We have all been swept away and rocked by the riffs and rhythms of electric guitars before, whether at a concert or while listening to vinyl. Indeed, any music lover knows how to appreciate the talent of a good guitarist. No matter what kind of music is played (blues, folk, rock’n’ roll), a guitar virtuoso will be able to thrill any audience with his instrument. Here are 15 guitarists who have made their mark on tons of music lovers over the years.
15. Albert King
Albert Nelson, better known as Albert King, was born in Indianola, Mississippi, on April 25, 1923. King once said in 1968 that he had no influence on his playing style because “everything I do is wrong”. The Velvet Bulldozer, as it was called, was left-handed, but played the guitar with his right hand. He is best known for songs like Born Under a Bad Sign and As the Years Go Passing By.
14. Joe Walsh
Joe Walsh was born in Wichita, Kansas, on November 20, 1947. No wonder he became a guitarist – his middle name is Fiddler. Walsh has been successful in several groups, including the Eagles.
Walsh arrived late in the band, but their greatest success – Hotel California – was made in 1975, the same year he joined the band, and presents one of the best guitar solos of all time. Otherwise, he is best known for songs like Rocky Mountain Way and Funk #49.
13. Prince
Prince Nelson was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on June 7, 1958. The artist was a true showman and a guitar genius. It is said that he wrote his first song at the age of seven, and it was called Funk Machine.
Many experts have said they hear Jimi Hendrix’s sounds in his notes, but Prince disagrees, as he once said: “If they really listened to my stuff, they would hear more of an influence from Santana than from Jimi Hendrix”. Prince is best known for his songs Kiss and When Doves Cry.
12. Pete Townshend
Pete Townshend was born in Middlesex, England, on May 19, 1945. Townshend is said to be an intense guy, and it seems he was the first guitarist to smash his guitar on stage (but certainly not the last).
Townshend is best known for his work with The Who, and although he had a solo career later, during his time with the band, he never had a solo. The Who had a complicated sound that focused on drums and bass, making his contributions more measured. He is best known for songs like My Generation, I Can See for Miles and the cover of Summertime Blues.
11. Stevie Ray Vaughan
Stevie Ray Vaughan was born in Dallas, Texas, on October 3, 1954. He may look like he was eating a lemon while playing the guitar behind his back, but there was nothing lame about his music.
Vaughan was strongly influenced by Jimi Hendrix, B. B. King, and Eric Clapton. He is best known for his songs Love Struck Baby, Cold Shot and Look at Little Sister, and if it hadn’t been for a tragic helicopter accident in 1990 that caused his death, he would have had several other successes in his name.
10. Duane Allman
Duane “Skydog” Allman was born in Nashville, Tennessee on November 20, 1946. Like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Allman was kidnapped from this world too young, at the age of 24.
His style emphasized precision in a way that had never been played before. While we are all deprived of his untimely death (in a motorcycle accident), he is best known for his guitar work with The Allman Brothers Band.
9. Carlos Santana
Carlos Santana was born in Jalisco, Mexico, on July 20, 1947. At a very young age, he moved to San Francisco. He became one of the few lesser-known artists to have performed at Woodstock, earning him a national reputation.
As mentioned earlier, Prince said that Santana had more influence on him than Jimi Hendrix because “Santana played in a prettier way”. Santana is best known for Black Magic Woman, Oye Como Va and Soul Sacrifice.
8. B. B. King
Riley B. King, better known as B. B. King, was born in Itta Bena, Mississippi, on September 26, 1925. However, he was really born as soon as he was exposed to a purer form of blues, and was able to enhance his feelings through his singing and guitar.
King was a hard worker and enjoyed performing on stage, performing an estimated 342 shows in 1956 alone, and 200 shows a year in the 1970s. He is best known for songs like 3 O’Clock Blues, The Thrill Is Gone and Sweet Little Angel. Along with Albert and Freddie King, B. B. is considered one of the “Three Kings of Blues Guitar”.
7. Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck was born in Surrey, England, on June 24, 1944. Don’t confuse it with Beck, who’s not even close to being on that list. Although he was part of two very successful albums with the Jeff Beck Group, his time with the band was short, and he became a kind of companion who jumps from one band to another.
Beck is best known for his songs A Day in the Life, I Ain’t Superstitious and Heart Full of Soul, and is a true solo artist.
6. Eddie Van Halen
Eddie Van Halen was born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on January 26, 1955. During some of his riffs, Van Halen uses a unique style in the way he holds a pick. By grabbing it with his middle finger and thumb, he is able to slide his fingers on the strings, and according to some artists, it was as if he was playing another instrument.
5. Keith Richards
Now it’s the turn of the five greatest guitarists of all time to open the ball, starting with Rolling Stones legend Keith Richards. Richards was born in Kent, England, on December 18, 1943. Richards is an enigma because he is the main guitarist of the band, and also their rhythm guitarist, often in the same song.
According to Nils Lofgren of E. Street Band, one of the keys to Richards’ unique style is the way he tunes his guitar. Like Van Halen, you can play his music, but it will no longer be the same.
4. Chuck Berry
Charles Berry, better known as Chuck, was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on October 18, 1926.
Berry is best known for songs like Maybellene and Roll Over Beethoven. His song Johnny B. Goode is considered one of the greatest guitar solos of all time.
3. Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page was born in Middlesex, England, on January 9, 1944. If you look carefully at Page below, you can see a man with two guitars and an arm. Of course, he had two arms, and the way he swung that double-handled Gibson guitar created rhythm and heavy solos. With an undeniably dark but folkloric sound, the Page guitar captivates multiple generations of fans.
2. Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton was born in Surrey, England, on March 30, 1945. Clapton used simple notes and smooth, basic sounds to produce unforgettable melodies. The greatest guitarists have trained in blues, or have adopted the blues style to rock’n’ roll, and Clapton is a perfect fusion of the two.
1. Jimi Hendrix
We have become the number one guitarist of all time, and this man, Jimi Hendrix, is at the top of the list of the best guitarists of all time. Hendrix was born in Seattle, Washington, on November 27, 1942. One thing to note is the fact that Hendrix is by far the god of the guitar, and had the shortest career of all the others on this list.
