Sometimes people will ask me this question, and I’m not always able to give a straightforward answer. Why? You may well ask. The main reason is that I go through phases of listening to a guitarist’s recordings, and I get absorbed into the sonic world that they inhabit. I’ve listened to a lot of different guitarists since my childhood, and each one of them has something to offer the listener.
Here’s a shortlist of some of them:
Jimmy Herring (Aquarium Rescue Unit), Bill Harkelroad (Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band), B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimmie Vaughan, Carlos Santana, Jerry Garcia (The Grateful Dead), Andy Partridge (XTC), Lowell George (Little Feat), Snooks Eaglin, Ronnie Earl, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Frank Zappa, Frank Gambale, Albert Collins, Albert King, Freddie King, David Hidalgo (Los Lobos), Rory Gallagher, Johnny Marr (The Smiths), George Harrison (The Beatles), Mick Ronson (played on the Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders From Mars album by David Bowie), Nels Cline (Wilco), Al Anderson (NRBQ), Pete Anderson (Dwight Yoakam), Dickie Betts (The Allman Brothers Band), Bruce Cockburn (Canadian solo artist), John Martyn.
The list could go on. The fact that I have listened to these people hopefully means that when I play, some of the music that I’ve listened to will filter through into my own guitar playing.
If you were to compile your own list of favourite guitarists, no doubt it would feature many different players to the ones I have mentioned here. That’s what makes your filter different to mine. Different is not better, nor is it worse, it’s just different. This I believe is to be celebrated.
Why not inbox me with some of YOUR favourite guitarists. I’m always open to hear something new.
Simon Faulks Music Tutor 