GUEST POST: Top 10 Best Electric Guitar Players off All Time by John Anthony

By John Anthony of Guitar.Listy

When it comes to rank the musicians it is always tough. Different people have different choice and there will always be a controversy about who should be number one and who should be at ten. Still in this article a list of the top ten best electric guitarist is done keeping in mind their fame and the enigma they have created with their music. There are so many electric guitar players who have won hearts of millions over the years. Here are few of them who have left a lasting impression. 

1. Stevie Ray Vaughan

When Stevie Ray Vaughan comes with guitars in his hands even God will take some time to listen to him. He may be deeply rooted to the blues idiom but he had taken music especially electric guitar to another level that is purely original. He is inspired by other guitarists like Jimi Hendrix, B.B King and Albert Collins but he himself have influenced many others during his time. Among different styles his lighting fast double stop and triple string bends are something that are unforgettable. He has sprinkled his art in many songs that includes ‘pride and joy,’ ‘rude ‘mood’ and others but ‘Texas flood’ is something that took him to new heights. 

2. Jimi Hendrix

Considered as the great instrumentalist in the history of music Jimi Hendrix became active during the late 60s. He was something that was not seen before whether that be his volume use or wah pedals. He was the one who had blurred and radicalized the lines that had been demarcating rock and roll from the psychedelic experiments. His music piece ‘bold as love’ makes his audience awestricken and his guitar seems to be a part of him, such was his integrity was guitar! After Eric Clapton saw him he considered that it was the end of his career! Technically, it may be possible to find many other guitarists who are impressive than Jimi but when it comes to spirit very few comes near him. 

3. Chuck Berry

Chuck Berry is considered as the God of Rock and Roll and why shouldn’t he be? It was his amalgamation of blues with the hillbilly guitar that has pioneered the music famously known as ‘rock and roll’ now. He stands apart from other guitarist for the skills he had shown in synthesizing blues, rhythm, rock, country and jazz. His technique was sharp and perfect and the tone was very melodic. The back and forth bends by Berry on carols has been inspiration for many and is imitated by numerous electric guitar players round the world.  If you want to learn how to play an electric guitar then follow this article about how to play electric guitar for beginners on GuitarListy.com

4. Duane Allman

Duane Allman was always brilliant. He had shown his performance while playing as musician at Muscle Shoals studio or while as one of the lead guitarists of the Allman Brothers band. Whether it was his standard playing or the slide playing, the music was something that was smoothest and of course the most adventurous that the world has listened to. There are many pieces that has been mesmerizing music lovers but “the Allman brother live” will surely make one fall in love with him again, especially the one at the Fillmore East. 

5. Eric Clapton

Eric was mainly a Blues guitarist and it was his impressive blues playing that has made his fans making spray paints on the walls of London. Once John Mayall’s ‘Beano” album was released with his blues rock playing he was considered as the God of electric guitar. It was his solo, ‘while my guitar gently weeps’ in the Beatles that made him popular and inscribed his name in history of music permanently. He is also known as ‘Slowhand’ and he has been in the hall of fame of music three times. He had played with Derek. Cream and the Dominos and with all these music along with his solos has earned him the supreme position in the world of music. 

6. Chet Atkins

For those who had not heard Chet Atkins before are missing something in their life. He was a rockabilly player and loved playing his songs himself. He was a skilled instrumental guitar player and loved to play his music himself, without any support from other musicians. “Mr. Sandman” is a great example of his talent. He have created many other pieces that have made him popular and have given him this position. Still he is more famous for his syncopated melodies and alternating thumb rhythm that shows his precision while handling the instruments. 

7. Slash

Slash has rendered innumerable solos and among them ‘Estranged,’ ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine,’ or ‘November Rain’ are worth mentioning. Saul Hudson, or famously known as Slash was lead guitarist of the band, Guns N’ Roses. He was an iconic guitarist who had played solos as well as group performance that had kept music lovers mesmerized. He has even performed with Michael Jackson on the stage and that was an experience indeed. “Black and white’ had fulfilled the wishes of the masses when they had seen two maestros performing together on the stage. His mountain top grandeur solos and blues have taken the music lovers to climax many times. He gradually turned up the intensity of the music making things more intense. 

8. Charlie Christian

Many music lovers considered him as the first master of the electric guitar. He was an excellent jazz player and the stellar improvisational skills shown by Charlie Cristian was exemplary. He has created some of the most innovative and inventive jazz of all time with his fluent run down through the fret board. “Swing to Bop” will give an example how he has impressed his followers for ages. 

9. Prince

Prince is included in this list for his extraordinary solo on “let’s go crazy.” He is a guitarists who has shown his supremacy in blues, rhythm, funk and Minneapolis genres. He may be more famous for his frenetic style but there are ones like “while my guitar gently weeps or “just my imagination” that shows that he had ability to play under control. “While my Guitar gently weeps” has been a heart rendering piece that had made every guitar lover fall to knees. 

10. Frank Zappa

Frank Zappa was not only an electric guitar player but had many other qualities in him. He was a writer who wrote hilariously satirical lyrics. Apart from that eh has composed many brilliant music pieces and of course he is included in this list because of his inventive and innovative guitar playing. He has made many guitar improvisation with his lighting hands fretting. 
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