Most Influential Guitarist

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: Most Influential Guitarist

How did Hendrix influence Clapton and Beck? Isn't it the other way around?

I'd like to throw another name out there. While not the most influential guitarist, Tony Iommi pretty much opened up another genre of rock with his riffs and was a big influence to the early Seattle scene.

[joer625]

Re: Most Influential Guitarist

Mike McCready of Pearl Jam, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Eddie Van Halen, Robin Trower, Warren Haynes of Gov't Mule and Allman Brothers, Dean Deleo of Stone Temple Pilots, Joe Walsh, Noel Gallagher of Oasis, Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones and Faces, Steve Mariott, Peter Frampton, Henry Garza of Los Lonely Boys, David Hildago of Los Lobos, Trey Anastacio of Phish and thousands more.

can i throw omar-rodrigue lopez and thomas erak onto there?

[Birdsonbat]

Re: Most Influential Guitarist

Tom Morello. Maybe? Its just a guess. Possibly Steve Vai as well. Other than them, nobody else really pops out.

Hendrix was the first guitarist. Yes, Clapton, Beck, Page, Berry, etc, were putting out albums before him, but Hendrix was the first Guitar God. You're asking for the most influential...I don't know if you mean whose style of play can you see the most in guitarists, but KobeBryant answered that ? with a more than sufficient list. You mention SRV in a post yet ignore him in this post that I quote, and that shows a lot. Stevie absolutely worshiped Hendrix, and it is all too obvious in his playing. I mean, the guy had a Strat with a left-handed neck just to emulate the sound that Hendrix got from playing a right handed guitar. When Hendrix burst on the scene, he sent all of his contemporaries back to the workshop. He was the first to revolutionize guitar playing. If he was the best or not, that's debatable. But who was the most influential, and even more than that, important guitarist? Jimi Hendrix.

[eXperiment63]

Re: Most Influential Guitarist

Zakk Wylde and Dimebag now need to be added to all the influential lists. Sure, they haven't influenced nearly as many guitarists as the old school players. But that is only because they haven't had nearly as much time. You give it ten years... and the next generation of guitarists will sound as much like zakk and dime as they do hendrix and page. Neither one of them truly revolutionized the way the guitar is played.... but they have their own unique style that is nearly impossible to duplicate if you aren't as good a technical player. You can go and be an ok guitarist and *sound* like Hendrix... will you hit his riffs, no... but you can get that sound. Zakk and Dime on the other hand... their sound comes directly from their speed and technical skill. You INSTANTLY know a dime or zakk solo when you hear it start out because nobody has been able to duplicate their style as authenticly yet as people have Hendrix and Page. Are they the best guitarists of all time... probably not, but they are easily the two best of their generation(IMO). I would put them both in the top 10 of all time... and Zakk into the top 5, maybe 3.

To any of you who say Zakk can't play acoustic and that it's all sound effects, go get a bootleg of an acoustic show from him. Or even just the Book of Shadows cd or B,B&B-B dvd and watch the acoustic performance. The guy is simply the fastest and most spot on guitarist around today when he isn't ****faced. waaf.com <- get some of his in-studio tunes, You can hear him rip up the acoustic.

[Casino]

Re: Most Influential Guitarist

does noone like Carlos Santana?

[Ger]

Re: Most Influential Guitarist

Everyone is saying Hendrix because he might be the greatest guitarist ever but who has he influenced? I'm not doubting that he hasn't influenced others, I just don't directly see it.

...wow

[Ger]

Re: Most Influential Guitarist

I know this guy doesnt equal the rest of these guitarists influential-wise but ima just throw in David Gilmour. he sure as hell is a major influence on my playing.

[eXperiment63]

Re: Most Influential Guitarist

does noone like Carlos Santana?

O I love santana.... But he isn't really all that influential, just a very very great player.

[Scottdau]

Re: Most Influential Guitarist

Chuck Berry. Johnny B Goode. That song rocks. Even Judas Priest did a cover to that.

[KobeBryant]

Re: Most Influential Guitarist

Hendrix was the first guitarist. Yes, Clapton, Beck, Page, Berry, etc, were putting out albums before him, but Hendrix was the first Guitar God. You're asking for the most influential...I don't know if you mean whose style of play can you see the most in guitarists, but KobeBryant answered that ? with a more than sufficient list. You mention SRV in a post yet ignore him in this post that I quote, and that shows a lot. Stevie absolutely worshiped Hendrix, and it is all too obvious in his playing. I mean, the guy had a Strat with a left-handed neck just to emulate the sound that Hendrix got from playing a right handed guitar. When Hendrix burst on the scene, he sent all of his contemporaries back to the workshop. He was the first to revolutionize guitar playing. If he was the best or not, that's debatable. But who was the most influential, and even more than that, important guitarist? Jimi Hendrix.

Nice post and spot on.

Oh and Joe yes you can add those two on there as well, I know for a fact Omar was definitely influenced by Jimi.

[Kashanova]

Re: Most Influential Guitarist

O I love santana.... But he isn't really all that influential, just a very very great player.

santana is riduclously great i like how he plays