"Didn't we just listen to this Johhy B. Goode song? Now it's called Run Run Rudloph?"
Posted on 09/29/2016 6:17:49 PM PDT by Mariner
The 20th century could easily be considered the golden age of guitar in popular music. You can hear it in the inventive blues and jazz guitar work that seemed to reinvent the instrument every decade if not every year or so, and you can especially hear it in the invention of the guitar-centric rock genre that became a cultural behemoth in the second half of the century. Popular music today often eschews the guitar in favor of studio-based arrangements, but the guitar players who made the greatest impact in the 1900s continue to influence popular music today. To celebrate their contributions to music and music history, we’re counting off five of the most influential guitarists of the 20th century, in chronological order.
1. Robert Johnson
(Excerpt) Read more at cheatsheet.com ...
That is a topic that lends itself to being very subjective.
Glad to see Duane Allman at 5.
So many great guitarists hard to know where to really stop.
Certainly Alvin Lee comes to mind. I don’t know.
Full of it.
EVH can’t shine JMH’s shoes.
I am ashamed. No one mentioned Lenny Breau. Stevie Ray Vaughn’s tribute is named “Lenny”.
Sure Hendrix, Chet, and a bunch of others (Stephen Bennett used to live near here) but Lenny sort of stands out.
Better put Prince in there somewhere.
Excellent list, I can’t really argue with any of them. I’d also put Frank Zappa, Eddie van Halen and John McLaughlin somewhere in the top 10.
I was always impressed by Benson singing what he was improvising.
Les Paul was the most influential guitar player of the 20th century. Hands down. He invented the electric guitar so none of these other guys would have amounted to anything if Les Paul hadn’t paved the way.
On acoustic guitar, Chet Atkins was the most influential guitar player since the guitar was invented.
Depends what ‘influential’ means here. Slash sold more Les Pauls and convinced more kids to pick up guitar in the first three bars of “Welcome to the Jungle” than Duane Allman did in his entire career. Music stores were a much different place pre-Slash than they were post-Slash.
Given that, I'd put Les Paul and Jimi Hendrix on the list for sure. Lots of debatable options after that, depending on genre.
But I certainly agree about the great Wes Mongomery.
None of those guys exist without Les Paul
No way. I'd have to hear evidence of that, because I've heard them both, and there's just no way Jimmy is better than Stevie based on what I've heard in my 51 years on this earth. The evidence for Stevie's uber-greatness is pretty clear and accessible. I'm perfectly willing to be persuaded otherwise, so please, point me in the right direction...
Re: Kottke.....I agree, as long as he doesn’t sing.
Peter Green! YouTube him and the original Fleetwood Mac.
Oh Well
Sunny Day
Black Magic Woman(He wrote it. Santana covered it.)
I would like to see a longer list , Clapton, Vai, Becker, ...
Here's a youngster with loads of skill to watch: Tina S
David Gilmour
Agreed. But didn’t care as much for Malmsteen, as the other two. To flashy and too many notes, in too quick succession. Not as “tasty” as Van Halen or Rhoads, my biggest influences, besides Tony Iommi and perhaps Martin Barre of Tull fame.
This list is crap. Every one of these musicians' playing is heavily influenced by others.
Do you think Chuck Berry didn't try to play like Sister Rosetta Tharpe?
And what about Robert Plante and Bo Diddley?
I wish a musicologist would weigh in and we could all learn something instead of reading this list written by some idiot with a computer whose white butt I would like to kick down the stairs and then up again.
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