foil to free jazz icon Ornette Coleman, James Blood Ulmer fused generations of blues, funk, and jazz guitar into shimmering sonic textures, skronky riffs, and jittery solos. On albums like Tales of Captain Black and Odyssey, his stinging guitar tone profoundly influenced the 1970s and 80s downtown New York experimental scene, impacting artists from Vernon Reid to no-wave bands like DNA and Mars. As Reid 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-defying approach, his unique guitar voice, and his impact on experimental music solidify his place among the greatest guitar players.
Key Tracks: “Theme from Captain Black,” “Timeless”
Courtney Barnett
Courtney Barnett performing live, her dynamic guitar playing enhancing her witty songwriting.
Image Credit: Griffin Lotz for Rolling Stone
Indie-rock singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett’s ability to seamlessly shift between intricate fingerpicking and raw, garage-rock inspired solos amplifies her witty and observational storytelling. “It sounds like you’re driving across a highway and it’s sunny,” Barnett described “Write a List of Things to Look Forward To” from her 2021 album, Things Take Time, Take Time, capturing the open, liberating feeling of her music. On Lotta Sea Lice, her 2017 collaborative album with Kurt Vile, their musical chemistry is dazzling, with their guitars and vocals intertwining organically. Courtney Barnett’s dynamic guitar playing, her songwriting prowess, and her ability to blend intimacy and energy make her one of the greatest guitar players 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 in 1978, the twin-guitar pioneers of heavy metal.
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Inspired by the single-guitar power of Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and Deep Purple, Judas Priest redefined “heavy” in the mid-Seventies with the twin-guitar attack of K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton. Rather than dividing into rhythm and lead roles like the Rolling Stones or the Kinks, Tipton and Downing doubled riffs, traded solos, and embraced harmony leads on Judas Priest’s high-octane tracks. Their synergistic interplay became the template for Iron Maiden, Metallica, Slayer, and countless other great two-guitar bands that followed. As Slayer’s Kerry King noted, “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 pioneering twin-guitar approach and their profound influence on heavy metal guitarists solidify their joint status among the greatest guitar players in metal history.
Key Tracks: “Victim of Changes,” “Breaking the Law,” “The Hellion/Electric Eye”
Lzzy Hale
Lzzy Hale of Halestorm performing live, a modern hard rock guitar goddess and vocalist.
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Lzzy Hale’s powerhouse vocals alone would establish her as a hard rock icon. However, she is also a formidable guitarist, employing an aggressive, rhythmic slap style that complements Halestorm’s lead guitarist Joe Hottinger. Hale can shred too, as evidenced by her guitar mimicry of the vocal melody in “I Miss the Misery.” Her influence on 21st-century guitar rock is so significant that Gibson chose her as its first female brand ambassador and designed a Hale signature Explorer model, which she plays onstage and gifts to fellow musicians. “The people at Gibson keep telling me the demographic that buys the most electric guitars right now are female,” Hale told Rolling Stone, recognizing the shifting landscape of guitar playing. “The wave is coming whether anybody likes it or not.” Lzzy Hale’s dual talents as a vocalist and guitarist, her powerful stage presence, and her role as a role model for female guitarists make her one of the greatest guitar players in contemporary hard rock.
Key Tracks: “I Miss the Misery,” “The Steeple”
Thomas McClary
Thomas McClary of The Commodores in 1978, his guitar blending funk, soul, and rock influences.
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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. At Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, he co-founded the Commodores with singer Lionel Richie. The group blended funk, soul, gospel, and country, appealing to both Black and white audiences. McClary’s mix of glam grandeur and blues grit on songs like “Easy” helped define the sound of Eighties crossover. “I would listen to Santana, Jimi Hendrix, Albert King, James Taylor, and Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young,” he recalled, citing his diverse influences. “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.” Thomas McClary’s genre-blending guitar style and his role in shaping the Commodores’ crossover sound earn him a place among the greatest guitar players in funk and soul music.
Key Tracks: “Easy,” “Brick House”
Steve Hackett
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Genesis was a relatively obscure art-rock band before Steve Hackett joined in 1971, replacing founding member Anthony Phillips. Hackett made an immediate impact, introducing the band to his two-hand tapping technique, captured on 1971’s Nursery Crime, years before Eddie Van Halen popularized it. He delivered an epic, soaring guitar solo on their masterpiece “Firth of Fifth,” one of the most beautiful pieces of music in progressive rock. He left Genesis in 1977 to pursue a solo career that continues to this day. “I’m very happy to have freed up guitarists to play dazzling solos,” Hackett stated, recognizing his influence on guitar technique, “and come up with things that would only be dreamt up at one time.” Steve Hackett’s pioneering tapping technique and his contributions to progressive rock guitar make him one of the greatest guitar players in the genre.
Key Tracks: “Horizons,” “Firth of Fifth”
Kurt Vile
Kurt Vile in Amsterdam in 2015, his laid-back guitar style hiding virtuosic skill.
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Kurt Vile projects an easygoing, slacker persona, but he is a serious and innovative guitarist. His style, blending chilled-out drones with intricate yet melodic solos, is partially rooted in his early experience with a banjo, received as a teen when he had asked for a guitar. “Banjos are in an open tuning, and they’ve got that high drone string,” the Philadelphian told guitar.com in 2018. “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 diverse influences, synthesizing them into his signature, subtly virtuosic style. Kurt Vile’s unique blend of laid-back delivery with intricate guitar work and his creation of a distinctive sonic landscape earn him recognition as one of the greatest guitar players in contemporary indie rock.
Key Tracks: “Pretty Pimpin,” “Wakin on a Pretty Day”
Keiji Haino
Keiji Haino, Japanese noise music icon, his guitar playing pushing the limits of sound.
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Japanese musician Keiji Haino’s free-form solo performances are intensely cathartic, noisy explorations, blurring the lines between playing and sonic exorcism. In ensemble settings like Aihiyo, his guitar work can be beautifully ragged and deeply emotive. He can transition from soothing, shimmering chords to ear-splitting squalls of feedback in an instant. “People practice really hard because they want people to check them out,” he told Vice Japan, critical of performative virtuosity. “And then they say it’s improvisation. That drives me nuts.” Keiji Haino’s uncompromisingly experimental approach, his exploration of noise and sonic extremes, and his rejection of conventional guitar virtuosity make him one of the greatest guitar players in avant-garde and noise 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, her understated guitar work integral to her indie rock artistry.
Image Credit: Griffin Lotz for Rolling Stone
For Lucy Dacus, the guitar is as fundamental to her musical expression as her voice, though her playing often receives less attention than her insightful lyrics. From her pulsing rhythm guitar on “I Don’t Wanna Be Funny Anymore” to her contributions in the supergroup boygenius, Dacus’ guitar arrangements are an understated yet crucial element of her artistry. Live performances of “Night Shift” often begin with Dacus alone, strumming quietly, before her lead guitarist Jacob Blizard introduces distorted textures as the song builds. Throughout the song’s dynamic shifts, Dacus remains locked in, providing a solid rhythmic and harmonic foundation. Lucy Dacus’ understated yet essential guitar work, her rhythmic precision, and her contributions to indie rock songwriting make her one of the greatest guitar players in contemporary indie music.
Key Tracks: “Night Shift,” “I Don’t Wanna Be Funny Anymore”
José Feliciano
José Feliciano performing in London in 1973, an acoustic guitar virtuoso blending genres.
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Reducing José Feliciano to “that ‘Feliz Navidad’ guy” would be a profound disservice to his artistry. Born blind, Feliciano became an acoustic guitar virtuoso in his teens. His playing, alternating between lyrical and fiery, is deeply rooted in the boleros and folk songs of his Puerto Rican heritage. His eclectic style, blending rock, jazz, soul, and bossa nova, revolutionized mainstream pop rock in the Sixties. Feliciano’s radical 1968 reimagining of the Mamas and the Papas’ “California Dreamin’” incorporated Spanish vocals and salsa influences. His guitar pyrotechnics on “Light My Fire” transformed the Doors classic into a darker, more cinematic experience. José Feliciano’s acoustic virtuosity, his genre-bending innovation, and his lasting impact on pop guitar make him one of the greatest guitar players of his era.
Key Tracks: “Light My Fire,” “Here, There and Everywhere”
Nick Zinner
Nick Zinner of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, a dance-punk guitarist with a distinctive minimalist style.
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When New York City’s garage-rock trio Yeah Yeah Yeahs formed in 2000, their goal was to create something “trashy, punky, grimy.” Nick Zinner’s guitar style embodies this and more, fusing the dance-punk of ESG, the panache of Van Halen, the intensity of Rowland S. Howard, and the melodic sensibility of Johnny Marr into his signature catchy, glittering riffs. Zinner’s guitar work is often minimalist, yet it conveys profound emotion, from the yearning in “Maps” to the monstrous tension in “Heads Will Roll.” Nick Zinner’s minimalist yet powerful guitar style, his creation of iconic riffs, and his role in shaping dance-punk make him one of the greatest guitar players in alternative rock.
Key Tracks: “Y Control,” “Maps,” “Gold Lion”
Kaki King
Kaki King performing live, a sonic adventurer pushing acoustic guitar boundaries.
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A tireless sonic explorer, Kaki King approaches the acoustic guitar with a blend of Preston Reed’s percussive techniques and John Cage’s experimental spirit. She utilizes alternate tunings, “treated” instruments, electronic loops, 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, describing her experimental process. “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 approach to acoustic guitar, her relentless experimentation, and her expansion of the instrument’s sonic possibilities solidify her place among the greatest guitar players who are true pioneers.
Key Tracks: “Playing With Pink Noise,” “Skimming the Fractured Surface to a Place of Endless Light”
Gary Clark Jr.
Gary Clark Jr. in London in 2012, a blues-rock guitarist blending genres with fiery playing.
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Initially categorized as a successor to Jimi Hendrix or Stevie Ray Vaughan, Grammy-winning blues-rock guitarist Gary Clark Jr. has consistently demonstrated a far broader musical range. His fiery playing incorporates elements of soul, funk, grunge, and hip-hop, and he has collaborated with artists as diverse as Foo Fighters, Alicia Keys, 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, emphasizing his desire for creative exploration. “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-bending approach, his fiery guitar style, and his commitment to pushing musical boundaries make him one of the greatest guitar players in contemporary blues and rock.
Key Tracks: “This Land,” “Grinder”
Amadou Bagayoko
Amadou Bagayoko of Amadou & Mariam performing live in London in 2012, blending Malian rhythms with Western pop.
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Malian couple Amadou Bagayoko and Mariam Doumbia, who met at an institute for the blind in 1977, achieved international success as Amadou & Mariam. Their bright, melodic duets, driven by Amadou’s jaunty, sometimes skronky guitar leads, resonated across rock festival circuits. “People are often surprised when we explain how much we were influenced by Western pop music,” Amadou Bagayoko noted with a laugh, highlighting their diverse influences. “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 fusion of Malian musical traditions with Western pop and rock influences, and his creation of a unique and globally appealing sound, earn him recognition as one of the greatest guitar players in world music.
Key Tracks: “Djanfa,” “Ce N’est Pas Bon”
Justin Broadrick
Justin Broadrick of Godflesh, a pioneer of industrial metal and extreme guitar sounds.
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Justin Broadrick has forged his own guitar language across industrial-metal pioneers Godflesh, grindcore originators Napalm Death, and psychedelic post-metal band Jesu, among numerous other projects. His steamrolling, elastic riffs and dense textures in Godflesh infused humanity into the band’s mechanical rhythms. In Napalm Death, he helped pioneer the “grinding” sound of grindcore by pushing distortion to its extreme, creating a visceral sonic experience on tracks like “Instinct of Survival.” In Jesu, his noise-layered soundscapes created a haunting, ethereal world for his vocals. Across all his projects, Broadrick’s guitar sound is uniquely expressive, evoking sighs, groans, and weeping, defying easy categorization. Justin Broadrick’s pioneering role in industrial metal and grindcore, his creation of extreme guitar sounds, and his diverse musical output make him one of the greatest guitar players in experimental and extreme music.
Key Tracks: “Like Rats,” “Silver,” “Scum”
Hugh McCracken
Hugh McCracken in 1972, a legendary session guitarist behind countless classic hits.
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East Coast guitarist Hugh McCracken was never a flashy soloist, but his tasteful guitar work is woven into countless classic songs. His piercing lead on Steely Dan’s “Hey Nineteen,” the energetic opening lick on Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl,” and the silky acoustic textures of Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly With His Song” are just a few examples. In an understated yet vital way, he enhanced 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 in such high demand for studio work that he declined Paul McCartney’s offer to join Wings after playing on Ram. Hugh McCracken’s impeccable taste, his versatility across genres, and his essential contributions to countless hit records make him one of the greatest guitar players in session music history.
Key Tracks: “Hey Nineteen,” “Killing Me Softly With His Song”
Eric Johnson
Eric Johnson performing live in 1991, a guitar virtuoso admired by fellow musicians.
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A consummate technician, Austin-born Eric Johnson is a guitarist 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 hailed him as “one of my favorite guitarists.” “Damn, that guy can play!” Billy Gibbons exclaimed. A fusion stylist leaning more towards rock than jazz, Johnson was a rising star in the mid-Seventies Austin music scene but faced career setbacks due to contractual issues. Although his 1990 instrumental album Ah Via Musicom eventually went platinum, 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 extraordinary technical skill, his fusion of rock and jazz influences, and his recognition among guitar peers solidify his status as one of the greatest guitar players’ guitarists.
Key Tracks: “Cliffs of Dover,” “Benny Man’s Blues”
Lynn Taitt
Lynn Taitt, the creator of rocksteady guitar sound, a Jamaican music pioneer.
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Lynn Taitt, born in Trinidad, made his indelible mark in Jamaica, essentially inventing 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. Although his active period in the scene was relatively brief, ending when he moved to Canada in 1968, his influence was cemented when his student Hux Brown refined Taitt’s style, helping to create the signature sound of reggae guitar. Lynn Taitt’s pioneering role in creating the rocksteady guitar sound and his foundational influence on Jamaican music make him one of the greatest guitar players in reggae history.
Key Tracks: “007 (Shanty Town),” “Take It Easy”
Grant Green
Grant Green performing live in 1975, a jazz guitar pioneer and soul jazz innovator.
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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, producing 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 just 43, while in New York for a gig at George Benson’s Breezin’ Lounge. His influence continues to resonate, particularly in hip-hop. His guitar work 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 pioneering role in soul jazz, his impeccably cool guitar style, and his enduring influence across genres, including hip-hop, solidify his place among the greatest guitar players in jazz.
Key Tracks: “Idle Moments,” “Jean De Fleur,” “On Green Dolphin Street”
Vince Gill
Vince Gill performing live, a country music legend celebrated for both vocals and guitar.
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It’s almost unfair – Vince Gill is rightfully celebrated as one of country music’s greatest vocalists. However, he is also a lethal guitarist, particularly with an electric Fender in hand. Beyond his lively chicken picking and twangy bends on hits like “Liza Jane,” Gill has paid tribute to California country guitar legends like Don Rich and Roy Nichols on his album Bakersfield. Furthermore, Gill’s guitar has graced countless albums by other artists, 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, pulling double duty as a harmony vocalist and guitar virtuoso. Vince Gill’s exceptional talent as both a vocalist and guitarist, his mastery of country guitar styles, and his extensive contributions to country music make him one of the greatest guitar players in country music history.
Key Tracks: “Liza Jane,” “Oklahoma Borderline”
Garry ‘Diaper Man’ Shider
Garry "Diaper Man" Shider of Parliament-Funkadelic performing in 1977, a funk guitar innovator and showman.
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When questioned about his diaper-clad stage persona with Parliament-Funkadelic, Garry Shider replied, “God loves babies and fools. I’m both.” While initially celebrated for his searing, distorted leads on Funkadelic 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. Beyond his “Diaper Man” persona in Parliament-Funkadelic, he was known as “Starchild” in Bootsy’s Rubberband and served as music director for the P-Funk All Stars. His post-P-Funk collaborations included work with Paul Schaffer and the Black Crowes. Garry Shider’s dual mastery of lead and rhythm guitar in funk, his songwriting contributions to P-Funk classics, and his unforgettable stage presence solidify his place among the greatest guitar players in funk music.
Key Tracks: “Cosmic Slop,” “One Nation Under a Groove”
