And guys (it was always guys, all the most proficient and creative rock instrumentalists were men, something about that male obsessiveness when they like something, no female teenager spends their every waking hour practicing guitar, etc, the way the best male players did) back then had the discipline, the lack of distraction, whatever it was, to practice obsessively and practically eat drink and sleep their instruments, plus the creativity to move the music along. (I hate when people bring up Nancy Wilson, she was good, but she couldn’t touch the best male guitar players, and anyway it’s my understanding that Roger Fisher came up with the iconic riffs and solos in the classic Heart songs.)
Just like Peter Frampton was underrated as a guitar player because of his teen idol image, he was and is a great guitarist, playing jazz stylings in a sea of blues scales in rock.
What a shame that Frampton and Marriott weren't able to reunite before Marriott's tragic death.