Mount Rushmore of Guitarists

racefaceec90

i would add allan holdsworth

I will freely admit to not being able to get into some of his music (jazz fusion for instance) but for sure he was a genius.

Teetonetal

Kurt Cobain?

In terms of influence, I wonder how many 90s kids wanted to play guitar just because of him.

Certainly most requested band of my time teaching.

koneguitarist

rocktron said:

C'mon  guys . . .only one person (Schnozz), mentioned Ritchie Blackmore. 

Well two, really, including guitars4you.

Blackmore influenced a great many rock guitarists.

I loved Blackmore, great guitarist and so many great riffs. Still love his live version of Lazy the best though!

dazzajl

Gassage said:

Gilmour

Davey G

Gilmour, DJ

Dave Gilmore.

Sorted.

You forgot Gilly the Pooh, my personal biggest hero of all the DGs

Whistler

soma1975

Teetonetal said:

Kurt Cobain?

In terms of influence, I wonder how many 90s kids wanted to play guitar just because of him.

Certainly most requested band of my time teaching.

Strangely it's interesting how few guitarists since actually sound like him. 

EricTheWeary

soma1975 said:

Teetonetal said:

Kurt Cobain?

In terms of influence, I wonder how many 90s kids wanted to play guitar just because of him.

Certainly most requested band of my time teaching.

Strangely it's interesting how few guitarists since actually sound like him. 

I have a fairly negative viewpoint toward Kurt and Nirvana but in terms of maintaining the popularity of the electric guitar I can certainly see the argument.

I’m more confused by multiple mentions of Robert Johnson. Pretty much unknown in his own lifetime and left no legacy in the areas of Mississippi he frequented ( the various Robert Johnson bars and Crossroads meeting points there for the benefit of tourists). Referenced and covered by 1960s rock stars who picked up little or no stylistic influence from him. Although with his hat and his cigarette I guess he’d be a cool looking carved head. 

Stuckfast

Well if it's influence we're after then surely Davey Graham has to be in there? Modern fingerstyle guitar owes everything to him.

And no takers for Joseph Kekuku? The man who invented slide guitar?

Philly_Q

Stuckfast said:

And no takers for Joseph Kekuku? The man who invented slide guitar?

Correct, no takers.

Stuckfast

Philistines.

Jimbro66

Stuckfast said:

Philistines.

Were they guitarists ??

Philly_Q

Jimbro66 said:

Stuckfast said:

Philistines.

Were they guitarists ??

My full name is Philly Q. Stein.  But no, I can't really claim to be a guitarist.

Redlester

Greg Philistines? Wasn’t he Clapton’s keyboard player? 

Babones

Andrew Ridgeley and Chesney Hawkes

Cols

Chuck Berry, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and Eddie Van Halen, if you’re looking for landmarks who fundamentally changed the face of guitar music.

randerson

Without looking at previous posts (so trying to remain uninfluenced) I would have my 5 as:

Django Reinhardt
Charlie Christian
Eric Clapton
Jimi Hendrix
Eddie Van Halen

Funkfingers

Whistler said:

Can’t help wondering whether the scree below John Lord represents fossilised vomit or Chinese Rocks?

sticker

Surprised no ones mentioned Buddy Holly ... practically introduced the world to the Stratocaster , wrote and played on his own songs (when very few people did) , and influenced so many of the greats. 

RonnieHotdogs

Hendrix
Tom Verlaine
Richard Lloyd
Charlie Byrd
Chuck Berry 

axisus

I'd go for the main Rock influencers, Hendrix, Clapton and EVH. I guess maybe Les Paul as well, but I don't really know much about him. Then one other from non-rock but no one is springing to mind at the moment.

I'd want Holdsworth in for uniqueness but he doesn't really fit as so few people know him in comparison.