NY Times Poll for the Greatest Guitarist of All Time.....

(Tommy, I hope it is ok to post this here....)

The New York Times hosted an article yesterday on touring the C.F. Martin facility in Pa. The article is worth reading simply on its own merits, but also features, on its secondary page, a poll for "greatest guitarist of all time".

Here's the link:

http://community.nytimes.com/article/comments/2008/02/22/travel/escapes/22guitar.html

Y'all know what to do!

jan

Not to cause any heartache, but.....Django, Chet, Segovia, Jimi should all be right up there, IMHO. It's irrelevant anyway as how can anyone figure out who is the "best guitarist of all time"? "Of all time" covers a lot of players!
Tommy, let's ask Brian!

I don't think that causes any heartache at all, and I think the galaxy of really wonderful players voted for demonstrates the impossibility of the question. It really isn't possible to say who the "greatest" is. Maybe the greatest is the first guy who ever played a guitar. Maybe it's some guy who is playing in some dive bar in some corner of the world we never even heard of. I was walking in the local skid row a couple of years back and there was a guy playing so beautifully and amazingly on a 12-string that I cried (and gave him ALL my money). Maybe THAT nameless guy is the best guitarist in the world. A lot of the people who replied to the poll couldn't make just a single choice, either. For myself, I can't separate "greatest" from "my personal favorite". I can't be that dispassionate. And the truth is, for me, I don't think playing music is a contest, where I *could* name the "greatest" player. To do so would be to ignore all the players I have never heard, and all the ones I never will (a great sadness). To do so is to ignore the heritage and evolution of music and guitar in particular.

I couldn't and didn't vote, for all those reasons, but I thought that some of the other forum members might like to. It would be wonderful to hear Brian's views on the subject, of course. Not only is he a brilliant and innovative player, but his insights on music and his life as a musician show a rare combination of mind, heart and soul. And I think *that* IS the greatest!

jan

I'm not as familiar with the jazz and classical names that some people have mentioned so I can't comment there. But on the rock side, I'm tired of seeing the same old names over and over again. What almost always gets left off these lists are guitarists from Rockabilly and Progressive. I don't expect to ever see the likes of Setzer make any kind of list. And it's almost seems as if there is a blacklist cause by resentment against progressive players like Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen, Robert Fripp, John Petrucci, Alex Liefson, Buckethead, etc. The only real prgressive and revolutionary player that seems to get mentioned with any regularity is Frank Zappa, and I think that only occurs because Baby Boomers somehow lump him in with with their Sentimental Sixties Nostaligia. I find that ironic, because Frank was always diametrically opposed to much of the mentality of the day and ridiculed it mercilessly in both music and lyric. But for my money, if we are going to compare late 60s-70s guitarists, Frank Zappa could play CIRCLES around guys like Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton.

another thoughtful and passionate reply! I hope that you will respond to their poll, EP, listing all the folks you have named here, and including the body of your own comments, if they will fit.

Just please don't let my brother hear that about Mr. Slow Hand. The Pantheon Of Guitar Gods hath taken a direct hit!

(I think Mr. Clapton was very correct in saying he wasn't "god" but (rather) "good").

jan

Come on, we all know Brian's the greatest!

However (to add to the discussion), if you're going for pure technique, the list could still be fairly lengthy - Andres Segovia, Fernando Sor, Django Reinhardt (who, for those who don't know, had only partial use of his ring finger and no use of his little finger ON HIS LEFT HAND - yes, the one he voiced all those jazz chords with), Phil Keaggy (missing the middle finger on his right hand), the two-handed tapping wonder Stanley Jordan, and many others.

When you start arguing musical influence in a certain style or era, any sense of standards falls away quickly. For instance, B.B. King has made a career out of playing a handful of licks over and over and doesn't even play chords, but who can deny his influence on blues? Hendrix and Clapton inspired generations of copycats, as have Scotty Moore, Eddie Van Halen, Chet Atkins, etc.

My personal favorites: Brian Setzer, the Edge, Eric Clapton, and Scotty Moore

BTW, I recently heard an interview with Carlos Santana, in which he said that there are millions of guitarists that play really well, but there's about 100 guys whose playing you instantly recognize when you hear it because they have figured out how to make the guitar an extension of their soul. I couldn't agree more.

ratpack wrote:

BTW, I recently heard an interview with Carlos Santana, in which he said that there are millions of guitarists that play really well, but there's about 100 guys whose playing you instantly recognize when you hear it because they have figured out how to make the guitar an extension of their soul. I couldn't agree more.

This clearly defines who deserves to be on the list of greatest guitarists.

Sorry, I don't speak guitar technique, but I know what makes me feel GOOD when I hear it and I feel good all over when I hear my personal favorites, who are:

Brian Setzer, Lindsey Buckingham.

Kiki wrote:

ratpack wrote:

BTW, I recently heard an interview with Carlos Santana, in which he said that there are millions of guitarists that play really well, but there's about 100 guys whose playing you instantly recognize when you hear it because they have figured out how to make the guitar an extension of their soul. I couldn't agree more.

This clearly defines who deserves to be on the list of greatest guitarists.

Kiki, Ratpack - I 99 per cent agree with you. 'About a 100 guys whos playing you instantly recognize........' Well, that's why Brian Setzer is not on any list! Not heard by enough people in the first place, and therefore his trademark guitar licks aren't recognized.

I went to that page but couldn't find the secondary one. But i would say that apart from a small clip of Jimmy Hendrick playing his guitar with his teeth - i don't know why he's always at number one.
Dave Edmunds Blues Helping tracks have some of the most blistering guitar i've ever heard, apart from Setzer's of course. I've heard Santana, didn't do anything for me, or Gary Moore or Clapton.
Someone who may or should be on there is Hank Marvin of the Shadows - You recognize his style straight away......but that doesn't mean he's the best ever.

I am limited to what i've heard - for instance i haven't heard the great classical guitarests, and i've still a lot of blues to check out, and country. Even heavy rock i'm not that familiar with. So this is only from a personal view, but if you need to have influenced a whole generation etc to get on the list, then Setzer shouldn't be on there. However, if bringing back to almost dead art forms or types of music into the public's eye is some kind of influence then he should. How many Rockabilly bands started because of Stray Cats? How many schools have swing dances because of Brian Setzer Orchestra? And how many Cats on here and Hoodoo were inspired to pick up a guitar because of Brian Setzer or because of the guitar heroes that he brought to them?
When it comes to variety, who else plays Beethoven, Chuck Berry, Glenn Miller....all on the same gig?
So if it was about different styles of playing - Rock, Rockabilly, Rock n Roll, Country, Blues, Classic, maybe even Punk Polka, there can be only one winner.
But if it's about who's had the most number ones or which guitar has had the most publicity then the top three or four will always be the same.

RadSteve - the little i know i share, i leave those in the know to fill in the blanks.

I'm with Gloria on this one - I'm not technically knowledgable enough to debate guitar greatness, but I know who is great for ME. I remember the moment I first heard his music like the moment I first learned to read - a crystal-clear, heartstopping moment of joy, and then a realization life has just been radically, permanently changed. To watch Brian's talent and performance enjoyment grow and evolve has been one of the best pleasures of my life - can't measure that against any scale, or in any poll. Inked heart on my sleeve, Buffy

o.K so how do you get to post a comment and which comment do you recommend us reading

El Perro wrote:

I'm not as familiar with the jazz and classical names that some people have mentioned so I can't comment there. But on the rock side, I'm tired of seeing the same old names over and over again. What almost always gets left off these lists are guitarists from Rockabilly and Progressive. I don't expect to ever see the likes of Setzer make any kind of list. And it's almost seems as if there is a blacklist cause by resentment against progressive players like Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen, Robert Fripp, John Petrucci, Alex Liefson, Buckethead, etc. The only real prgressive and revolutionary player that seems to get mentioned with any regularity is Frank Zappa, and I think that only occurs because Baby Boomers somehow lump him in with with their Sentimental Sixties Nostaligia. I find that ironic, because Frank was always diametrically opposed to much of the mentality of the day and ridiculed it mercilessly in both music and lyric. But for my money, if we are going to compare late 60s-70s guitarists, Frank Zappa could play CIRCLES around guys like Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton.

Buckethead! Dangnabbit, I forgot to list him in my first post! That guy kills on the guitar, and.....he wears a bucket. On his head!
Eddie Lee is old, but, man, he can appreciate Mr. Buckethead.

each musician contributes to style and form neither is greater then the last it is about how to improve on style, only my opinion

EskimoPie wrote:

I'm with Gloria on this one - I'm not technically knowledgable enough to debate guitar greatness, but I know who is great for ME. I remember the moment I first heard his music like the moment I first learned to read - a crystal-clear, heartstopping moment of joy, and then a realization life has just been radically, permanently changed. To watch Brian's talent and performance enjoyment grow and evolve has been one of the best pleasures of my life - can't measure that against any scale, or in any poll. Inked heart on my sleeve, Buffy

Absolutley! I remember the first time I heard Rock This Town on the radio...I was only 8 years old, but it's stayed with me my whole life.

Screw the polls, Setzer rules!!!