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With writing any type of list like this, there are invariably many guitarists
who would deserve to be listed and are not and it's almost impossible to find
anyone who will agree with you without adding and subtracting at least one or two from the list.
So, with that caveat, here's my list of the top ten most influential guitarists from 1950 onward.
- Jimi Hendrix: roll up all of the next nine players into a ball and you've got what Hendrix was able to do. If you study transcriptions of his work, you'll see that he was constantly playing lead and rhythm guitar at the same time, while doing a better job than most people have ever done of either. My favorite is "Little Wing", but pick up any random song of his to hear the outer limits of what the guitar is capable of.
- Keith Richards: although, like the Edge, not known for his lead work, Mr. Richards knows exactly how to turn a rhythm part into something hypnotic and memorable. A telecaster, small amplifiers and some very light effects helped to turn this man into the greatest rhythm player in rock. Period. Listen to the Stones' "Beast of Burden" or "Street Fighting Man" to hear more.
- Stevie Ray Vaughan: influenced by the masters of traditional blues, Stevie Ray added some distortion and a lot more volume. Oh, did I mention that he could also play like Hendrix?
- Jimmy Page: they say that Led Zeppelin invented heavy metal, but it was Jimmy Page that made sure that virtuosity would be at the forefront of guitar-based rock. Made the Les Paul guitar cool again.
- B.B. King: made sure that blues would outlast the early 20th century. This sharecropper's son single-handedly took blues music out of the Juke Joints and into the mainstream of American music.
- Eric Clapton: invented blues rock. What more can I say? (Listen to "Layla" if you still don't know what I mean.)
- Eddie Van Halen: while Mark Knopfler was redefining the clean electric, Eddie worked on stretching the distorted electric guitar to its absolute limits. There never would have been heavy metal shred guitar if not for this guy.
- Mark Knopfler: in the middle of 1980's shred mania, Mr. Knopfler proved that it didn't take layers of distortion and effects to create an unforgettable guitar sound. Using his Strat-style Pensa guitars and just his fingers (no picks, please) Mark Knopfler reminded everyone what a great electric sound really is. Suggested listening: "Sultans of Swing".
- The Edge: although not known as a soloist, Edge is a master at knowing exactly the right part to add to lift up a song, instead of just adding another "look at me" moment. Almost any U2 song can be picked as an example - start out with "Streets Have No Name" or "Desire" for a couple good ones.
- Les Paul: although more are familiar with the guitar he lent his name to than his recordings, Les Paul is unquestionably one of the greatest guitarists of our generation. His technique and soloing skills are absolutely flawless. Although he is not as well-known today, thousands of guitarists count him as a major influence.
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