Rolling Stone magazine commandeered a massive list of rock musicians, in particular guitarist, and rock writers to come up with the definitive list of the top 100 rock guitarist of all time. The list, with Jimi Hendrix at the top, is being published in Rolling Stone on Nov. 23, 2011 but details were released two days before publication.
"We assembled a panel of top guitarists and other experts to rank their favorites and explain what separates the legends from everyone else," Rolling Stone says. They included some 70 guitarists and writers.
Everyone on the panel compiled their own list and contributed written input. In addition to RS writers like David Fricke and Patrick Doyle, a plethora of guitarist took part including Joe Walsh, Vernon Reid of Living Color, Robbie Robertson, Nancy Wilson, Mick Taylor, Melissa Etheridge, former Eagles axe-man Don Felder, Rick Derringer, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Kirk Hammett of Metalica and Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains.
Jimi Hendrix at Top of Great Rock Guitarist
Hendrix, rock superstar from the 60's who died at age 27 in September of 1970, gets the nod in the number one spot and it's a hard choice to argue with. An African-American from Seattle, Hendrix took his love of blues and did what no one had ever done with it before.
Black guitarists of the day were almost exclusively opting for jazz or blues without the not-so-subtle nuances of rock, Hendrix instead went out and made history with an over-amplified, treble driven attack. He died in London of asphyxiation under clouded circumstances but had he lived he would be turning 69 on Nov. 27, 2011.
"Jimi Hendrix exploded our idea of what rock music could be: He manipulated the guitar, the whammy bar, the studio and the stage," Tom Morello, a Grammy-winning guitarist, who was on the panel, said. "On songs like "Machine Gun" or "Voodoo Chile," his instrument is like a divining rod of the turbulent Sixties – you can hear the riots in the streets and napalm bombs dropping in his "Star-Spangled Banner."
Rolling Stone: Top Ten Guitarist Plus
The top 10 then sees four consecutive British guitarists. In spots 2 through 5 are Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page (recently nominated for a knighthood), Keith Richards from the Stones and Jeff Beck. Richards might be a surprise, most considering him more a great rock player than a great rock guitarist.
In spots 6 through 9 are American players. Blues great B.B. King gets 6th spot and he's followed by Chuck Berry, Eddie Van Halen and in 9th Duane Allman, who died in a motorbike accident in 1971. The top ten is rounded out by another Brit, Pete Townsend of The Who.
There will be detractors of the this list. Stevie Ray Vaughn doesn't appear until 13th, Carlos Santana until 20th and Buddy Guy is way down in 23rd. For many, this writer included, it is hard to support Keith Richards in 5th, or Chuck Berry in 7th or even Neil Young in 17th (great singer, writer, yes, great guitar player not so much). Not when giant guitarists are so far down the list.
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