Comments on: Top 10 Great American Guitarists

By: michael longobardi

michael longobardi — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 06:30:24 +0000

you forgot alvin bishop and ronnie montrose and i dont even know the names of the guitarists on lou reeds album rock n roll animal before he fired them ( wasnt lou) but they were great. lot of great unsung american guitarist even crazy ass nugent gets his dues. i was was in highschool when stranglehold came out. i love all those british greats but we had some great ones too

By: Larry A Padilla

Larry A Padilla — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 20:27:22 +0000

What about the great white blues guitarist -Michael Bloomfield? Took Dylan electric, Electric Flag, Paul Butterfield Blues Band and over all knowledge of of Americana styles of all guitar styles/genre.

By: mat

mat — Wed, 18 Sep 2019 04:02:28 +0000

It’s evident a lot of you don’t play guitar. Les Paul? Lee Renaldo?Tom Morello?Johnny Winter? Brian Setzer?????? (that was the funniest one) Don Felder? (the 3rd best guitarist in the Eagles, barely surpassing Frey and miles behind Walsh and Leadon) Billy Zoom? I love X quite a bit but, ahead of his buddy and far superior player Dave Alvin?

Just so that you can see that I’m not immune to being wrong…I nominate John Fahey, Jerry Garcia, and Zappa.

By: Tobinx

Tobinx — Sat, 02 Mar 2019 19:03:09 +0000

Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed, or Roy Clark???

By: Jon

Jon — Sat, 02 Mar 2019 18:18:36 +0000

Interesting choices, but Tom Verlaine isn’t even the best guitarist in Television. Billy Zoom would be included in my top ten.

By: Geraldo Treblig

Geraldo Treblig — Sat, 02 Mar 2019 18:07:30 +0000

In my opinion, Richard Lloyd was the true, shining guitarist from Television, although Verlaine was chief songwriter. Another couple that I think deserve placement (probably in top 20, not 10…) are Danny Gatton and Jesse Ed Davis.

By: Bill Nelson

Bill Nelson — Sat, 02 Mar 2019 11:04:27 +0000

My personal list, (in no particular order of ‘greatness.’)

Les Paul,
B.B.King.
Charlie Christian.
Jimi Hendrix.
Chet Atkins.
Bill Frisell.
Joe Pass.
Wes Montgomery.
Leo Kottke.
Chuck Berry.

Of course, these are just personal favourites that reflect my own musical values to a greater or lesser extent and, in truth, the list could be extended to include dozens of other players. The fact is that there is no absolute ‘greatest’, it’s always a debatable term and coloured by the extent of our experience. Nevertheless, guaranteed to cause debate and argument. ?

By: Chris

Chris — Sat, 02 Mar 2019 04:12:20 +0000

Aussie here,
My nod is to all the unknown,unrecorded guitarists that deserve accolades and recognition.
These artists have brought glimmers of sunshine,happiness to those so fortunate to be in the right place at the right time.
I do so honour them.

By: Jim

Jim — Sun, 19 Aug 2018 01:53:32 +0000

What about Jim Campaglione?

By: Russell Greear

Russell Greear — Mon, 23 Jul 2018 23:04:35 +0000

Don fielder was also great. He wrote the beginning lyrics to hotel California and a fue other eagles songs.

By: Jason Moore

Jason Moore — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 22:52:56 +0000

Jeezus christ people! It’s a TOP 10 list, and it’s not put together by census of 7 billion people! Just enjoy the list…make your own if you need to. Post it to Twitter or FB or whatever and claim your place as “top critic of the ever shifting pop culture. It has nothing to do with technical ability! JM made it to the list, and I’m happy with that. I agree with all of you alternative suggestions, but we could just go on and on! Jeez!

By: James West

James West — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 02:02:01 +0000

I love J Mascis. All of these arguments have merit, and I could throw in Vernon Reid and Billy Gibbons.

By: Wes

Wes — Sat, 04 Nov 2017 07:47:07 +0000

J. Mascis is a really good choice. A tremendous, beautiful player of great virtuosity -kind of the Jimmy Page of now. He’s not mentioned enough on these lists -so good to see him included here.

By: Keith Ohlson

Keith Ohlson — Mon, 21 Aug 2017 06:10:30 +0000

I would give a nod to Leo Kottke.

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 17 Jul 2017 01:49:34 +0000

Jimi and Stevie are there… I’m good!

By: Bodders

Bodders — Sat, 08 Jul 2017 11:56:07 +0000

Joe Pass should definitely be in that list. How about Brian Setzer too,???

By: Steve Turpin

Steve Turpin — Sat, 08 Jul 2017 11:34:20 +0000

All about context. If you were 15 in 1977 you’d never heard anything like Tom Verlaine, he really was innovative. Lists like this are always controversial. No Dickie Betts?

By: Alex

Alex — Fri, 07 Jul 2017 16:41:42 +0000

Tom Morello

By: Ivan Eastwood

Ivan Eastwood — Fri, 07 Jul 2017 14:43:37 +0000

Not at all re : Buchanan. Most players on the list never played an Airline LOL! Mind you – great shout about Chuck Berry of course… we could’ve easily mentioned him!

Anyway – no Top 10 list is ever truly comprehensive or final… thanks for all the names you suggested!

By: Greg Hopkins

Greg Hopkins — Fri, 07 Jul 2017 01:39:58 +0000

Love it, true legends.
But really guys how can anyone bag out on this list, it’s impossible to put all the best in a short list and of coarse it depends on where, when and how you lived as to your personal preference. I’m Australian and I still think this is good cross section of The Best of all time……. Ummmmm maybe Jack could have been No 2,,,, oh and where was Ace… Ok maybe not.

By: Deano

Deano — Thu, 06 Jul 2017 09:49:54 +0000

LEE RANALDO!

By: Aaron

Aaron — Wed, 05 Jul 2017 23:52:46 +0000

Dean Ween Freedom Of 76

By: Dave Achelis

Dave Achelis — Wed, 05 Jul 2017 14:41:19 +0000

Dave Achelis?

By: Jeff Perry

Jeff Perry — Wed, 05 Jul 2017 13:54:03 +0000

Steve Cropper.

By: drac

drac — Wed, 05 Jul 2017 10:08:17 +0000

No Chet Atkins!??

By: NZ2062105 Sinisha

NZ2062105 Sinisha — Wed, 05 Jul 2017 07:17:23 +0000

Jack White. LOL

By: Karl Swetland

Karl Swetland — Tue, 04 Jul 2017 23:18:18 +0000

Really?! Tom Verlaine and Jack White (in a “Top 10 American Guitarists” list)?! I guess these ‘innovators’ must’ve knocked true American ‘Top 10 guitar talents’ such as Johnny Hiland, Roy Buchanan, and Michael Bloomfield back into the teens or twenties….
I have a feeling that if Roy Buchanan had used an Airline Map instead of a screaming Tele, he’d be on this list, eh? This list purports to be “10 GREATEST American Guitarists…Ever”; not “10 Greatest American ‘Genre-Innovators’ on Guitar”. Not a good list here, based on it’s title: Go get Chuck Berry (BTW), too, if this list is for ‘innovators’ instead of “10 ~greatest~ USA Guitarists”, since he DID Innovate that obscure genre called ‘Rock-and Roll’ in the first place….Oh, well; J. Mascis of ‘Dinosaur Jr.’ must’ve left a more relevant legacy after all (Sorry, Chuck Berry; even though an entire generation of Americans were conceived to “Carol” or “Sweet Little Sixteen”)! Johnny Winter? Les Paul? Nah; these guys are the TEN GREATEST GUITARISTS FROM AMERICA…(sigh!). Half of this list are ‘genre-innovators’, but ~not~ “10 Greatest” material by ~any~ stretch.

By: RB

RB — Tue, 04 Jul 2017 23:07:09 +0000

Yes….they are all very good….but this list is convaluted at best. Everyone’s list will be different, however, this list is off.

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 04 Jul 2017 20:23:54 +0000

Not the greatest American guitarist of all time — CHET ATKINS? How ’bout Mike Bloomfield? Roy Buchanan? Christopher Parkening? Lowell George? Albert King? Robert Johnson? Charlie Patton? Charlie Christian? B.B. King? Wes Montgomery? Joe Pass?

By: Mark Altman

Mark Altman — Tue, 04 Jul 2017 19:10:45 +0000

You’ve left out so many great guitarists. Your list is very narrow minded, rock only, more or lesd. No Chet Atkins and you’re missing a ton of jazz guitarists. What gives?