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Who is your overall favorite guitarist?

At 44 years of age, I personally feel fortunate to have lived in an era along with some of the finest guitarists who have ever lived. I have always had an overwhelming love of music. As I look back to my earlier years of music appreciation (I took formal piano training for 17 years) I remember how my instructor would suggest exposing myself to the many different styles and disciplines of music.

These were such valuable words of wisdom. Considering the fact that this suggestion, more or less, forced me to be more open to musicians other than those that played in strictly rock and roll bands.

Wow, was I surprised to find that I could be as entertained by Chet Atkins and Les Paul as I could be by Ritchie Blackmore or Carlos Santana. Just think about some of the finest from our time. Jimi Hendrix, John McLaughlin, Robin Trower, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eric Johnson, Steve Howe, Al DiMeola, the list could seem almost endless. All such incredible musicians.

Although it's very hard to pick one person or style in particular, let's remember the key words, "overall favorite".
I would probably have to say that my overall favorite would have to be Steve Morse (from Dixie Dregs fame).

Who is your favorite?
128x128buscis2
mhu
102 posts
 
Carlos Santana for rock and Pat Metheny for fusion.
tfkaudio
589 posts
 
Pete Townshend.
(He hasn't gotten one mention before me? Ok, he's not the virtuoso that many of the others are on this list. But the question didn't read "Who is the most skillful guitarist?". Who on this list is more FUN to listen to? )

Tom
boldstrummer
21 posts
 
Technique goes far beyond gymnastics. Technique is also the way an artist interprets a given piece of music, their sense of stylistic awareness, their large-scale concept of the music, and their sense of working within the limitations of a given medium (instrument) to impress on the listener that something much more spectacular has occurred. These qualities apply in spades to all the artists I mentioned above. I am not so sure that "greatness" is completely intangible.
That said, manual dexterity is one very, very important factor in determining whether an artist can ever achieve this kind of transcendence. The more dexterous the musician, the more complex the musical ideas may be, and also the more depth may be implored into more seemingly simple or otherwise common musical statements.
I guess I just don't like to be constantly reminded that I am listening to a guitar every time I listen to a guitar!
dcktr
38 posts
 
Richard Thompson
robm321
932 posts
 
My favorites are Randy Rhoads (not only very talented but very musical - who knows what he would have been capable of had he lived long enough), Steve Vai and Al dimeola (for talent and innovation), Frank Gambale (sheer talent - although not my favorite music)

My favorite and I think one of the best musicians of all time:

ANDRE SEGOVIA

and fortunately he recorded several LPs with Decca Records - the sound quality is great -- I'm close to having all of his LPs
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