Top 15 Most Influential Guitarists

**Blaze** · February 9th, 2009, 08:39 AM

A list of the top 15 guitarists who influenced your playin in any style..

Why 15, why not ...could be less or more , it s up to ya..

Here are mine :

Django
Bruce Cockburn
Lenny Breau
Tony Rice
Pierre Bensusan
Bireli Lagrene
Jeff Beck
James Marshall Hendrix
Santana
F Zappa
Georges Harrison
Albert Collins
Robben Ford
Scott Henderson
Johny Winter
Duane Allman
Michel Cusson M.Cusson-clips

**R_of_G** · February 9th, 2009, 08:51 AM

Interesting thread Blazes. These are some of the players who have most influenced me. Not necessarily that I play like any of them, but those from who I have heard something which has influenced the way I play.

George Harrison
Django
Marc Ribot
Bill Frisell
Sonny Sharrock
Ron Asheton
Johnny Ramone
Robert Quine
Link Wray
Mick Jones
Joe Strummer
Jonny Greenwood
Greg Ginn
Pete Cosey
Arto Lindsay
David Gilmour (thanks for the reminder Spud)
Mike Bloomfield

**Blaze** · February 9th, 2009, 08:56 AM

Originally Posted by R_of_G

Interesting thread Blazes. These are some of the players who have most influenced me. Not necessarily that I play like any of them, but those from who I have heard something which has influenced the way I play.

VoilÃ*, same to me

piebaldpython*** · February 9th, 2009, 09:49 AM

Hmmmmmmmm......the 16 (I forgot somebody

) who most influenced me as to how I play or what I want to play or sound like......Hmmmmmm.....in no particular order:

Albert Collins
SRV
Luther Allison
Albert King
Robben Ford
Lowell George
Bonnie Raitt
Geroge Thorogood
Tab Benoit
BB King
Sonny Landreth
Elmore James
Vince Gill
Stefan Grossman
Rory Block
Stephen Stills

Robert**** · February 9th, 2009, 09:56 AM

Scott Henderson
John Scofield
Jimi Hendrix
Bill Frisell
Michael Shenker
Uli Jon Roth
Yngwie Malmsteen
Albert King
Sonny Landreth
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Paul Gilbert
Steve Vai
Wes Montgomery
Allan Holdsworth
Gary Moore

Spudman*** · February 9th, 2009, 11:29 AM

Fun.

Richie Blackmore
Michael Schenker
Robin Trower
Chris Duarte
Stevie Vaughn
Joe Perry
Gary Moore
Joe Satriani
Billy Gibbons
Rory Gallagher
David Gilmour
Jeff Beck

**R_of_G** · February 9th, 2009, 12:02 PM

What's interesting to me will be seeing some of the players that show up on multiple lists. Different players influence us all in different ways so it will be fun to compare and contrast what we may take from each of them.

Spud, I can't believe I left Gilmour off my list. I haven't listened to the Floyd in a few months so I guess it went to the back of my mind, but Gilmour is a huge influence on me. I just played "Fearless" the other night at a friend's house and yet I still forgot to include Dave. A lot of my use of delay is directly influenced by David Gilmour and I've learned more than a little about phrasing from listening to the man play. His subtlety is masterful and he can also crank up the intensity when appropriate.

I guess my list is now 16 deep. I actually once made a list of the 100 most influential players for me but lost it when my laptop crashed last year.

**Suhnton** · February 9th, 2009, 04:36 PM

My list is made up of influences from different periods of my life (in random order).

Malmsteen
Paul Gilbert
Steve Jones (Sex Pistols)
Ron Asheton (Stooges)
Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins)
Kim Thayil (Soundgarden)
Gary Moore
Billy Duffy (Cult)
EVH
Vernon Reid (Living Colour)
Jimi Hazel (24-7 Spyz)
Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath)
Stuart Braithwaite/John Cummings/Barry Burns (Mogwai)

**sunvalleylaw** · February 9th, 2009, 04:50 PM

Not in order:

John Mayer
SRV
George Harrison
David Gilmour
George Benson
B.B. King
Rivers Cuomo
The Edge
Tom Wisniewski
Neil Young
Tom Scholz
Combination of Mick Jones and Joe Strummer
Chuck Berry
Carlos Santana
Kurt Cobain

That is off the top (before reading anyone else's list), and just as I thought of them. I reserve the right to revise later, but there are a few.

EDIT: Ok, I just read everyone else's list and don't see any I need on mine instead of what I put (wait, Carlos Santana might bump Mick Jones or someone). I might like to add Johnny Ramone, and Wisniewski's interpretations of Ramones style playing honestly influences me more. For better or worse, ol' Kurt Cobain nearly made the list too.

EDIT AGAIN: Upon reflection, Carlos Santana has influenced me more than Duane Allman (probably Dickie Betts if anyone from the Allmans was more likely to be an influence anyway), and I have to honestly say that Cobain has influenced me so far more than Setzer, though I wish I could cop some Setzer stuff. Honestly, I have not been playing really long enough to have fifteen influences where I actually have tried to incorporate specific styles, but all of the above influence the rhythms and melodies I here in my head, so I guess they count as influences. The list has been so revised.

**thearabianmage** · February 9th, 2009, 05:05 PM

Nice thread!

-Kirk Hammett
-Randy Rhoads
-Dimebag Darrell
-Steve Vai
-Joe Satriani
-Yngwie Malmsteen
-Jeff Beck
-Eddie Van Halen
-John Petrucci
-Paco de Lucia
-Jimi Hendrix
-Jason Becker
-Jules Reason (old guitar teacher)
-Dario Cortese (current teacher)
-Martin Goulding (current teacher)

**R_of_G** · February 9th, 2009, 05:37 PM

Originally Posted by Suhnton

Stuart Braithwaite/John Cummings/Barry Burns (Mogwai)

Nice. Someone else listens to Mogwai! Hooray.

**just strum** · February 9th, 2009, 06:01 PM

Somewhat influential at one time or another. It may not always be for their talent, but some is just the ability to capture ones attention.

Not in any order

George Harrison
Mike Campbell
Santana
Clapton
Mark Knopfler
SRV
Buddy Guy
BB King
Ron Wood/Keith Richards
David Gilmour
Dave Davies
Joe Perry
Joe Walsh
Phil Keaggy

**Disraeli** · February 9th, 2009, 06:21 PM

-Eric Clapton
-Peter Green
-Pete Townsend
-David Gilmour
-George Harrison
-Stevie Winwood
-Jeff Beck
-Jimmy Page
-Jonny Lang
-Doyle Bramhill II
-Freddie King
-Robbie Robertson
-keith Richards
-Kenny Wayne Shepherd
-Mark Knopfler

**Algonquin** · February 9th, 2009, 06:21 PM

Some on my list have had an influence in the way I play, others just inspired me to want to play.

*Alex Lifeson
*Steve Sherman
*Andy Summers
*Ian Crichton
*Pete Townsend
*Robert Fripp
*EVH
*Jimmy Page
*Satch
*Brian May
*Gordon Lightfoot
*Keith Richards
*Brian Setzer
*Kim Mitchell
*Roy Clark

**R_of_G** · February 9th, 2009, 06:33 PM

I know who I forgot.

Can't believe I left out Mike Bloomfield. Silly silly me. I just put on some Dylan and it hit me.

:

**Tarin** · February 9th, 2009, 06:50 PM

Not that this have influenced my type of playing cause i really haven't aqcuired a style... yet (you see, i'm a beginner), but this are the guys i look up to for their style.

In no particular order:
John Squire
Billy Gibbons
Brian Setzer
SRV
Scotty Moore
Chuck Berry
John Greenwood
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
Johnny Ramone
Keith Richards
Marc Bolan
Ricky Wilson

**just strum** · February 9th, 2009, 06:51 PM

I'm like R of G

Pete Townsend

thanks Algonquin and Disraeli

Spudman*** · February 9th, 2009, 08:21 PM

Originally Posted by Disraeli

--Jimmy Page

Wow! 10 lists before we got a Jimi Page.

**Fretcruiser** · February 9th, 2009, 08:22 PM

Randy Rhodes
Van Halen
Paul Gilbert
Eric Johnson
Andy Timmons
Tom Schultz (Boston)
Phil Keaggy
SRV
Eric Clapton
BB King
John Petrucci
Joe Satriani
Steve Howe
Alex Lifeson
Slash

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