The guitar, and more precisely, the electric guitar, is my favorite instrument. The one that I’ve tried to learn many times, without success. I lack the required discipline. I can only play some basic songs and things, so I’ll better let the professionals shine on this.
These are some of my favorite guitarists. I like many more, but for this article to be short and sweet, here’s a selection of them, in no particular order.
1. Jimi Hendrix. The best guitarist in history (in my opinion). He changed the way that people played electric guitar in the short time he was alive, 27 years. Imagine what he could have done if he had lived a little more. Creativity and musical genius.
2. Stevie Ray Vaughan. Another one that died young, but left some musical jewels. Although Hendrix is at the top of Guitar Heaven, SRV is one of my favorites because even though he was extremely talented and skilled, the thing that shined about him was his soul. He played with so much feeling that you cannot help but feel moved by his music.
3. BB King. I love the blues, so I had to praise the king, Mr. Riley B. King.
4. Tom Keifer. I’m an 80s hair metal fan and I think that even though the singer and guitarist of Cinderella, Tom Keifer, is mostly known for some 80s ballads like Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone), he is an amazing musician. He adds a blues touch to any song he plays.
5. Eddie Van Halen. The legendary guitarist of Van Halen. King of tapping.
6. Steve Clark. The late Def Leppard guitarist. Another 80s symbol.
7. Reb Beach. He has played with many renowned classic metal bands like Whitesnake, Winger, and Dokken, to whom he has always brought his expertise and great solos.
8. Tony Iommi. I cannot call myself a metalhead without including Black Sabbath’s guitarist, without him and his technique we wouldn’t have metal as a genre in music today.
9. Chuck Schuldiner. Death and Control Denied’s singer and guitarist. Although he is one of the pillars of death metal, I’ve always liked that he added a progressive feeling to his music.
10. Jonny Lang. This musician came as part of a new generation of extremely talented blues guitarists. He reached fame at just 16 years old.
+ Bonus. I can’t name Jonny Lang without also adding his friend and another guitar and blues prodigy, who also started his career at a young age, Kenny Wayne Shepherd. SRV’s musical heir, he also played with Double Trouble (SRV’s music band).