If it were longer I would add Keith Richards, but then I would stop.
I’d pass on Chuck Berry being in the top 5. Most of his stuff is just the same riff recycled over and over again.
Les Paul, Chet Atkins
What about Chet Atkins?
Dave Alvin (Blasters)
Django Reinhart, Tommy Emanuel, Mike Bloomfield
Buddy Guy?
I recently stumbled across a female guitarist named Sister Rosetta Tharpe. I’m not musical enough to make ratings myself but she could really play. Maybe a more musical person could rate her.
Clapton, and Campbell???? MIA the list.
Jimi Hendrix - I could name 20 guitarists right now that we’re better by far than him - start with Ed Van Halen and end with Johnny Winter
David Gilmour - Pink FLoyd
Mark Knopfler - Dire Straits
Pete Townshend.
He’s not a soloist but the man can play the guitar.
If Randy Rhodes had lived longer he would have done many more incredible things in music.
Bert Jansch
Most influential, I think maybe:
Les Paul
Django Reinhardt
Jimi Hendrix
Muddy Waters
Tony Iommi / Keith Richards
Django Reinhardt
Tony Rice has been the most influential in the bluegrass field but he would give the credit to Clarence White for his style.
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.
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.
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.