# Guitarists: Whom Do You Admire Most As A Player? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [August 10, 2021, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarists-whom-do-you-admire-most-as-a-player/948399 "2021-08-10T19:52:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarists-whom-do-you-admire-most-as-a-player/948399/81 "2021-08-13T09:50:09Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Another great: Paco de Lucia **Chefguy** , I hope you don’t mind me responding to another post of yours. Not trying to best you or anything, it’s just that you’re mentioning some of my favorites, and there are other examples of their work that I think are more representative. This video, for example: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/QD6NaHforRQ/hqdefault.jpg "Paco de Lucia - La Tumbona (Bulerias)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QD6NaHforRQ) Most people probably don’t realize or maybe forget sometimes that this playing style (bulerias) is a heck of a lot harder without the backing of a couple of people clapping. It would make this sound better, but not much. It takes an awful lot of strength and stamina just to play this way for a few minutes, let alone to remain so precise and dynamic while a crowd stares at you in silence. Of course, it was no problem at all for Paco, as seen here. Throughout his career and since his death in 2014, other flamenco guitarists have routinely described him as superhuman, extraterrestrial, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarists-whom-do-you-admire-most-as-a-player/948399/82 "2021-08-13T16:04:19Z")
> [@alovem](#): > > **Chefguy** , I hope you don’t mind me responding to another post of yours. Not trying to best you or anything, it’s just that you’re mentioning some of my favorites, and there are other examples of their work that I think are more representative. No worries, friend. I was having trouble picking one, as I think everything he did was jaw-dropping. The first time I ever heard Paco was on the Elegant Gypsy album with Al Di Meola, who is another master of the instrument. I sat there with my mouth hanging open, listening to these two geniuses riff off each other. It was truly revelatory (it was in 1978). Since then, I’ve been able to see both of them in concert and was really devastated when Paco died. There may never be another like him. ---
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarists-whom-do-you-admire-most-as-a-player/948399/83 "2021-08-13T16:07:14Z")
> [@Cubsfan](#): > > noone born after 1980 contributed to the arts as much as or were more talented than anyone from the 70’s or earlier. Go ahead. Name most admirable guitar players born after 1980. This isn’t about “contribution to the arts.” This is about guitar playing. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarists-whom-do-you-admire-most-as-a-player/948399/84 "2021-08-13T18:53:33Z")
Billy Strings, Laur Joamets, Tylber Bryant, Marcus King, Kingfish, Joey Landreth, Brittany Howard, Molly Tuttle. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarists-whom-do-you-admire-most-as-a-player/948399/85 "2021-08-13T19:11:52Z")
Biréli Lagrène is a guitarist of excremental temperature. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarists-whom-do-you-admire-most-as-a-player/948399/86 "2021-08-13T19:33:07Z")
I love Spanish guitar (or things like it). When I was in Spain a hotel I was at had a Spanish guitarist playing and people were having an afternoon drink and snack. He had some homemade CDs (back when you would burn CDs). My wife and I bought all he had (I think five copies…one for us and the rest for gifts). Everyone was happy that day. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarists-whom-do-you-admire-most-as-a-player/948399/87 "2021-08-13T22:32:12Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I love Spanish guitar (or things like it). Another “nouveau Flamenco” artist is Ottmar Liebert. He’s had some criticism in the past, but even the great Paco had to finally give him some props. https://www.youtube.com/embed/S-gaztkFEzI?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=PLAboZgmyHq55PtD6It0EwZZ-E76uvMBZm ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarists-whom-do-you-admire-most-as-a-player/948399/88 "2021-08-13T23:52:56Z")
Not one but a duo, Rodrigo y Gabriella. Either of them plays phenomenally, together is magic. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ENBX_v1Po1Y/maxresdefault.jpg "Rodrigo y Gabriela- "Hanuman" OFFICIAL") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENBX_v1Po1Y) Also, St.Vincent can lay it down as well as Orianthe, two absolutely kick ass female rockers! ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2021, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarists-whom-do-you-admire-most-as-a-player/948399/89 "2021-08-14T01:09:22Z")
Fil ([Wings of Pegasus](https://www.youtube.com/c/wingsofpegasus/videos)) analyzes [Jimi Hendrix’s Star Spangled Banner.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGeLUcIe5LM) ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2021, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarists-whom-do-you-admire-most-as-a-player/948399/90 "2021-08-14T19:22:22Z")
😢 What? No love for Lenny Breau, and his amazing right-hand playing on his seven-string, and adding harmonics (harp harmonics)? He approached the instrument almost like a piano. > [@veryfrank](#): > > With both Belew and Zappa being mentioned, I was reminded of the widely-told story of Bowie recruiting Belew to join his band, and how Zappa responded. And which in turn reminds me of Belew’s involvement with some internicine grumblings in the Talking Heads camp when they were touring in Japan and Tina and Chris pulled AB aside to ask if he can replace David. Belew had to politely demur due to some speculative sessioning planned with Mr. Fripp and Mr. Bruford. 🙂 Good to see all the Belew mentions, here. It was cool seeing him in King Crimson’s _Three of a Perfect Pair_ tour in '84 (especially playing drums on a second kit for “Indicipline”!) ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2021, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarists-whom-do-you-admire-most-as-a-player/948399/91 "2021-08-14T19:35:15Z")
> [@swampspruce](#): > > Also, St.Vincent can lay it down Oh yes, one of my favorites. Thinking about buying one of her model guitars made by MM. Birth in Reverse has several of my favorite riffs and solos of hers. So much good fuzz. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/TAdARF4rGcQ/maxresdefault.jpg "St. Vincent - Birth In Reverse") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAdARF4rGcQ) My all time favorite is probably Marc Ribot, though. There’s several takes of Telephone Call From Istanbul from the Big Time sessions, and he improvises a different solo on each of them. The one released on the record and not the movie is the one I think is the best (but really, just about everything he recorded with Waits is a gem): [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6g8eRnks9bM/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGGUgZShlMA8=&rs=AOn4CLAHlrKU2jc0p0SSlx17sENWs5YrOQ "Tom Waits - Telephone Call From Istanbul (best quality)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6g8eRnks9bM) ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2021, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarists-whom-do-you-admire-most-as-a-player/948399/92 "2021-08-14T22:05:01Z")
Lenny Breau is a God. Listening to his recordings, and Tim Reynolds’ for that matter, make me realize just how little I know about making a guitar sing. ---
**Author:** ![ski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@ski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ski)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2021, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarists-whom-do-you-admire-most-as-a-player/948399/93 "2021-08-15T02:44:31Z")
Nobody has yet mentioned Buckethead? The guy is truly a prolific, eccentric virtuoso who seems to be able to play any genre of guitar music he wants. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2021, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarists-whom-do-you-admire-most-as-a-player/948399/94 "2021-08-15T15:36:12Z")
Another guitarist I admire greatly – Pierre Bensusan [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/luWveym90uE/maxresdefault.jpg "Pierre Bensusan | Le Voyage pour l'Irlande | Live @ The Silk Mill Recording Studio") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luWveym90uE) Best known as the master of DADGAD tuning, and often thought of as a player of Celtic music. Which is true (despite the fact that he’s French/Algerian/Sephardic Jewish, born in Algeria, moved to France as a child, which contains a whole fascinating musical history right there, but he ain’t Irish). But he’s not _only_ a player of Celtic music, not by a long shot. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2021, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarists-whom-do-you-admire-most-as-a-player/948399/95 "2021-08-15T18:09:08Z")
Always liked the fluid strumming of Christopher Parkening. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ICimkD3-j6w/hqdefault.jpg "CHRISTOPHER PARKENING IN CONCERT with Diane Bish") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICimkD3-j6w) ---
**Author:** ![Didi44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@Didi44](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Didi44)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2021, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarists-whom-do-you-admire-most-as-a-player/948399/96 "2021-08-15T18:24:07Z")
Agree about Clapton. I’ve read his autobiography and he’s always been kind of a nerdy jerk. But it’s his relentless pursuit of being an accomplished bluesman that makes his work so brilliant, especially with Cream, where was finally paired with his equals, possibly arguably superiors because of their jazz backgrounds and ability to improvise. ---
**Author:** ![Precambrianmollusc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/precambrianmollusc/32/63_2.png) [@Precambrianmollusc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Precambrianmollusc)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2021, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarists-whom-do-you-admire-most-as-a-player/948399/97 "2021-08-15T20:11:26Z")
Bruce Cockburn has always been high on my list , although I am not a musician. It always sounds to me like he is playing 3 different instruments and he is an excellent songwriter and generally touches on thoughtful issues. YouTube link on him playing and talking about his style. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/W8sYV_eo7_Y/maxresdefault.jpg "Acoustic Guitar Sessions Presents Bruce Cockburn") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8sYV_eo7_Y) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2021, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarists-whom-do-you-admire-most-as-a-player/948399/98 "2021-08-16T03:58:59Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Just admit… Never. First Rule. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2021, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarists-whom-do-you-admire-most-as-a-player/948399/100 "2021-08-16T04:46:05Z")
Joni is one of those players that _everyone_ says is underrated (which she is). Which begs the question, how many people can say you are underrated before you aren’t underrated any more? ---
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2021, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarists-whom-do-you-admire-most-as-a-player/948399/101 "2021-08-16T10:25:58Z")
This came up last night and I thought of this thread. He covers most of the big names, although it’s a little light on fingerstylists, especially Brits like John Renbourn, Bert Jansch, Davy Graham, etc. Also, no mention of John Fahey, unless I missed something. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/kuseBljHhVA/hqdefault.jpg "THE GUITAR 1929-1969 | THE PLAYERS YOU NEED TO KNOW") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuseBljHhVA) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarists-whom-do-you-admire-most-as-a-player/948399.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarists-whom-do-you-admire-most-as-a-player/948399.md?page=6)