Top 15 Most Influential Guitarists

**just strum** · February 9th, 2009, 08:26 PM

Originally Posted by Fretcruiser

Phil Keaggy

I use to go see Phil every week when he was with Glass Harp and played at the Agora

:

**Fretcruiser** · February 9th, 2009, 08:31 PM

I saw him 2 summers ago at a campground with Glass Harp, then I saw him at a guitar clinic in Medina last year.

**Fretcruiser** · February 9th, 2009, 08:47 PM

Actually, I have to add Neal Schon to that list as well.

syo*** · February 9th, 2009, 10:11 PM

Richard Thompson
Pete Townshend
Joe Strummer
Jerry Donahue
Jimi Hendrix
John Lee Hooker
Mick Ronson
Blixa Bargeld
B.B. King
Brian Setzer
Jerry Garcia
Jonny Greenwood
Robert Fripp
Bill Nelson
Keith Richards

**thekiwidisciple** · February 9th, 2009, 10:38 PM

Stevie Ray Vaughan
Jimi Hendrix
David Gilmour
Brian May
Eric Clapton
Mike McCready
Dave Kilminster
Joe Satriani
Steve Vai
Porl Thompson
Steve Erquiaga
Mark Knopfler
Stone Gossard
John Frusciante
Doyle Bramhall II

hubberjub*** · February 9th, 2009, 10:54 PM

Not quite 15 but in no particular order:
Dickie Betts
Paul Gilbert
Steve Vai
Warren Haynes
Jimmy Herring
John Scofield
Trey Anastasio (He helped get me away from bad metal)
Jerry Garcia
Marc Ribot
Kelly Joe Phelps
Steve Kimmock
Robert Fripp
Steve Howe
Richard Thompson

**Jimi75** · February 10th, 2009, 04:56 AM

Oh man, there are no 15 guitarists who have influenced me - at least I think so. So how do we define influence? Does this imply that you study their style, cover their songs, maybe you just like them and listen a lot to their music...?

Guitarists that really influenced me, because I like/liked listening to their music a lot, their technique/style were a big part of my guitar studies and I am/was a big fan of theirs:

1. Jimi Hendrix
2. SRV
3. Joe Satriani
4. Kirk Hammett
5. Steve Vai

Sorry, but that's about all the guitar dudes... ;-)

Musicians that influenced me generally, and I pick only those that had a big part in my development as musician/guitarist:

1. Jeff Buckley
2. John Williams
3. Abdullah Ibrahim
4. Richie Kotzen - as a songwriter

Finito.

J75

**thekiwidisciple** · February 10th, 2009, 06:41 AM

Interesting to see Kotzen on your list. I want one of his telecasters....*drools

**R_of_G** · February 10th, 2009, 06:50 AM

Originally Posted by syo

Jonny Greenwood

Glad to see him on another list. Jonny's an endless source of inspiration for me.

**evenkeel** · February 10th, 2009, 11:19 AM

From the light side....

Steven Stills
Merle Travis
Neil Young
Joni Mitchell
James Taylor
Bonnie Raitt
Eric Clapton
Shawn Colvin
Leadbelly
Roger McQuinn
Pete Seger
Tom Rush
John Curtis

and a name I'm very surpirsed has not come up before
Les Paul

tunghaichuan*** · February 10th, 2009, 11:35 AM

Mine:

Buckethead
David Lindley
Adrian Belew
Robert Fripp
Johnny Winter
Muddy Waters
Warner Hodges
Tony Iommi
David Gilmour
Eric Johnson
Steve Morse
Steve Earle

tung

duhvoodooman*** · February 10th, 2009, 08:19 PM

Eric Clapton
Jeff Beck
Jimmy Page
Jimi Hendrix
Pete Townshend
Keith Richards
Duane Allman
Dickey Betts
Toy Caldwell
Terry Cath
Carlos Santana
Mark Knopfler
Steve Morse
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Joe Bonamassa

**wingsdad** · February 11th, 2009, 09:18 AM

Chuck Berry
James Burton
Steve Cropper
Eddie Willis/Joe Messina/Robert White
Tommy Tedesco
Al Caiola
Tony Mottola
Mike Bloomfield
John Lennon
George Harrison/Paul McCartney
Keith Richards
Pete Townshend
Eric Clapton
Carlos Santana
Elliott Randall
Jim Messina
Gary Rossington/Allen Collins/Ed White/Steve Gaines
Don Felder
Lindsay Buckingham
Andrew Gold
Waddy Wachtel
Lee Rittenour
Tom Scholz

**SweetSong** · February 14th, 2009, 04:17 AM

1. BB. King ( I saw him live and wanted to play so he's my number 1!)
2. Jimi Hendrix
3. John Frusciante
4. John Lee Hooker (Fun and the songs help learning blues)
5. Slash
6.Mark Knopfler (so sweet.I love his voice too)
7. Deborah Coleman
8. Bonnie Raitt
9. Allison Robertson
10. Alot of others ,but noone knows who they are!

**Katastrophe** · February 14th, 2009, 07:52 AM

It's cool to see the diversity of influneces, as well as the guitarists we have in common.

Paul Gilbert
Steve Vai
Alex Skolnick
Michael Wilton
Chris Degarmo
George Lynch
Jimmy Page
Angus Young
Malcom Young
James Hetfield
David Gilmour
EVH
Lindsey Buckingham
Adrian Smith
Dave Murray

There are others.

**Andy** · February 14th, 2009, 09:30 AM

R Blackmore
Pat Travers
EVH
Joe Perry
Jimmy Page
Hendrix
Ray Flacke
Gary Rossington
Scott Gorham
Brian Robertson
Tony Iommi
Buck Darmha
Ace
Alex Lifeson
J Giels... the list goes on

marnold*** · February 14th, 2009, 09:41 AM

Just about everyone I've ever listened to has influenced me to one extent or the other. My main list would include guys like:

George Lynch (go figure)
Randy Rhoads
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Eddie Van Halen
Jake E. Lee (Ozzy, Badlands)
K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton (Judas Priest)
Dave Murray and Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden)

Then there are some guys that are mainly in the category "I wish I could play like that but I never will":
Yngwie J. Malmsteen
Michael Angelo Batio
Every other neoclassical guy (or girl, viz, Jennifer Batten)

Guys from instructional videos that really seemed to click with me:
Doug Marks (Metal Method)
Keith Wyatt

Then there'd be the bassists because that's where I started. Bass playing still influences my guitar playing:
Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot, Ozzy, Whitesnake, and everybody else in the 80s)
John Deacon (Queen)
Steve Harris (Iron Maiden)
Geddy Lee
Billy Sheehan (mainly for saying that it's OK to tap on a bass)

Beyond that pretty much everybody who has ever played blues or metal has had an influence.

**Tibernius** · February 17th, 2009, 05:38 PM

The three biggest influences, both in my playing and songwriting:

Grant Nicholas
Tim Wheeler
Charlotte Hatherley

The remaining 12 in no particular order:

John Frusciante
Chris Demakes
Matthew Bellamy
Ray Toro
Frank Iero
Matthew Murphy
Kurt Cobain
Billie Joe Armstrong
Brad Delson
Daron Malakian
Kelly Jones
Mikko Lindström

There's more than that of course, they're just the main ones.
I've tried to be honest with this. I like - and listen to - Iommi, Hendrix, etc. but they haven't had much - if any - influence on my playing or songwriting. They're great guitarists, but everyone lists them.

**Geraint Jones** · February 18th, 2009, 09:21 AM

I had to think about this one over the 2 hours walk it took to tire out the dog , i must admit i`m more into bands as a whole or maybe songs rather than individual guitarists, but in no particular order
Neil Young- nobody can get so much out of one string
Steve Cropper - less is more
Lightnin` Hopkins - my favourite bluesman
Johhny Marr - i still don`t know how he does it
George Harrison - where would we be without him .
Roger Mc`Guinn - pushed me into country
David Rawlings - plays my kind of country
Mick Taylor/Keef - The Stones at their best
Jimmy Page - we`ve all wanted to play like him at some point
Stevie Ray - keep searching for the tone
Johhny Cash - boom chicka boom
Dan Auerbach - so much noise for 2 people to make
Scotty Moore - still makes the hairs on my arms raise

There will be another load when the dog gets her walk tomorrow probably

Thread: Top 15 Most Influential Guitarists

Thread Tools

Search Thread

Display

Posting Permissions