# Immortal Guitar Player that didn't Sing **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 22, 2002, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immortal-guitar-player-that-didnt-sing/120189 "2002-07-22T07:31:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2002, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immortal-guitar-player-that-didnt-sing/120189/1 "2002-07-22T07:31:43Z")
Does he/she exist? Many years from now, those who are inclined to do so, will sing the praises of Hendrix, SRV, Robert Johnson, and a myriad of others who played guitar and sang. It is my contention that, no matter how good you pick that gitter, if you don’t also sing, they won’t remember you. Which leads me to my question: Name a guitar player who didn’t sing who has a chance in hell of making it to the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame. ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2002, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immortal-guitar-player-that-didnt-sing/120189/2 "2002-07-22T10:15:53Z")
From God to Jesus to you: Carlos Santana He’s already in The Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame. ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2002, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immortal-guitar-player-that-didnt-sing/120189/3 "2002-07-22T10:45:29Z")
Sing lead, or backup? Because if you’re only talking lead, you’ve also got: Jimmy Page, Duane Allman, James Burton, Mike Campbell , Jeff Beck, Robbie Krieger, Eddie Hazel, Scotty Moore, Brian May inducted. All highly influential guitarists, none of whom sang lead in their bands and some of whom didn’t sing at all. ---
**Author:** ![Fibonacci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df788c/32.png) [@Fibonacci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fibonacci)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2002, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immortal-guitar-player-that-didnt-sing/120189/4 "2002-07-22T19:30:49Z")
Carlos Santana sings on a number of his songs. Jeff Beck sang lead on “Hi Ho Silver Lining.” IIRC, I don’t think Danny Gatton sang. Anothers that comes to mind is John Cippolina. ---
**Author:** ![roadrunner70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@roadrunner70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roadrunner70)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2002, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immortal-guitar-player-that-didnt-sing/120189/5 "2002-07-22T19:34:17Z")
Has Eddie Van Halen ever sung anything? ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2002, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immortal-guitar-player-that-didnt-sing/120189/6 "2002-07-22T19:38:35Z")
Joe Satriani? Steve Vai? ---
**Author:** ![p\_cific\_812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@p\_cific\_812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/p_cific_812)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2002, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immortal-guitar-player-that-didnt-sing/120189/7 "2002-07-22T19:55:35Z")
Al Dimeola ---
**Author:** ![gooti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eb8c5e/32.png) [@gooti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gooti)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2002, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immortal-guitar-player-that-didnt-sing/120189/8 "2002-07-22T20:03:58Z")
but, I don’t remember ever hearing Chet Atkins sing. ---
**Author:** ![gooti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eb8c5e/32.png) [@gooti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gooti)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2002, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immortal-guitar-player-that-didnt-sing/120189/9 "2002-07-22T20:17:01Z")
I forgot the great Yngwie Malmsteen. A guitar god if ever there was one. :rolleyes: _I feel like I’m required to have a mullet to read this thread._ ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2002, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immortal-guitar-player-that-didnt-sing/120189/10 "2002-07-22T20:27:28Z")
[John Fahey.](http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/special/fahey030901.html) His disciple, Leo Kottke, made a BIG mistake when he decided he should be singing along with his own guitar-playing. Thank god John never felt that way. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2002, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immortal-guitar-player-that-didnt-sing/120189/11 "2002-07-22T20:42:09Z")
**gooti** , I’m pretty sure I heard Chet Atkins sing on Austin City Limits once, but I could be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Fibonacci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df788c/32.png) [@Fibonacci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fibonacci)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2002, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immortal-guitar-player-that-didnt-sing/120189/12 "2002-07-22T20:47:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gooti \* > \*\*but, I don’t remember ever hearing Chet Atkins sing. \*\* On the one Chet Atkins album I have, Chet Atkins and Mark Knopfler **Neck And Neck** they both sing. Joe Satriani also sings. ---
**Author:** ![Mojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2002, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immortal-guitar-player-that-didnt-sing/120189/13 "2002-07-22T20:52:18Z")
Dick Dale\*. \*[sub]Yeah, he occasionally sings, if you can really call it that.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![p\_cific\_812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@p\_cific\_812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/p_cific_812)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2002, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immortal-guitar-player-that-didnt-sing/120189/14 "2002-07-22T21:06:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fibonacci \* > \*\*Joe Satriani also sings. \*\* Don’t get me wrong, I love Joe Satriani… but I’m not sure I’d call it singing. (at least not in the traditional sense) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2002, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immortal-guitar-player-that-didnt-sing/120189/15 "2002-07-22T21:31:50Z")
I don’t think Django Reinhardt sang, and he certainly qualifies as an immortal guitar player! ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2002, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immortal-guitar-player-that-didnt-sing/120189/16 "2002-07-22T22:36:09Z")
Since this OP was posted twice, and this thread seems to be the one that’s getting the action, I’ll duplicate what I put in the other thread. Apologies to any who’ve had to read it twice. OP:“Guitar player who didn’t sing that has a chance in hell of getting into the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame?” It’s already been done. To the best of my knowledge, Duane Eddy never sang on a record he released. He sold over 100 million recordings of guitar instrumentals in the late ‘50’s and throughout the ‘60’s. A number of these were Rock ‘n’ Roll top ten hits. Eddy was inducted into the R & R hall of fame in 1994. For further info, check it out [here](http://members.tripod.com/~Tony50/deddy-1.html) ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2002, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immortal-guitar-player-that-didnt-sing/120189/17 "2002-07-22T23:58:35Z")
Steve Morse, Randy Rhoads, Tony Ioami. Slee ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immortal-guitar-player-that-didnt-sing/120189/18 "2002-07-23T02:18:24Z")
**Slash** and **Alex Lifeson** ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immortal-guitar-player-that-didnt-sing/120189/19 "2002-07-23T02:28:57Z")
I never heard Les Paul sing. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immortal-guitar-player-that-didnt-sing/120189/20 "2002-07-23T07:11:49Z")
Oh, God, I stand corrected. What the hell was I thinking? (Yengwie Malmsteen, I think I can be excused for forgetting about him, though, but not Chet or Slash). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immortal-guitar-player-that-didnt-sing/120189.md?page=2)