Got to point out that John Cipollina’s guitar playing on the Man, Maximum Darkness album had to be overdubbed by Mickey Jones as John’s playing wasn’t up to scratch, Deke Leonard pointed this out in his book, Rhinos, Winos & Lunatics.
Two I think I’d have chosen. Roy Buchanan, the man with a perfect ‘quacky’ Tele sound. First heard him (on record) in 1975. A wonderful player who unfortunately had his demons. Rory Gallagher who released the perfect live album with Live In Europe. You’re at the gig listening to it - and I saw him live in 1975. Apart from those some great choices - especially Peter Green. Thanks for taking the time to post these videos.
hey mazz...good to see you looking good...great video...i'm glad you mentioned marty stuart...another guitar legend who played and recorded alot with chet atkins was jerry reed....but there are so many to mention..so little time...love the zappa inclusion..so brilliant..so forgotten for his instrument...peace always my friend...rocky
Hey Mazzy. fantastic list. Pretty hard to argue with any of these great guitarists. Also, many of your favorites have such historical importance that they should never be overlooked. Thanks and hope you are staying safe. Cheers.
Hi Mazzy, Happy to see you again.. genuinely. I was beginning to worry that there was no new video from you. Great idea. 21 guitarists. Wow, gorgeous glossy vinyls from Grant Green.... the gatefolds still crack. Beautiful... you know me with the design and the intrinsic value and I am sure the music must be as gorgeous. Wes Montgomery... my brother is a big fan. Mark Knopfler and J.J. Cale... love incredible guitarists. Love Peter Green... I listened to his songs while on my walk today. Love the video. God bless and keep well, angel of the vinyl and CD community Tino
Hi Mazzy. First of all thanks for the shout-out. I appreciate it. I guess I seem to have a relaxed style perhaps because of the lockdown. I still have to work from home but do have some more welcome quiet space in the day. As you say picking favourite musicians / guitarists is nothing new but it’s so interesting to see what VC members choose. Bert Jansch is showing up a lot which is quite right. I have that Ali Farke Toure album. Great you also showed Man band from Wales. Not seen anyone mention them on the VC. Great video. Have also been enjoying your split screen collaborations. Clever stuff! Take care, John.
Binging on your vids while drinking martinis...so fun! And in the middle of this one, John and Gary from QMS. Of course! But perhaps few would even know...thx Mazzy
Mazzy, great selections. This makes me want to do a response, but I have responses that I want to do from the ladt 3-4 videos, so who knows which will see the light of the VC day until they are published. Thanks, Chris
Fun video. Great job Mazzy. My friends and I talk about who's the greatest at all things music. I have friends in the club that are pretty famous guitarist. It's cool to hear who they think are great. Take care my friend. Bill
Great eclectic list of guitarists, Mazzy. All of these artists have a feel and tone that is recognized from the first note. Loved Peter Green’s playing with John Mayall. I knew Ry was gonna show up !!! My favourite guitarist as well. I wish Jerry and Jorma had of made your video...great job..loved it..Glen
Hi Mazzy, great take on guitar players. I know art Cooder is a fav of yours, can’t deny his licks on ‘Memo from Turner’ Performance soundtrack. Love JJ Cale, saw him a couple times in Ballard. Need to keep my eye out for the others. Take care -Kimbo
Hi Mazzy, hope all is good with you. Wonderful choices - especially the Ry Cooder choice. That is a great record that I need to dig out. Lovely Bert Jansch box. I’m always on the look out for Bert’s albums. Love Rosemary Lane. One I missed is the British folk artist, Martin Carthy. Also, Nick Jones who released the incredible ‘Penguin Eggs’ before a terrible car accident stopped him from playing until a couple of years ago. Both excellent players. Cheers for now, Steve.
I can’t believe you mentioned Chestnut Mare. I absolutely love that song. This was a great list. You know who I absolutely love?? Peter Buck from REM. I’d have to put him in there. Very nice job and great to see you again. I felt like it’s been years. Haha Cheers, Brian🍀
Shamrock'n Records believe it Brian. Whenever I make a playlist of any type of songs I love, Chestnut Mare is on it. I could listen to it every single day. It’s perfect. The one player I forgot is Johnny Marr he is so original and I just blanked out
Norman Maslov - It’s funny you mentioned Marr because I was originally going to say, “I thought you’d put Marr in there.” And yes, Chestnut Mare is perfect. Perhaps my favorite Byrds song and that is a strong statement.
Admittedly, I had to look up that Man record and damn was I surprised. I was pretty much sold when I read they were known for the live improvisation. Great list, peace!
Great stuff. James Burton! 👍🏻😎 Have there been a lot of these videos? Seems like something people would jump all over. I saw Rachel’s and now yours but that’s it. Link Wray. Roy Buchanan. Those are a couple for me. Thanks for not doing 40 this time. I’m also really impressed you kept it under 30 minutes. See you tomorrow! 🙌🏻✌🏻😷
Hi Mazzy, interesting choices and I like the approach in selecting based on the feel or sound. I posted a response to this thread too. I tried to showcase guitarists that have a certain sound or feel - trying to avoid some of the obvious choices (maybe failing). Included Peter Green in mine too. Cheers Dale
Nice list! Regarding Grant Green, his album 'Matador' is absolutely essential. Also, based on your preference, I think you'd really like Richard Thompson, I'd recommend 'Across a Crowded Room' as an entry point, but you really can't go wrong with any of his albums.
Hello Mazzy. How you and all your friends and family are doing well during these crazy times. Enjoyed the video, glad to see some of these artists in your pics. They are all very good. A couple I haven’t heard I’ll have to check out. I would have had to sneak Glenn Cambell in there somewhere 🙂
Amazing list... some I wasn't familiar with... My list would have to include: STEVE HACKETT (More interested in coloring the songs perfectly than showing off... a rarity in prog)... MIKE OLDFIELD (One of the most distinctive and beautiful guitar tones around)... ...and then I'd have to find a place for those brilliant writers who compose on guitar ...ANDY PARTRIDGE of XTC, MARTIN PHILLIPPS of THE CHILLS, and ROBERT POLLARD of GUIDED BY VOICES... who have all composed so many pop masterpieces on that instrument.
I love guitarists and harp players. For C&W Doc Watson, for Jazz Canadian Sonny Greenwich, some think he's the greatest jazz guitarist ever. For the Blues Blind Blake. For rock and roll I'll go with Elvis sideman Scotty Moore just for old times sake. LOL .. My all around great at every genre guitarist would have to be Roy Buchanan. Wonderful choices Mazzy, a couple I never heard of...... Ry Cooder huh? Yep he's a good un'. Great slide work.... Electric Ladyland is my fav album of all time and his Voodoo Chile slight return I think is the greatest R&R song ever pressed. Love that album... Cheers
Since this video, there has, of course, been the Rolling Stone Top 250 guitarists, which brought everyone out in hives because they missed out about another seventy-five or so. I was intrigued by this video because the thumbnail showed the Welsh band 'Man.' "Deke Leonard?" I asked myself. "Deke Leonard? I haven't seen him on anyone's list of great guitar players." But you weren't referring to him. Fun pop quiz: how many bands have contained a member called Mick Jones? I knew The Clash and Foreigner, but Man had one, too. Maybe there are more.
I love Man, one of my favourite bands Mickey Jones is a sublime guitarist, they were Welsh and heavily influenced by Quicksilver Messenger service,another of my favorites, they did a whole series of great albums in the early seventies, they were also good mates with Help Yourself another great UK band that was heavily influenced by the San francisco psychedelic scene, take it easy.
Hi Mazzy , My post punk teen years guide me to favorite 🎸 players. Tom Verlaine , Robert Smith , Johnny Marr , Geordie , Will Sargent & 3 deceased James " Honeymoon " Scott , John Mcgeoch & Andy Gill. All , excellent Pedal Pushers ! Oh , The Edge is pretty decent as well ! Cheers 🍺
I wanted to throw in someone who never gets love. Maury Muehleisen the way he made that guitar sound just like Croces voice always amazed me. I don't think I could pick 21, the list would keep growing. When I'm asked who"s my favorite guitarists my answer is the last one I listened to. One last word, Gary Ducan was a tuned meat grinder and I love his playing. Thank you for the list.
this list gets a high approval rating! I'd like to squeeze spaces for Bo Diddley, Bill Frisell, Johnny Marr, Curtis Mayfield, maybe Johnny Smith and Ted Greene. It's funny how guitarists get about...I only found recently that Bill played on a Vic Chesnutt record and Ted, apparently on the American Metaphysical Circus!
Without fail, every time I watch one of your episodes, I want to hop in the car and haul ass 100 miles to my nearest record store (Waterloo, Austin, Texas).
Jon Spencer, Gabor Szabo, John Dwyer, Jimi Hendrix, Trevor De Brauw, Eddie Hazel, Asa Osborne, John McLaughlin, Page Hamilton, Kim Thayil would be ten favorites for me.
Consider John was in a band with Barry Melton called "Fish and Chips". There is no sip in olini. I have a framed picture of him in my music room, I tell everyone he is my dad. You can't out weird me on his talent. Rick Griffin cover art......don't get me started on his genius.
Mazzy thanks for yet another fine video. But now I'm lost. 21 fine (or best) guitar players within the US or UK? Some I do agree on, but for sure there are a lot of others worldwide! It's like the top 21 VC performers on YT with a hat? Are you one of Them? Or is it all all "fake news"?
What a great, interesting list. Not the same old names, re-shuffled. Excellent! There is someone who I think you would like a lot: James Blood Ulmer. IMO his earlier stuff is fiercer. He did an album called "Black Rock", which is fire.
Don,t forget the jazzers...Wes Montgomery , Kenny Burrell and Grant Green . Also the underated British Jazz axemen , Ray Russell , John Etheridge , Alan Holdsworth , Terry Smith and of course John Mclaughlin .
Backtracking thru your old clips (and flicking away the ads) - Clarence, yeah! Check out his tone-bent solo on Randy Newman's Old Kentucky Home - but you'd know it: Ry's on the same album. James Burton, check! He's all over Jerry Lee Lewis's first (self-titled) album for Elektra (1979).. with Hal Blaine and the Jordanaires! Drop the needle on track 1 and see if you can stop. Spare a thought for Lonnie Mack? Those two comeback albums in '68 and '69 (Elektra again): Glad I'm in the Band and Whatever's Right are classics. Keep on keeping on, Mazzy!
Hi Mazzy....Greetings from Great Britain 🇬🇧....Great choices....nice to hear some guitar players that people don't credit as much...avoiding the usual clichés...but hendrix is unavoidable...I'd say that the only player as influencential as hendrix was Eddie van Halen...who took it to a new level a fantastic rhythm guitarist never mind his solos..which were always short and non indulgent....you cannot add everybody in a guitar list...but a few notable emissions would be ...Richard Thompson...George Benson...johnny marr.........still Grant Green...what a great player...when I play my epiphone casino I think not paul weller...beatles...teenage fanclub...I think grant green...he played the Gibson 330...which a casino is a more affordable version of...there's also some amazing classical guitar players that are pretty mind blowing...but great choices and as you and I know there's no such thing as the best guitar player...like Billy Bragg is a great player..so is James honeyman Scott...so is Antonio carlos jobin...so is randy rhoads.......its all good man
I have a fraction of the knowledge you have, and I’m sure you could have easily done 21 more off the top of your head, but for me & what I know, I’d have to include Johnny Marr of The Smiths. He sounds very distinctive to me.
How many artist did Django influence. His name is used in every genre as a huge influence. Ali Farrah Toure just went on my want list. Appreciate that. Ry Cooder, good to know the #1 man.
Dajango is such a big influence in so many genres and artists. Any of the recent (last two years) Ali Farka Toure reissues are fabulous. Plus his collaboration with Ry Cooder.
Hi Mazzy ok everybody going to tell you all the ones you’ve left out but so Blues Joe Bonamassa and Gary Moore,and Jazz Jim Hall,and think what Django Reinhardt could have done if he all his fingers,all great stuff thanks.Tony.
Thanks for mentioning John Cipollina. The fact that he remains relatively unknown is partially due to that selective standardized travesty called Classic Rock
Aside from Flamenco players, Derek Bailey was impressive. Reminds you in the world of music, talent is often not noticed or rewarded, at least financially.
Started nice then the Hacks started to appear How about the Great Spanish Guitarist-Canadian guitarist=South American etc.. Rock Guitarist are Noise Hacks
Solid list. I realize these are favorites and not greatest, but lists like this are always fraught with peril... I'd add Richard Thompson, Gary Moore and Rory Gallagher.
01 jimi Hendrix 02 Rory Gallagher 03 Dave Davies 04 Jimi Page 05 Ritchie Blacmore 06 Duane Almann 07 Pete Townshed 08 Eric Clapton 09 Steve Howe 10 Alvin Lee 11 George Harrison 12 John Mayall 13 Mick Taylor 14 Frank Zappa 15 Peter Green 16 Alex Lifeson 17 Robert Fripp 18 Jesse Ed Harris
