And anyone who has heard him play became inspired to grab a guitar and start learning. He knows how to keep the audience on the edge of their seats – the versatility and range of styles, he’s a real showstopper. But your parents might want you to play one, especially if you’re from a Yugoslavian family like me.” – Alex Lifeson on how his inspiration in guitar playing. He can play like others but others cannot even play half as good as him. Now rank these famous rock guitarists and vote for your favorites! There are so many things to love about David Gilmour. And his work is nothing short of stellar. He does enjoy some showmanship on stage but even if you take all of that and just focus on his playing, it’s still hard to deny how much of a virtuoso he was. He didn’t get his legendary status for nothing – his sound is distinctive and unique. Some people play the guitar, others become one with it – and obviously Page is the latter. It’s the best.” – Eric Clapton. Disco may have partly dominated the airwaves but that didn’t necessarily mean rock music was moved to the back seat. Watching him do his thing on stage is breathtaking. And yet he can easily leave everyone else in the dust. Unfortunately, by the time I got to the end I realized this was the author’s favorites list versus the Top 10 Greatest Guitar Players. This list may not reflect recent changes (). You can ask his peers or other rock legends and the consensus is that he is undoubtedly one of the finest guitarists of the ‘70s. We took 170 guitarists from our big list and grouped them into six categories: classic rock, blues, heavy metal, shred, indie/alternative and a ‘best right now’ contemporary poll. “No one was playing archtop, hollowbody guitars in a rock band. He’s a guitar extraordinaire for more than five decades now and for someone to remain relevant that long and with so many classic hits to boot, then he definitely has something right as a musician. He took everything to another level and it’s safe to assume, a talented man like him comes once in a blue moon. Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, David Gilmour: all famous rock guitarists of the '70s that heightened the sound and reputation of every band they played with. Garcia, whose mother was a registered nurse and whose father, Jose, was a small time jazz musician, had a troubled childhood. It was a golden era, for sure, especially for punk-rock and progressive-rock. Let’s be honest here, not everyone can do that even those who are technically proficient. He’s clearly one of the best and a real master when it comes to guitar playing. “He was single-handedly moving guitar to a whole new level… What was amazing about Eddie’s playing was that it was full of stuff I’d heard before, yet it all sounded so new.” – Joe Perry. 23 Carlos Santana Carlos Santana is a Mexican and American musician who first became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered a fusion of rock and Latin American jazz. He didn’t single-handedly change the course of rock music but he was highly influential, you can still hear traces of his influence in today’s musicians. In the guitar world, Gary Moore’s untouchable. We can’t help but wonder why Alex Lifeson didn’t really get the recognition he so richly deserved. No way Dylan should even be on the list. For this list, we went for a gender split that recognizes female slingers’ impact as highly as their male counterparts. People laughed at me and thought I was really snooty. In the guitar world, Gary Moore’s untouchable. “I wanted a bright, powerful lead guitar tone that would basically rip your face off.” – David Gilmour. Vote up the guitarists who killed it in the '70s based solely on that decade. A guideline for the difficulty of each song has been included. Favorite guitarists of the 70's. It is a wonderful guide to learn from, listen to and read about. There’s a raw energy in his playing that cannot be duplicated. His skills on the guitar are not only legendary, they’re basically unrivaled. He is musically gifted and that shows in his range. But when you’re Gary Moore, who needs any of those? But the music wouldn’t be as memorable if it weren’t for these stellar axemen who delivered jaw-dropping and face-melting performances, helped fill stadiums and arenas, and played unforgettable solos and riffs. 100 Greatest Country Music Guitarists Criteria: These are the 100 greatest guitarists who have very clear roots in country and bluegrass. “Good” doesn’t even begin to describe him. He lent his guitar to me and I grew to like it. This list of guitarists includes notable musicians, known principally for their guitar playing, for whom there is an article in Wikipedia. He had a reputation for being moody and highly unpredictable and that translated to how he delivered his solos. See more ideas about rock guitarist, guitarist, musician. He is one of the more popular ones, sure, but that still doesn’t take away the fact that he is clearly among the best. On the contrary, the ’70s marked one of the greatest times in rock ‘n roll and yes, even if other genres began their rise to popularity. And that’s why Eddie Van Halen will go down in history as one of the greatest axeslingers of all time. “I almost subconsciously used music for myself as a healing agent, and lo and behold, it worked… I have got a great deal of happiness and a great deal of healing from music.” – Eric Clapton. We also factored in the relationship between their skill, innovation, and influence. If you can’t appreciate his greatness, you’re listening to his solos wrong. Also guitarists like Shawn Lane, Joe satriani, Guthrie govan, Jason Becker, Paul Gilbert, Nuno Bettencourt, Steve Vai, Reb Beach, Eric Johnson & Michael Romeo should be higher on this list. In the mid-1970s comprehensive editions of his music appeared, making it possible for guitarists of a younger generation to study his music, augmenting and complementing more traditional repertoire. He was a musical genius and while we lost him early on in the decade, he still contributed much to the era. In fact, he’s a league of his own and while he may not be as popular as others, he makes up for it with talent and skills. It’s not just “Tears in Heaven” but for most of his songs, you can feel the sadness and depth of emotion. (*=R.I.P.) I mean he did a few of his tricks, like playing with his teeth and behind his back, but it wasn’t in an upstaging sense at all, and that was it … He walked off, and my life was never the same again.” – Eric Clapton. He shined as an axeslinger and somehow he makes everything look easy and effortless. The guy could play almost every single genre there is. As the lead guitarist of Pink Floyd, he is by many considered one of the most influential guitarists on the rock stage. The guy could play almost every single genre there is. He inspired numerous musicians – some became legends themselves. Alright, rock music lovers: Your time has come. ... • Greatest Rock Songs 1970s • Greatest Rock Songs 1980s • Greatest Rock Songs 1990s • Greatest Rock Songs 2000s • Greatest Cover Songs • 500 Greatest Popular Recordings Of All Time List RulesVote up the guitarists who killed it in the '70s based solely on that decade. So we chose only the crème de la crème and yes, it was difficult to bump out some of our favorites. Eddie Van Halen is serving you some real shredding goodness. This guy should be in the top ten. Besides, you know you’re doing something right when your peers start singing your praises. His melodic pieces are unforgettable and not something you could easily get out of your head. The sound and tone, you can quickly tell it’s him. The decade started with the much-talked about breakup of The Beatles. SPIN’s 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time SPIN doesn't worship "guitar gods" — we like our axe-wielders to be flawed, resourceful, egalitarian, and human SPIN Staff | May 3, 2012 - 12:45 pm He could outplay most guitarists you know. But the sound he was getting out of that Strat was so thick and so full and just so raw.” – Kirk Hammett. “To this day, I’ve never heard better rock guitar playing on an R&B record. “My brother-in-law played flamenco guitar. He goes to art ... Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Ah, here we go again – we are about to start another round of endless debate among readers. He should never be compared to other axeslingers – he is peerless. Certainly, he’s a great player, but known as much for his time with the Eagles and solo success, his credentials as a core blues player aren’t strong. The 50 best guitarists of all time, as voted by you. “He played just about every style you could think of, and not in a flashy way. We often find ourselves getting major goosebumps during his solos. And since we’re talking ‘underrated’ here, look no further than Moore who was left out of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time list by The Rolling Stone magazine. You cannot dare call yourself a rock fan if you haven’t listened to any of his solos. Consider what each of these guitarists brought to the bands that they performed with. That's influence. Longevity has a lot to do with guitarists. We know that was way back in 1968 but Duane Allman along with the rest of the guys in The Allman Brothers Band became one of the most influential rock bands in the ‘70s and it wouldn’t have happened without Duane and his incredible axeslinging skills. If someone says, “That was good; play that again,” I’m not able to do it.” – Ritchie Blackmore. He knows the perfect timing. Before his untimely death in late 1971, he has proven his immense talent and more. Now rank these famous rock guitarists and vote for your favorites! 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